The immense challenge of penetrating an essentially pagan culture and nation for Christ—in Japan, in this country, as well in nations across the earth—is unprecedented. Centuries of Christian witness have seemingly failed. But God is not defeated—for “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have power to demolish strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4)! It is time to come against those strongholds of Satan with Heaven’s potent weapon of collective, intercessory prayer.
From 7:00 PM on Friday, April 6, to 7:00 PM on Sabbath, April 7, we are convening a campus-wide Day of Prayer and Fasting. Each of us has a dozen urgent prayer needs we must bring to God. But beyond our personal prayers, it is time to collectively focus our praying on
• We pray for Japan (the Land of the Rising Sun) and boldly claim the promise that the Sun of Righteousness will yet rise with healing in His light (Malachi 4:2)—may the 163 evangelistic events to be conducted there in May "proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners" (Isaiah 61:1);
• We pray for the secular West, where atheism and paganism's iron-fisted grip pins both young and old in their strongholds—may the cry of Creation's angels—"Worship Him who made heaven and earth"—be heard in the halls of academia, the corridors of politics and power (Revelation 14:7);
• We pray against the stronghold of racism in our country, on our campus and in our church—break down the egotism (self-worship) that lies coiled and deadly in the heart of all racism, and answer the prayer of our Lord—"That they may be one as We are one, O Father, I in them and You in Me, so that they may be brought to complete unity"(John 17:22-23)—so that as we humbly but radically love one another "everyone will know" that we are Your disciples (John 13:34-35).
We must come together and pray. "'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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land'" (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Be Involved
Please sign up for an hour of prayer. Then come through the Pioneer Youth Chapel, where we will be open through these 24 hours, with each hour beginning with a facilitated introduction, hymn and prayer, after which those gathered can select designated on-site prayer spaces to join others interceding for the same need.
Do you have to fast in order to join this Day of Prayer and Fasting? No—but don’t be too quick to dismiss the possibility. Fasts come in various sizes and shapes—from Daniel’s modified fast (Daniel 10:3) to Esther’s crisis fast (Esther 4:16, 5:2) to Jesus' disciples' deliverance fasting (Matthew 17:21). Fasts can include simple social media fasting, fruit juice fasts, entertainment fasting, etc. Remember—we don’t fast to convince God or manipulate Him—we fast and pray on behalf of the great challenges we face and our desperate need for God’s intervention.
The 127 million people of Japan deserve to hear and know Jesus as much as we do. But only the Holy Spirit can break the devil’s centuries-long chokehold on that society. And we have His promise: "So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west [USA], and His glory from the rising of the sun [Japan]—when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19). It is time to claim God’s promise! Join this intergenerational Day of Prayer and Fasting—go to the website and let us know you’ll be there. We thank you, and God will bless you.