As Christians, the church is an important part of our lives and faith, and we are to love and care for her as commanded by God in his word. As a husband strives to protect his wife, so are we to contend for and protect the church (Ephesians 5:25).
“…Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people..” (Jude 1:3). Contending for the Church requires
- Defending the faith. The increase of heretics and false brethren and prophets is a danger to the Church and an attack on the faith. The most fundamental and only tool we have as the Church to build, sustain, and pass on our faith to others, is the word of God. If we lose it, we have lost all we have. God’s word and our faith is being attacked by heresies, lies, modernism and other ploys of the enemy to corrupt the gospel. Without the gospel there will be no church.
- Contending against increasing religious skepticism and atheism. The lies of modernism have resulted to the emergence of a very ungodly and immoral society. Unnatural and perverse lifestyles that are contrary to God’s norm and standard as prescribed in His word, are adopted and legalized. At school, our children are mandatorily exposed to this unholiness and perversion. Preachers are now threatened with arrest and jail for preaching certain portions of the Bible because it offends the public, (those who oppose the truth). We must contend for the proclamation of the whole counsel of God.
- We must contend for the promotion and support of the work of the church in the local community and globally. Acts 1:8 says we need to be ‘witnesses’ to the ends of the earth.
- We must contend for the church and its members, for God’s blessings and guidance (1 Peter 5:8-9)
- We must contend to build up the church as a more effective force for good in the world (Philippians 1:27)
- We also have to pray against declining attendance in the church as many are walking away from fellowship. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
The challenges faced by the Church in Ireland might be different from what is experienced in some countries. The church faces persecution and discrimination (2 Timothy 3:12), and believers must stand up for their faith in the face of great adversity (Hebrews 10:32-34 Hebrews 11:36-38).
In all these cases, the unity of the church becomes a key factor to our sustainability, stability and victory. A united church cannot be defeated (Ephesians 4:3). We must stand together and support one another as we seek to build a more effective church as a force for good in the world (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).
By working together and supporting one another, we can help to strengthen the church and make it a more vibrant and influential part of society. (Acts 20:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Prayer Points
- Pray for God’s divine guidance over the church in Ireland and for increasing impact and influence in the society, (Ephesians 3:20-21).
- Pray for church leaders in Ireland for divine wisdom and guidance as they seek to shepherd the flock and serve the community and nation (Acts 20:28).
- The Irish as many other people have a broken trust in the church which was based in religion. Pray that this broken trust in a religious system will result in a true revival and desire to seek God. (2 Chronicles 7:14).
- Pray for the preservation of the true and pure gospel. May God raise more sincere and faithful preachers, teachers, prophets, apostles, evangelists and believers
- Pray for unity within the church in Ireland, asking God to help us work together and support one another as we seek to build up the body of Christ (Philippians 1:27).
- Pray for the wider community in Ireland, asking God to use the church to make a positive difference in people’s lives and to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20).
- Pray for the global Church and for the global harvest (Matthew 5:16).
- Pray for the leaders of the church worldwide, asking God to give them wisdom and guidance as they seek to shepherd their flocks and serve their communities (James 1:5).
- Pray for the church as it faces challenges and persecution in some parts of the world (2 Timothy 3:12).
- Pray for global church leaders to, for wisdom to lead, courage to defend the faith and boldness to proclaim the truth at all cost.
- Pray for the wider global community, for a greater sense of our calling, for Pastors, Apostles, Prophets, teachers, evangelists and missionaries after God’s heart to rise, who will champion the course of the gospel, taking it to nations and places where it is needed most.