“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of mercies and God of all comfort;
who comforts us in all our affliction
so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction
with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
- 2Cor.1:3-4
As the prayers for Los Angeles increase, the attacks from our Adversary have become more frequent. But these afflictions are nothing to fear, for any affliction suffered on behalf of our Lord Jesus only serves to deepen our dependence on Him.
Over the past month, I have heard many reports of pastors and ministry leaders who have been attacked in one way or another. Some suffer physically and are in need of healing. Some lack financial support and are in need of provision. Others are watching as family members suffer either physically or emotionally.
My number one request this month is that you pray for the pastors and ministry leaders of our City. As evidence of the Kingdom’s advancement becomes more apparent, so too will the counter-attacks of the Adversary increase. And rarely does the Enemy attack straight ahead. He almost always comes from behind or attacks a loved one. That’s why it is so important to pray for the wives, children, and parents of those in ministry. Join with us as we ask the Lord to build a hedge of protection around our shepherds.
And here are a few other prayer points for you to consider:
* Pray for marriages throughout our City. The battlefield surrounding families is strewn with casualties. I read recently that the divorce rate in Christian homes rivals that of non-believers. Pray for the protection of our families!
* And along those lines, everywhere we turn we see the damage caused by the absence of fathers. All over our City, whether it be South Central or the Westside, wives and children are silently crying out for men to assume their God ordained role as fathers. Please pray that God will mature a generation of young men to become the fathers that their wives and children so desperately need.
* The LA Unified School District has a new superintendent. Pray for David Brewer as he takes over this crucial position. Pray that the Lord might grant him wisdom and surround him with wise and loyal counselors. And pray too that he might be granted favor with both the teacher’s union as well as the parents.
* The homeless issue in Los Angeles just keeps getting worse. The police round up those sleeping in public places, but the problem only moves to a different area. We have not even begun to deal with this issue at its core. Pray for a Christ-ward movement among those living on the streets of Los Angeles. And pray too that God will send laborers into that field.
* As the Lord begins to bring forth revival, we are witnessing the initial “blooms” of His spiritual gifts. Pray that these gifts will blossom fully, and that our congregations will become nurturing environments. Pray especially that our shepherds might be surrounded by mature believers exercising gifts of spiritual discernment and wisdom.
* We recently witnessed the release of One Night with the King, the story of Esther. We look forward to the release of Nativity over the Holidays. Pray that these films will have great impact on the residents of Los Angeles. Pray that there will be countless numbers of divine appointments between believer and non-believer as a result of these films. And pray for the entertainment industry. Pray for conviction that will lead to the release of more films like these.
* And lastly . . . pray for those who work in Los Angeles at low paying jobs. I’m thinking of all the janitors and bus boys; the day laborers and security guards. This is an expensive city to live in, and these people struggle to get by. Would you please remember to pray for them? Ask the Lord for provision, but more important than physical need, ask Him to fully supply every spiritual need of those at the very lowest rung on the economic ladder.
Bless you for praying! God is responding. Because of your prayers, God is moving. Or maybe I should quote Mr. Beaver who delighted in telling the children that “Aslan is on the move!”
Until the next time . . . yours because the tomb is empty,
Lyle Randles, Director of Prayer Ministry
LIFE CONNECTIONS INTERNATIONAL
www.lifeconnectionsintl.com