Prayer Initiatives: Bringing Christ’s Healing and Transformation

to Nations in Distress

Believing that “with God all things are possible,” a prayer initiative is an internationally coordinated, united prayer effort for the holistic transformation of a nation or city. It is holistic in that informed prayer is focused on the unique needs of society whether they are in the social, political, economic, ecological, or spiritual realms. Such needs may be ethnic conflict, war, political oppression, economic corruption, exploitation of the poor, religious persecution, or the need for spiritual renewal due to laxness or division in the church. As people come together to seek the Lord for their nation, He promises to bring healing, forgiveness, and restoration (2 Chronicles 7:14, Is. 41:17-20, Ez. 36-37, Rev.22:1-3).

Prayer initiatives normally combine an on-site visit by an international team of prayer leaders in a two or three day gathering with local leaders from the churches, parachurch organizations, and prayer networks. If appropriate and possible, it is valuable to include representatives from other spheres such as the business community and government. During the conference, local leaders present the current situation in the nation with key concerns for intercession. Members of the international team give teachings on strategic intercession, as well as case studies and stories of how God brings healing, reconciliation, and restoration through prayer. All of this happens in a dynamic, free-flowing sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and what He wants to do to bring transformation to those who participate and to the wider society.

In addition, prayer networks around the world are alerted in advance and given specific information on the initiative for that nation, so they can provide the informed support of many thousands of gifted prayer warriors. With this mixture of both a locally and internationally coordinated prayer focus, we have seen the hand of God breaking through in numerous previous initiatives, often with supernatural demonstrations of His power and direction as well as bringing tangible changes reflected in the newspaper headlines. The way He does this is always fresh and unique to that particular nation.

Prayer Initiatives: What God Has Done through His People's Prayers

(2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 18:18-19, Ephesians 3:20)

Here are just some of many examples that could be given from prayer initiatives we have facilitated in the past. The Lord is so faithful to intervene and bring about His transformation as His assembled people submit and listen to Him together and pray out His heart for any nation or region in distress!

1. Cambodia 1994-1995

• Asked international prayer networks to pray the Khmer Rouge would “dissolve” (November, 1994).

• "The Khmer Rouge are dissolving!" (New York Times, Feb. 7, 1995).

• Our team of prayer leaders facilitated repentance for “Killing Fields” atrocities with church leaders.

• National Christian Fellowship formed.

• Church growth from 10,000 to 400,000 in 10 years!

2. Bosnia, August 1995

• Peace proposal by hardened genocidal Milosevic within 4 days of prayer initiative after repentance, reconciliation, and united prayer facilitated by our team with national believers from all three warring ethnic groups, resulting in the ending of the war.

• Dayton Peace Accords officially ended the war (November 1995).

3. Rwanda, April 1997

• Christian leaders develop national prayer strategy during prayer initiative.

• Reconciliation and evangelism efforts.

• Government's policy of national reconciliation Peace, security, and development return.

• Rwanda was rated #1 in governance in the Non-Aligned Movement (173 countries) (early 2003).
  

4. Afghanistan, October 1999

• Executions and amputations immediately stopped after prayer in the stadium.

• Favor with Taliban leaders and extension of our team’s visas.

• Continued prayer for the nation by international prayer movement.

• Taliban overthrown in 2001, women's rights being restored, children back to school, freedom, and development since October 2001 for 20 years until last August and the fiasco of the U.S. withdrawal.

• Afghanistan needs His breakthrough once again now!
  

5. Burundi, March 2000

• Two rebel leaders agree to peace talks within 4 days of prayer initiative. Peace process bringing Hutus back into government of national unity began.

• Former president and vice president got involved in prayer effort through their wives.

• Born-again president took power in 2005.
  

6. Sierra Leone, May 2000

• Foday Sankoh, leader of RUF, arrested same day as 1200 Christian leaders began to pray.

• Peace process over next year and a half with 50,000 rebels handing weapons in (2001).

• Weapons are broken up and made into farm implements.

• Peace, security, and development returned to the nation (2002).
  

7. Sri Lanka, November 2000

• Prabakaran, leader of Tamil Tiger rebels, for the first time agreed to peace talks the same day as Christian leaders repented for sins of nation and their ethnic groups.

• Resulting peace process brought about cease-fire and then peace agreement.

• Senior government officials credited prayer movement with ending war.
  

8. Congo, December 2000

• Initial decisions made to pull foreign troops out during prayer initiative.

• Reconciliation ripples out in eastern Congo after prayer initiative.

• Within one month, Laurent Kabila, the main hindrance to peace, assassinated.

• New president Joseph Kabila's policy of peace and reconciliation implemented.

• Kabila accepts Christ (2001) and flies prayer leaders to Kinshasa.

• Peace agreement with rebels (November 2002).

• Rebel leaders become Kabila’s vice presidents in a government of national unity.
  

9. Kenya, March 2001

• As 300 church leaders and WV staff pray, parliament's infighting replaced by peace and unity in constitutional review process.

• President Moi agrees to step down (2002).

• New president cracks down on corruption (2003)
  

10. Angola, October 1999 and 2001

• Tribal reconciliation during prayer initiative facilitated by our team of prayer leaders for local Christian leaders enabled united prayer movement to develop.

• Savimbi cornered and killed in gun battle and peace returned to nation that same day (February 2002).

• Nation began healing process from war that begin in 1975.
  

11. Sudan, 2000-2002

• International prayer effort commenced by World Vision Office of Prayer Mobilization (early in 2000).

• US government mediation with John Danforth begins.

• Christian leaders meet in North and South, October 2001 and January 2002 .Nuba Mountains' ceasefire breakthrough on January 18, 2002, during prayer initiative. Enabled humanitarian agencies access for first time in 20 years to that area. Ceasefire was signed the very same afternoon as hundreds of Christian leaders were crying out in united faith for a breakthrough to occur in the peace negotiations.

• Nuba ceasefire held and extended.

• Peace talks for comprehensive ceasefire and new constitution for religious freedom and sharing of resources.

• Peace agreement between North and South ends warfare which had gone off and on since 1955. (Darfur is another conflict in the western part of the country that now needs our prayer for His healing hand.)
  

Jesus Christ is the only Healer of the Nations. Such breakthroughs were only by His grace and are all to His glory alone!

John Robb

Chairman, Transformation Prayer Foundation

Founder, International Prayer Council and Initiator / Facilitator World Prayer Assembly (2012)

Johndrobb3@gmail.com

+1 505 3143331

TransformationPrayerFoundation.org