The power of prayer is undisputed. That’s why we pray.  We have seen it change things.  In our own life and the lives of those around us.

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Thousands of intercessors and prayer warriors across our nation have passionately prayed and continue to pray for God to heal and deliver our nation. Many of us are waiting in anticipation for this awesome event to take place.  For something drastic to happen that will change everything. God can do that. Nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with God. Yet if we look back through the pages of time to discover how God changed cities and nations, the answer may be quite different from what we would expect.

First, let me acknowledge, there were a few times God executed judgment on a city. Still, He made sure His people were removed and safe before that judgment was released.

So, how then does God change a city or a nation? The answer to this is chronicled throughout the pages of the Bible. When God set his face to change a nation or a region, He first changed a person.

Look at the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt.  God could have destroyed Egypt and took His people out, but He didn’t.

And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt” (Ex 3:7-10.)

He appeared to Moses and gave him instruction.  He then sent Moses to deliver the people. He even said to Moses, “I will send YOU to bring my people out.”

God used a man to change the nation and to deliver his people.

How about Saul in the New Testament.  God appeared to him and changed him completely.  He became Paul, whom we know so well. Through that one act, thousands were touched and converted.  The same with Peter.  A man who was once afraid to acknowledge his relationship with Jesus was touched by God and changed entire cities for God.

Still my favorite is the woman at the well.

She met Jesus by accident, or so she thought.  He spoke to her and revealed who He was.  Those few moments changed her entire life.  She went into the city to let everyone know of her experience.  In doing so, an entire city came to Jesus.  For the remainder of her life, she told others about Jesus – city after city was changed because of her one-time encounter with the Living Water.

John 4:39-42 says, “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” o when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

The encounter with Jesus changed her – then, and only then was the city changed…through this woman and her words.

Do you want to see your city change?  Have you been praying diligently for change?  Are you willing to be the change?

God works through people.  He always has and He always will.

We see it time and again.  A minister will visit a certain city, preaching the gospel and sharing the power of God, and that city will change for the better.  Whole nations have come to God because of one person.  Are you willing to be the one he sends?

When we pray and ask God to change our city, are we also willing to be the one whom he can use to make that change?  Moses did not want to be the one.  He felt incompetent, yet God chose him.  God equipped him and backed up every word he spoke to Pharoah.  He will do the same for you.

Sometimes all we need to do is pray.  Other times, we need to be willing to be the answer to that prayer if God so chooses.

Moses, Esther, King David, the woman at the well – all these mighty men and women of God were chosen for such a time as this…could it be that you are as well?

As for changing our nation.  Yes, we must continue to pray that God changes the people in office.  We must call forth divine encounters with God for the leaders of our nation.  Let’s pray God reveals himself to them in such a mighty way that they cannot deny His existence.  That they would bow down and worship the one true God.  It’s not time to stop praying.

Beyond that, we must be willing to be the answer to those prayers if that is God’s plan.  It is time to pray and time to be willing to act when God calls. God doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called.

Pray: Lord, we ask that You would continue to change our government officials’ hearts and turn them more towards You each and every day. We are crying out for Your help for our nation and it’s leaders.

Your turn: Could you be one of those?  Are you willing to be one of those? Share in the comments.

Author Kim Potter is a writer and the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to thousands of people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim’s message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged or disappointed by the circumstances of life, imparting hope. To receive her daily inspirational writings, go to www.anewthingministries.com (Photo by iStock.)