“Pray without ceasing.” [1 Thess 5:17]

The second horrific attack during this election campaign should make it abundantly clear, if we didn’t know already, that there is a mighty battle going on in the spiritual realms for the future of the UK – what we see ‘on the ground’ is but a reflection of what is happening beyond our natural sight. As the political parties have been campaigning for our votes the cry ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ has been resounding throughout the land – and as that prayer is answered the ‘kingdoms’ that do not acknowledge Jesus as Lord are being dislodged – but they will not leave quietly!

There is a ‘shift in the atmosphere’ taking place over the UK, with many places reporting an openness to the Gospel that has not been experienced for a long time. It is early days, but as we press in with continued prayer and intercession, we will see change coming.

After the Manchester attack the terrorist threat level was raised from ‘severe’ to ‘critical’, then reduced again. As we saw on Saturday night – the ‘severe’ level means that the Police are still at a very high state of readiness to respond swiftly to any incident.

Church – we need to raise the prayer level from ‘severe’ to ‘critical’! Our prayers for the safety and security of our communities and the nation are crucial in the ongoing battle to defeat the enemy’s plans to disrupt, not only this election, but our whole way of life.

As never before in recent history, we need to ‘stand in the gap’ for our families, neighbourhoods, communities, towns and cities – for all of society, but especially for those who would form our new Westminster Parliament and Government, and for all those at Holyrood.

This is the new ‘Battle for Britain’ – the Church responded ‘As One’ during World War II – may we do so with even greater energy and fervour in these days!

Please pray for:
• for the safety, security and protection of every community, especially for places where large numbers gather for sport or social events, and for transport systems;
• our political leaders – that they would have God’s wisdom to know what to say and do in these days, and for the protection of all in public office, their staff and their families;
• the safety and protection of the Police and security services, and of any Army personnel involved, who are on the ‘front line’ and face the prospect of giving their lives to ensure our safety;
• that every single plan of the enemy would be uncovered and foiled before it can be implemented;
• the Church, that we would, like that mighty army, be mobilised to ‘rise up and pray’ as never before until victory is achieved;
• the Muslims in our towns and cities – that they would have dreams, visions and other divine encounters with Jesus, revealing to them just who He is and transforming their lives;
• that, while those planning evil need to be ‘rooted out’, there would be no violent backlash against Muslim communities in general, but instead that we would show them the Father’s love, His grace and his mercy – drawing them to Christ through our words and actions.

Source:  Pray for Scotland

Pentecost Sunday is when many celebrate both the power of the Spirit and the birthday of the Church. The Spirit’s power and the life of the Church are always intertwined. On the day of the Spirit’s spectacular arrival among the disciples, 120 Jesus-followers became a church of over 3,000 (over 2,500% growth in one day)! It is because Pentecost is the Church’s birthday that many congregations include church-belonging rituals (confirmations, first communions, baptisms and dedications) in their celebrations. When a congregation commits to celebrating Pentecost, they are declaring that ‘the church is God’s plan A for the world - and there’s no plan B.’ Our individual journeys matter, but they are always part of the larger story God is telling through the people gathering in His name. Pentecost is the birthplace of global missions.

‘I had scrounged a lift on the third-from-last plane out of Biafra at the end of the Nigerian civil war. My lift was on a clapped-out old DC-4 flown by an Afrikaner, heading for Libreville, Gabon. The fuselage was overloaded with dying Biafran children and Irish nuns. Somewhere over the Niger delta the port outer engine coughed and gave up. We struggled on three engines and turned east towards Gabon; the starboard outer began to splutter. It was clear the old rust-bucket wouldn’t fly, and we sank towards the sea. Hymn-singing began in Afrikaans. I prayed quietly, convinced it was all over. The moon on the water came closer as we nearly skimmed the ocean. Fortunately, the French had built Libreville airport close to the shore. The dangling wheels almost clipped the sand dunes, then we were over concrete. At that moment the engine stopped and the crippled aircraft dropped onto the tarmac. The Afrikaner stopped singing and began to thank the Almighty. It would have been churlish not to follow suit.’

When we pray, ‘Come, Holy Spirit’ we don't immediately think of Mary! Yet, when we reflect on Luke 1:35 it reminds us that praying ‘Come Holy Spirit’ will bring all sorts of changes and disruption into our lives! It is through Mary's welcoming of God's Spirit that transformation on a global, even cosmic scale was enacted.

(written by Lynn Green, general secretary, Baptist Union)