But if any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it declares the Lord.
– Jeremiah 12:17
Now, this is in Jeremiah, in the Old Testament, a picture that is very different in many ways from the New Testament. Obviously, the New Testament builds on the Old Testament, but God building the people, the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and other nations around it being called upon to obey Yahweh, to obey the Lord in such a way that in the New Testament, we obviously know that God’s people, the church is made up of people from all kinds of different nations, that God is not building a nation like he was in the Old Testament through the New Testament. Well, he’s building a royal priesthood, a holy nation of people who belong to him through faith in Jesus.
Jeremiah 12:17 encourages us to pray for spiritual awakening in each of our countries.
At the same time, this clear principle from the Old Testament is undisputed. If any nation, if any people will not listen to God, then they will experience judgment from God. God says, “I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it declares the Lord.” And so I do want to lead us to pray today for each of our nations, for the countries that we’re a part of.
I pray for this all the time, and I want to lead us to pray that in each of our countries, there would be a softness of heart to listen to the Word of God, spiritual awakening, a sensitivity to the Word of God, knowing that when we are part of a people, a group, a nation, a country that is not listening to the Word of God, that is turning from the Word of God, then we are on a row that leads to judgment from God.
We need to listen to God, and we as God’s people are to stand in the gap for the people we are among to pray for them, to pray that they would listen, that we would all listen to God’s Word and obey it. So can we just do that now? Can we intercede for our countries, our nations, and for the nations of the world? We don’t just pray for our country.
Jeremiah 12:17 encourages us to pray for spiritual awakening among the nations.
God, we pray for spiritual awakening, for softness and sensitivity of a heart to your Word. Lord, I pray for this in the United States. God, I pray that among the people you’ve placed me in the country where I’m a citizen, God, I pray that you would save us from ourselves. You would help us to hear your Word. God, I pray for the city I live in, for Metro, Washington DC, God, I pray for spiritual awakening, I pray for softness of heart to your Word and turning to you.
Lord, we pray this for our cities, we pray this for our countries right now, we pray this for other countries right now. God, we pray for spiritual awakening in South Korea, in North Korea, for spiritual awakening in China, in Saudi Arabia, we pray for spiritual awakening in Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia. Lord, we pray for spiritual awakening in Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. God, we pray for the spread of the gospel and spiritual awakening… Sensitivity to your word in England, France, and Germany.
Prayer for the Mazanderani People
God, we pray for the gathering of your people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. We pray for every tribe. Oh God, we pray specifically today for the Mazanderani people of Iran. 2.5 million of them with such a small number of followers of Jesus among them.
God, please cause there to be a spiritual awakening among them. Lord, we pray for this. And we pray you to help us to be faithful intercessors toward this end… Knowing that people who don’t listen to you… Those who don’t receive and respond to your word will experience judgment from you. God, we pray. Help us to be faithful intercessors… Faithful proclaimers of your Word wherever we live and wherever you might lead us in the world. We pray all this according to your Word in Jeremiah 12:17. In Jesus’ name, in the name of the Only One who can save among all the nations. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that helps people follow Jesus and make him known in their neighborhood and all nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, and Don’t Hold Back.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
