Author: Pastor Daimon – CCTA Chairman
Once upon a time, there was a group of men that gathered together in the “Newfoundland” for the purpose of forming a new nation as they were escaping a tyrannical King in their “mother land.” One of their most desired freedoms to gain was the “freedom of religion,” the freedom to assemble together as a community of people who deeply believed in the LORD God our Creator. With every gathering, there was an underlying, uniformed thought among each of our founding fathers, and that thought led to an automatic action in the way of prayer at the beginning of these gatherings and assemblies. This internal, intense urge to pray was so instinctive, it was as though there was a mandate place upon them by their very own hearts to petition our Heavenly Father to guide them, intervene in every discussion, and infuse them with the wisdom to carry forth the vision for this new settlement that began with “Thirteen Colonies” and eventually became the United States of America.
These brave pilgrims enlisted the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, through the practice of prayer to speak to their hearts and minds that the vision would be clear, that their purpose would be focused, and that they would obtain complete and total victory in gaining their freedom and maintaining this freedom to establish a more perfect union. While fighting in battles against the British, these soldiers had wives and families who carried the mantle of prayer as well. We call them “prayer warriors,” better known as “intercessors” in prayer. These first settlers lived a lifestyle of prayer so much so that it was as though the LORD God was a family member living amongst them. Well, He actually was due to the fact that faith in Jesus Christ makes God our father by the “new birth” and adoption of His Spirit. Therefore, “Abba” Father was always present with these faith believing settlers and they knew it. They knew that without Him and His input, they could do nothing. But with God, all things are possible, all things are possible to them that believe, and they could do all things through Christ who strengthens them.
This nation was founded with the principles of the Scripture in mind and prayer as the engine to build properly these principles into the dynamic documents that are found to be the most powerful of all to govern a nation. Through the use of prayer, they confidently made their requests known unto God, being certain that His ears were open to their prayers, and He would hear them, forgive their sins, and heal the land. Prayer is tightly linked to God’s Providence over a nation when that nation yields to Him in all reverence. Our United States of America Founding Fathers understood this and sprinkled the inclusion of prayer and worship throughout our founding documents. They understood that repentance and prayer were as essential to live as breathing is to sustaining life, and therefore made them an essential part of the opening activities of the day, every day, in the House of Congress; that every Congressional session was to open with prayer.
The question remains, “Have we considered prayer?” “If My people, who are called by My name, would humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (repent), then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (nation)!” (II Chronicles 7:14)
