The following is a historical IFA article that was originally published in June 1990.

We speak a lot today that our desire and ambition is to bring our nations back to God. We want to see our nations come under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit, under the word of the Lord, under the Lordship of Christ.

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If we want, we may engage ourselves in “Christian politics.” That is valid and good, but not good enough. We may engage ourselves in fiery, feverish worship and praise—and that’s wonderful—but that alone is not going to do it. We may issue various and sundry proclamations, but we can’t proclaim the devil out of his position. We can, however, pray for him out of position and influence.

God can never become the hope of the nations unless the Church becomes the Church of prayer. It is time the Church places a high priority on corporate prayer. I mean praying together as a whole church and spending substantial time in corporate prayer. Why shouldn’t we be able to pray for one hour together in corporate prayer when we can worship for one hour?

I believe it has been the enemy’s strategy to strip the Church of Jesus Christ from its appointed prayer ministry. Satan has cleverly stripped the modern Church of its prayer meetings and times of corporate intercession and transformed prayer into a kind of “Honolulu time.” Believers fellowship with some coffee and tea, share things and then end with a brief word of prayer. That’s often what we call a prayer group. It is not. That kind of prayer meeting is a fellowship group, which has nothing to do with effective prayer. Few churches engage in a weekly, truly effective corporate prayer meeting.

We can never make God the hope of the nations unless we become a praying church. If we don’t pray, the Kingdom of God will not be as effective as it could be.

We need to get the vision for corporate prayer burned into the local church, into the hearts of pastors, elders, deacons and members. Why? Because unless this happens, we are left without any significant means of impacting national life, government and nations. Remember the instructions Paul gave to the early Church? “I exhort you first of all, that when you assemble prayer be made; supplications, prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks for all men, for kings and for those in authority.” (1 Timothy 2:1)

To what object? That we may create an atmosphere, a climate that will make it possible for people to find Jesus Christ. That we may live a life in decency and godliness worthy of the God who called us (1 Timothy 2:2). This can occur only if we obey this word and make prayer the first priority—not just prayers for the church, but prayers for all men and all in authority in our society.

Some Christians place their faith in political action. I personally welcome Christians getting involved in politics. But in this age, it is simply not enough. Understand that an even more powerful way of political influence than voting is praying! After all, what are politics, culture, social life and art? They are but reflections of the impact of unseen spiritual powers upon daily life. Political figures do not ultimately rule, it is principalities and powers who often rule an orchestrate in this present darkness (Ephesians 6:12).

The only way to consistently influence this spiritual realm is through prayer, especially prevailing corporate prayer by local churches. There is no other effective way! Heaven yet waits for the Church to be the House of Prayer.

Does your local church offer corporate prayer? Share your prayers for America and the church in the comments!

Johannes Facius was a speaker, author, prayer leader, and Bible teacher. A powerful intercessor, he founded Intercessors for Denmark in 1973. Photo Credit: Jack Sharp on Unsplash.