Praying the News

The “news” is by its nature, mostly negative. An airliner that makes it to its destination is not news, but one that falls out of the sky is. Some national TV networks try to include positive news stories such as “the person of the week” segment on Friday night on CBS, but this hardly stops the bombardment of negative stories. For many Christians, tuning in to the news is depressing, especially in the last years. Sometimes we just don’t listen to it, or turn it off rather than listen to a particularly disturbing item. But this is a wrong response for the mature Christian.

The Lord has sent us to bring Him glory and alleviate with prayer and loving acts much of the evil and chaos we learn about and encounter. This is central to our task as intercessors for the Kingdom of God and central to the Lord’s Prayer – “On earth as it is in heaven.”  Negative news gives us opportunities to “stand in the gap” for our nation, and for the salvation and welfare of others. The model for this is Moses, when he pleaded with God not to destroy the Israelites. God informed Moses that He was about to annihilate them after they had defied Him by creating a golden calf. (Exod 32:7-14) What worse news can there be? And what more authoritative news anchor man? But Moses interceded, and changed God’s mind, yes, that is what the scripture says, and the Chosen people lived and were permitted to go on into their destiny.

Here are some practical examples of “praying the news” for the sake of the Kingdom, and to be an intercessor and bring to earth “as it is in heaven.” The local TV news reports:

Last night a robber shot and killed the night manager of the 7-11 at Main and Baker Street, and ran off with an undisclosed amount of money. The security camara shows the assailant shooting Mr. Jones, the manager. Mr. Jones is survived by a wife and three children, aged five months to eleven years old. A ten-thousand-dollar reward has been set up for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Sounds familiar? One is tempted to shut off the TV even before the report concludes. But here is a more Christian response in prayer. Mute the TV during the commercials and pray:

Father, In Jesus’s name we bless the grieving family and ask your Holy Spirit fill them with the comfort only He can give in their time of mourning. Provide for the needs and education of the children and heal the trauma of losing their father. We ask for wisdom for the police in solving this crime rapidly and apprehending the perpetrator without further violence. We ask further that the perpetrator repent of his crime and give his life to Jesus. Amen

Next the weather girl comes on and give the local weather but also shows the national weather pattern. There is a wide front of severe storms that may result tornados across much of Tennessee. Here is the suggested prayer response (see chapter 7, commanding storms to stop).

In Jesus’ name we command the severe storms raging over Tennessee to release its energy and moisture evenly and gently to refresh the earth. We forbid and forming tornado to touch the ground and damage persons of property. Amen.

Next come the national news. The headline refers to the war in the Ukraine, with a particularly nasty rocket attack that left ten Ukrainian civilians dead, and dozens wounded. Praying for the end of a war can be tricky and confusing. We have mentioned Agnes Sanford in chapter 7. She prayed with her prayer group on Moorstown, New Jersey, for the end of World War II. She discovered that their prayers were most effective when they were directed for the protection of their loved ones in the armed forces. In fact, not a single person from Moorestown died in combat in that war – a miraculous outcome.[1]

Using her insights here is how I pray for the war in the Ukraine:

Father, in Jesus’ name, I ask form ever increasing number of guardian angles to protect the Ukraine soldiers and civilians. I ask a special endowment of your Holy Spirit to comfort those grieving from the losses of their loved ones from bombardment or combat. I ask that the Ukrainian generals and officers be given special wisdom in planning and conducting the war so that their casualties are minimized, and the Russians surrender quickly rather than be killed or maimed. Further, I ask for a quick end to the war with a negotiated peace.

We may assume that millions of Christians are praying for a quick peace, but it seems that wars are not so easily ended. Note that World War II two lasted six years, and the last two years of the war were particularly destructive in terms of casualties and the murder of Jews and Gypsies by the Nazis. War is at the very center of Satan’s plan of destruction and he does not easily surrender his domaine in this realm. Still, the Christian is mandated to pray or the quick resolution of wars and their just conclusions, “on earth as it is in heaven.”

A further note here: lately I have been praying prayers of “command disablement” as modeled by Paul in Acts 13:7-12, where Paul disabled a sorcerer who was opposing the Gospel. This has only occasionally been used in Church history, as for instance by St. Martin of Tours. It is a controversial ministry of prayer and I explain it carefully in my book, America in Danger.[2] My command disablement prayers for the Ukrainian war run along these lines (the war situation changes rapidly so any example will probably be obsolete by the time your read this).

In Jesus’ name I speak a spirit of confusion on the Russian general staff as they plan the mobilization of the Russian reserves. I speak confusion and lack of clarity in their plans, and that the mobilization will be delayed and have no effect on the war. Amen.

[1] Sanford, Sealed Orders. Chapter 13.

[2] Chapter 12.