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How To Pray In The Midst Of A Global Pandemic


2 Chronicles 7:13-14
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We are now in the midst of a global COVID-19 pandemic.

Like other natural disasters and catastrophes, many people are tracing only the natural causes. For example, before a tornado or a hurricane strikes, the meteorologists and climatologists will employ many tools and equipment that are available to trace the root causes. They are very sophisticated, monitoring and studying everything from various satellite images and radar readings. As a result, they can make a fairly accurate prediction for the upcoming weather. But they can only make a good forecast, and sometimes their forecast can be wrong.

Now many epidemiologists and virologists are researching the root causes of the coronavirus. Is this virus bioengineered in a laboratory in Wuhan? Is it caused by a bat sold in a wet market in Hubei? Or is this virus imported from some other countries outside China? They are still researching and debating with all sorts of theories and reasonings. And nothing is conclusive now.

Many of these scientists will only focus on the natural causes. Maybe nature is now fighting back against mistreatments and abuses by mankind over the years. The things of nature, like birds, fishes, animals and plants, have suffered many kinds of sicknesses and diseases till now.

Romans 8:22
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

As the laws of nature are at work, the laws of God are also in full operation! The invisible laws of God are controlling the visible laws of nature! Very often, many Christians only see God as a God of love. But many of us cannot relate to a God of wrath or judgment.

When great disasters of a global scale strikes, many Christians believe it is the work of Satan. But who caused the Great Flood in the days of Noah? Who brought the ten plagues in the days of Moses? And who will send the seven final plagues in the Book of Revelation?

Genesis 6:5-8
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

Exodus 9:13-14
13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me,
14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.

Revelation 15:1
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

Like the meteorologists, climatologists, epidemiologists and virologists, many of us have become very sophisticated in our human and natural reasonings. And it affects how we pray in this global pandemic.

Some called for a million prayers to be offered so that God will answer their cries for help. Some sent decrees and declarations demanding God to do this and that. Some were so powerful even to be able to command Satan to stop his evil works. But sad to say, there is no Biblical basis for all of these.

Firstly, God don't like repetitive prayers.

Matthew 6:7
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Asking people to repeat and pray the same prayers is like saying that God won't hear until a lot of people pray. A prayer chain is like a prayer bead used by other religions. Often it is mindless chanting. Saying the words without knowing what they say.

Secondly, when we pray, let our words be few. Keep our ears open and let our hearts be still before the Lord. Don't just blabber non-stop before God as He is in heaven and we are here on earth.

Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be rash with your mouth,
And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God.
For God is in heaven, and you on earth;
Therefore let your words be few.

Thirdly, the earnest prayer of a righteous man has great and wonderful results. But the real problem is this: Are there any righteous men and women among us? Is there a righteous man or woman who will stand in the gap and pray on behalf of the land?

James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Ezekiel 22:30
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

Isaiah 59:16
He saw that there was no man,
And wondered that there was no intercessor;
Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;
And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

When He sees that there is no righteous man to intercede on behalf of the land, He Himself steps in and prays in His own righteousness. Praise the name of the LORD!

Fourthly, if it is the LORD Who shuts up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if it is He who commands the locust swarms to eat up all of our crops, or if it is He who sends an epidemic among us, what can we do?

2 Chronicles 7:13-14
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

We cannot demand and command the Lord to do this and that through our willful declarations and presumptuous decrees. We must humble ourselves and pray, search for Him, and turn from our wicked ways.

As we pray with true humility and repentance, and seek His face, He promises that He will hear us from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land.

And our Lord is faithful to do what He says in His Word.


Written on: 27 April 2020