We reached out to Pastor Maxim Belousov, of Intercessors for Ukraine, a few days ago to ask if the revival that broke out at the beginning of the war has continued. He replied with a very encouraging and insightful voice message!

Have you taken your place on the wall?

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Here is a synopsis of what Pastor Maxim said:

The revival that started with the war is still going on. All over Ukraine, even near the frontline, people are hungry for Christ, and churches are experiencing strong responses to altar calls with many people saved and counseled. … The revival is going full force even as the war has come to a slow grind. One striking thing is that their faces show hunger for God, which reflects the book of Acts, where Peter saw faith in the eyes of the paralyzed man. We see faith during each altar call for salvation.

We asked Pastor Maxim if the people there were encountering any specific demonic strongholds. He stated that the three main ones they fight are fear, fatigue, and fatalism. Does that sound familiar? Satan is not original in anything he does; he just packages his attacks differently in hopes that we won’t be able to see through his schemes. Many of us battle fear, fatigue, and fatalistic thought (Lo que será, será …) almost daily, in some form. In the case of Ukraine, the devil uses the war to keep unbelievers in bondage to the fear of losing the battle; to emotional and physical fatigue, which erodes their resilience and optimism; and to fatalism, which is the lie that the outcome is determined by impersonal fate rather than a personal God. Pastor Maxim did not specify where those attacks are occurring, but I imagine that many new believers, still immature in the faith, are particularly vulnerable.

Pastor Maxim shared some specific prayer requests from his point of view as an intercessor.

First, what he sees as victory: the collapse of the regimes of Vladimir Putin of Russia, and of Alexander Lukashenko, of Belarus (Putin’s closest ally in the region). Although actual motives for the war have been subject to speculation, both leaders seem to be pursuing the restoration and expansion of a totalitarian state reminiscent of the Soviet era, with devastating consequences for the freedom and well-being of their own people and the surrounding free states.

Secondly, the collapse of the Russian propaganda system that suppresses the truth about the war, deceives the people about Putin’s intentions, and seeks their support for the restoration of Russia’s glory.

Third, the return of everything stolen from Ukraine because of this unprovoked aggression. Cities have been destroyed, lives have been scarred, personal property has been left behind or ruined, and Ukraine has had to sink enormous financial and material resources into defending its country and repairing its infrastructure.

Fourth, for the nation of Ukraine to be changed. Says Pastor Maxim: We realize like never before that this war has challenged us, and we need to be changed. We need to be awakened and reformed because if we get the victory tomorrow but have stayed the same, we will not be able to cope with the gift of victory.

As the war grinds on, with more bloodshed in sight, we must not let up on praying for the Church in Ukraine and for the revival among its people to continue. An account from Pastor Anya Boyarskaya in Kryvyi Rih, posted on Facebook just before Christmas, vividly underscores the need for prayer:

Our main church and a dozen+ daughter churches are in Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of president Zelensky and his wife. That city was largely peaceful until Putin started bombing power plants. A few days ago, four missiles hit apartment buildings just ten minutes drive from one of our churches. Several people died, 20+ in hospital. Two praying ladies in our main church testified – who lived in different apartments in those apartment buildings that got hit by four missiles. One of these ladies reported that a voice in her heart said to go to the bathroom, and the other lady also reported that the voice in her heart said to go to another room. They each ran from the rooms they were in. Within SECONDS the rooms they ran from were destroyed. A family known to our pastor, not church people -mom, dad, and baby – were killed…among others. Their 7-year-old son was dug out of the rubble of his home unharmed. He is now with Grandma, who, as of yesterday, did not yet know how to tell him his family is gone.

 Let us agree in prayer for Ukraine today, that:

•  God would raise up leaders to disciple the many new believers pouring into the Church and provide them with Bibles and study materials;
•  the gospel message would reach every man, woman, and child in Ukraine and bring them from fear and darkness into His kingdom of light and hope;
•  the Lord would command the hosts of heaven to come against the spirits of fear, fatigue, and fatalism;
•  the truth about this war would come to light within Russia and cause pressure to mount on Putin to withdraw;
•  a revival like what was ignited in Ukraine would start in Russia;
•  revivals in both countries would bring lasting change in every sphere of life, eliminate corruption, heal the war’s emotional and physical scars, and cause them to be catalysts for the kingdom of God and not for socialism;
•  God would continue to miraculously protect against attacks and to comfort those who have lost loved ones;
•  He would restore to the Ukrainian people what has been taken or destroyed.

Father in heaven, we pray for Ukraine today. Thank You for the revival that continues. May the gospel of truth, light, and hope go out to every household in the country. May it ring with clarity and hope and be free from distortion. Raise up leaders to evangelize and disciple the many hungry new believers, and provide the resources these converts need to help them grow in their faith. And we pray for Your intervention in the war so that it will end. We declare that Your purposes in Ukraine and Russia will come to fruition. We believe that what Satan intends for evil, You turn to good. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Do you pray for the gospel of grace in Ukraine? Please share your prayers and thoughts below.

Remco Brommet is a pastor, spiritual-growth teacher, and prayer leader with over 40 years of experience in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the U.S. He was born and raised in the Netherlands and pastored his first church in Amsterdam. He moved to the U.S. in 1986. He and his wife, Jennifer, live north of Atlanta. When not writing books, he blogs at www.deeperlifeblog.com and assists his wife as a content developer and prayer coordinator for True Identity Ministries. Jennifer and Remco are passionate about bringing people into a deeper relationship with Christ. Photo Credit: Canva.