“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14 (ESV)
I have heard Athens called a city on the hill. My cry has been that God would make it a city of prayer on the hill! One of the key components of birthing and sustaining a move of God is mobilizing citywide prayer. Over the past ten plus years, we have been stirring up prayer across Athens. Today we are seeing many pockets of prayer, plus churches including prayer in more than just an “opening” salutation. Nevertheless, we still have a long way to go. Please join me in praying that God would awaken His people in our city to the absolute need for becoming a praying church.
While a prayerless church is a powerless church, a praying church releases God’s kingdom, will and power in that geographic region. God calls for us to be a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:6-7). A praying church has the priority of prayer in every aspect of its life. A praying church is led by a praying pastor. A praying church is filled with praying people, including children, students and all, not just a few “prayer warriors.” A praying church doesn’t happen accidentally and isn’t without cost. But a praying church is crucial in ushering in His kingdom.
Wherever you and/or your church is at today, God is calling you deeper in the journey of becoming a house of prayer. I have been publicly leading prayer stuff for over thirty years and I am still learning more about prayer!
Cry out for God to make you a house of prayer and to continue to teach you “how to pray” (Luke 11:1). Ask Him to awaken your pastor to lead, first and foremost, from His knees, as he cries out to God to revive His church and awaken our city. Ask God to release a grace to pray in your church and that prayer would become a vital component in everything it does. Ask God to do this across our city and make Athens a city of prayer on the hill!
