(Job 9:5, 10 NIV)
Have you been frustrated, worried, scared, or even angry at the state of the world right now? Maybe it feels too overwhelming – what can any one of us do to change this world? I believe that by reading and being filled with God’s Word, we will find ourselves changed. God’s Word works on us when our spiritual ears are tuned in to listen. When we hear from God, then we move forward in faith, doing what he calls us to do. But how do we pray for and influence our society, our nation, and our world?
If you took our culture – our society – and thought about the ways it is influenced, you would probably recognize these seven areas: Arts and Entertainment, Business, Church, Education, Family, Government and Media. Each of these has a different, but very definite impact upon our society. In the 1970’s Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, and Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth with a Mission, and Frances Schaeffer, apologist, evangelist, and pastor,* were all given messages from God that led them to believe that for the Church to fulfill our call to “go and make disciples,” (Matthew 28:18) we would have to influence and impact these seven areas of society. Hence, the idea of “moving” the Mountains of Society.
If “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” (Proverbs 14:34 NIV), how is our society doing in each of these seven areas? How is our nation doing? How is our state doing? Our county? Our city or township? Do you see these geographic areas as being full of God’s righteousness or full of the sin of the world? Think of the things in your community that might seem like negative “mountains” – a school board that is opposed to the Gospel, a “gentleman’s club” down the street that sells XXX movies, a “church” whose focus is not on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but on making people feel good or making itself money. Do you see space for an increase in righteousness in these seven areas, even in your own community?
Let us join together to pray for our world, through these seven “mountains,” so they can be filed with God’s righteousness, justice, grace, peace, love, and joy.
Mountain-Moving God,
Thank you for the call to be your children and your heirs. What great love you have lavished upon us, Father! You have blessed us with every spiritual blessing, giving us salvation through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as our guide. We praise you for the glorious grace you have freely bestowed upon us and for your Spirit you have placed within us. Thank you that your call on our lives is simple, yet profound: to go and make disciples so that more and more people know they are dearly loved by you and have a purpose in your Kingdom. Thank you that you have given us the physical and spiritual tools we need to fulfill our callings and to persevere against the forces of evil in this world. Thank you, especially, for your Word and prayer, our indispensable weapons. We pray together with believers in all times and places for the furthering of your Kingdom. Specifically, today, we pray for the seven mountains of society – government, media, business, arts & entertainment, education, family and your Church. We pray that in each one of these there would be godly men and women who are standing up to darkness and pouring your Light, Life, and Love into our society. Where there are mountains containing deep corruption, wickedness, fraud, and evil, we pray in the name of Jesus for a cleansing of those areas. We believe that you want righteousness and justice for this nation and so we pray that where there is evil it will be overturned, by the power of your Spirit. Give us more and more love to light up the darkness so that we can shine brightly and invite others to the warmth and beauty of the Light of the World, Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord, in whose name we pray, Amen!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
(Eph. 1:3-6 NRSV)
You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.”
Because you have made the Lord your refuge
the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.
(Psalm 91: 1-2, 9, 14-16 NRSV)
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
(Matthew 17:20 NIV)
Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
(Ephesians 6:13-18 MSG)
“This is the message from the Lord to [you]: ‘Your help will not come from your own strength and power. No, your help will come from my Spirit.’ This is what the Lord All-Powerful says. That tall mountain will be like a flat place for [you]. He will build the Temple, and when the most important stone is put in place, the people will shout, ‘Beautiful! Beautiful!’”
(Zechariah 4:6-7 ESV)