What About Justice?
Today it’s trendy to call out for social justice, yet Jesus is and has always been the ultimate social reformer. He establishes justice to reform society. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night?” (Luke 18:7, NASB). Jesus is the only social reformer in history who linked cultural transformation to night-and-day prayer.
Justice is exemplified by soul-winning, healing, revival, unity and the transformation of society. Justice isn’t just stopping wicked people from oppressing others; it includes empowering God’s people. Jesus knew that prayer wouldn’t just deal with the spiritual issues related to injustice, it would change the spiritual atmosphere of a city or region.
The only way justice can be fully manifest is to deal with the demonic powers in the supernatural realm. We move angels and demons by our words (see Dan. 10:12-13). They are involved in the release of justice—which means both the justice and missions movement can only go so far without night-and-day prayer.
The Centrality of Intercession in God’s Plan
Prayer has always been at the center of God’s purpose. Chapters 4 and 5 of the book of Revelation describe the worship order around God’s throne, where the four living creatures agree with Him in 24/7 worship and intercession (see Rev. 4:8).
Consider these examples: Human history began in a praying meeting in the Garden of Eden as Adam walked with God each day in the cool of the morning (see Gen. 3:8). Israel as a nation began at a prayer meeting at Mount Sinai right after its people crossed the Red Sea, when God called them to be a kingdom of priests (see Ex. 19:6-20). The first mandate God gave Israel was to build a worship sanctuary, a house of prayer, in the wilderness (see Ex. 25).
God’s purpose for His people to be a house of prayer is evident during the reigns of David and his son Solomon, in Israel’s greatest hour in history. King David established night-and-day worship (see 1 Chr. 15-16) and financed more than 4,000 full-time paid musicians and singers (see 1 Chr. 23:5; 25:7). David commanded the kings and leaders in the generations after him to establish and maintain worship in the way that God had revealed to him (see 2 Chr. 29:25; 35:4, 15; Ezra 3:10; Neh. 12:45). Zerubbabel established full-time singers and musicians as commanded by David (see Ezra 3:10-11; Neh. 12:47). Ezra and Nehemiah did the same (see Neh. 12:24, 45). Each time this order of worship was reintroduced in Israel, spiritual breakthrough, deliverance and military victory followed.
Jesus began His public ministry in a prayer meeting in the wilderness (see Matt. 4) and ended it in a prayer meeting in the Garden of Gethsemane (see Matt. 26). The church began in a prayer meeting (see Acts 1-2). Natural history as we know it will end in the context of a global prayer movement. The conflict at the end of the age will be between two houses of prayer, two global worship movements. The Holy Spirit is raising up the most powerful worship movement in history (see Rev. 22:17; 5:8; 8:4; Luke. 18:7-8; Is. 62:6-7; 24:14-16; 25:9; 26:8-9; 30:18-19; 42:10-13), which will completely defeat the Antichrist’s end-time worldwide false worship movement (see Rev. 13:8).
Before Jesus returns, the Spirit-anointed church across the nations, established in her bridal identity and functioning in intercession and worship, will cry out with the Spirit, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (see Rev. 22:17).
Mike Bickle is the director of the International House of Prayer Missions Base of Kansas City (IHOP–KC) and author of several books. For more information, visit mikebickle.org or ihop.org.
Listen to more of Mike Bickle’s teaching on the praying church at prayingchurch.charismamag.com
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