Anyone who
knows me knows that I love the Thai people very much. It gives me great joy
when I see one of them open up their mind and give their heart to Jesus. I have
seen hundreds of Thai people give their hearts to Jesus and many of them become
the first person in their entire family to be a follower of Christ. This is one
of my life purposes – to join God in what He is doing to reach the Thai
people with the love and message of Jesus.
But it
doesn’t stop at salvation. That is just the beginning. It also gives me great
joy when that new Thai believer begins to learn to walk with God as a disciple
and follower of Jesus and begins to share their faith with others and lead
others to Christ and learn what Jesus meant when He said in Matthew 4:19,
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” It gives me great
joy to see them give of their time and mentor new believers.
But let me
be very clear today about a very critical subject I want to ask you to pray
about. There are many strongholds that have kept the Thai people from Jesus for
thousands of years. Some of these strongholds are thought patterns. Some of
these strongholds are traditions and practices that have been handed down from
one generation to another. Some of these strongholds are related to cultural
norms that are in conflict with the teachings of the Bible. And some of these
strongholds are related to the very real spirit world that is very active in
this part of God’s world.
Think with
me for just a moment about what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12 when
he said, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the
spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Friends and
prayer partners,
please understand that the battle over the hearts and
minds of the millions of people from some of the least reached people groups in
the world is not a battle over flesh and blood at all… but a battle with the
spirit world that most do not see. These spirits and forces of evil
have kept the Thai people from the love and knowledge of Christ for far too
long. The time has come for the light of the Jesus to shine brightly in this
part of God’s world. It is time for God’s people to pray for the release of the
minds and hearts of Thai people so that they can turn to our great SAVIOR!
Let us pray, let us give, and let us go!!!!!
Prayer
Example: “Lord, We thank You for each of the missionaries living in
Thailand and especially those supported through NTIM and partnering with NTIM
who are committed to making disciples from some of the least reached people
groups in Asia. We also thank You for the reminder that our battle with
darkness is not between flesh and blood but with the rulers of darkness. We
pray that You would raise up more workers for the harvest and that you might be
pleased to remove the blindness over the Thai people’s heart and help them to
be open to the “good news which is for all people.” Help us Lord to pray
fervently, to give generously, and to be willing to join you in your work of
breaking the strongholds set against the gospel among the peoples of Thailand.
May Jesus be lifted up in Northern Thailand in a special way this Christmas season
and in the new year so that all men could be drawn to Him. We pray in Jesus
name. Amen.”
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