“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18, NASB1995).
Multiple forms of prayer exist with great diversities of application, including every expression from devotional communion with God, to praying and singing in the Spirit or in the gift of tongues, to spiritual warfare dimensions accenting the gift of discerning of spirits.
In addition to these different models of prayer we also have petitions, devotional contemplation, travail, the prayer of tears, reminding God of His Word and so many other expressions. Prayer can be a form of taking a stand or a stance on something.
I teach through a variety of forms of prayer in my book Strike the Mark. That is the resource where I give the widest exposure to biblical, historical and revelatory intercession. However, in this setting, I am emphasizing my book The Global Prayer Storm: Where Every Prayer Counts and Every Sacrifice Matters.
Why? In this book I distinguish “crisis intervention through intercession.” It is the need of the hour!
Ephesians 6:18 says, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times.” We need every form of Spirit-directed and Spirit-empowered prayer. With this foundation in place, the scripture tells us to now “be on the alert.” The word alert means to be vigilant. We are not to fall asleep on our watch. We are to be alert! Wake up! Be vigilant!
Another key presented here is “persevering prayer.” Sometimes we just can’t quit. It is when we knock and keep on knocking, seek and keep on seeking. We ask and keep on asking. This is where perseverance matters. Pray at all times in the Spirit! “And with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
The Enemy’s Plot to Divide Ukraine
I want to share a story with you. I met a man named Rabbi Boris Grisenko around 28 years ago. While in Minsk, Belarus, I walked into a room where I knew hardly anyone. Hundreds of people filled the room. I walked up to this young, bearded man and told him, “You are going to eventually have the world’s largest Messianic congregation.” Well, that’s a pretty risky thing to say to someone. I actually spoke the secrets of his heart and the doubts that he had, and I got his attention. I rolled the dice, and then I gave him this prophetic word. And this word ended up becoming true; eventually he did have the largest integrated Messianic congregation in Kyiv, Ukraine. I have not seen Rabbi Boris since then, other than one time at a Passion for Jesus-type conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Recently I, along with hundreds of other people, helped raise funds for Ukrainian disaster relief. We assisted with funds for medical aid and humanitarian aid relief, solar Bibles and more. Then Rabbi Boris contacted me through a friend and asked me to speak at a Zoom conference for their leaders. So I sought the Lord on what to share.
Current-Day Diaspora
I talked to these leaders about how I felt the enemy’s plot was to divide Ukraine into two parts, and that one of his tactics would be to take over all port cities on the Black Sea. We know of the disaster that has gone on in Mariupol, and is still going on there, but just a few kilometers away is the port city of Odessa, which I believe is the third-largest city in Ukraine and has a large Jewish population.
This all is reminiscent of Jewish people in the Bible and the two diasporas, or scatterings. Now they could face a current-day diaspora. But this dispersement is going to be redemptive and result in congregational planting in Eastern and Central Europe, and in aliya, a return to the land of Israel. (Additional teaching materials can be found in my book The Mystery of Israel and the Middle East regarding how God’s redemptive purposes may come forth out of times of pressure. For more content and revelation on the present war in Ukraine, see my God Encounters Today podcast.)
Take a Stand at Odessa
I just want to declare we must join our brothers and sisters and take a stand at Odessa, Ukraine. We must stand together, draw up prayer plans and blueprints to take a stand so that Odessa will not fall into the hands of others. We must take a stand! It is time for the body of Christ in Eastern Europe; it’s time for the body of Christ in Central Europe; it’s time for the body of Christ in Western Europe — it’s time for the body of Christ in the global prayer networks to come together and take a stand at Odessa! Stand in prayer so that Odessa does not fall into the hands of the enemy and under Russian communism! No! Take a stand!
I have a small voice when it comes to the global prayer movement, but I am going to raise my voice: “We must take a stand at Odessa. Take a stand with Rabbi Boris Grisenko! Take a stand and help rally the troops! Do what you can, and let’s take a stand at Odessa!”
We must pray that this invasion stops and the enemy doesn’t take over all of these seaport cities on the Black Sea. God has a plan. Don’t let the devil’s plans prevail. Paul the apostle said we are not to be ignorant of the devil’s schemes (2 Cor. 2:11), and part of the devil’s plan is to take over all these port cities. I say, “No! Stop! Take a stand at Odessa. It is the enemy’s plan to take over all the port cities of the Black Sea. Stop! It’s time to take a stand at the Black Sea.”
Baltic and Black Seas: The Stand for Ukraine
When sharing, I kept saying “Baltic Sea.” I wondered why I was doing that. It must be because there is a double plan. Yes, it’s a double plan for the powers of darkness to take over all the port cities on the Black Sea and then to go for the Baltic Sea. But we say, “No! It must stop at the Black Sea because if the invasion prevails there, then the enemy will try to take the Baltic Sea.” That’s what it is; there’s the plot of the enemy being revealed. We must stop the dark powers at the Black Sea so the attack will not expand to the Baltic Sea, in the name of Jesus.
That’s what it is and what we must declare. We must stop the invasion at the Black Sea so it is not exported to the Baltic Sea. So I say, “Let’s take a stand. Let’s take a stand at Odessa in the name and by the blood of Jesus Christ!”
But hold on — there were many more signs surrounding my interaction with Rabbi Boris that day.
Raising Up the Next Generation
That night in a dream, the Holy Spirit said to me, “Keep this as the last piece. There will be a young man named Petros; call him forth, and do it at the very end. It will be a sign that everything I (you) have said is true.” So when I was speaking in the auditorium, I waited and said, “Oh, there’s a man here named Petros.” All the heads were turning. There appeared to be no Petros. I said, “There’s a man here named Petros, a young man. Where is he?” Finally, on the back row, a young man named Petros waved his hand. I stated, “Petros, stand up.” Petros stood up. I said, “Petros, come forth!” Petros came to the front of the auditorium. (This was being broadcast live on YouTube and is available to watch on our God Encounters Ministries [GEM] Media.)
I said, “Just as I identified young Rabbi Boris years ago, I now, as a sign, identify a Petros, and it’s upon the rock of salvation, Jesus, that his house is built. Even now the Lord identifies a next-generation apostolic man.” Well, it turned out that Petros lives in Kyiv, Ukraine. Not only that, but he is also Rabbi Boris’ assistant.
It was true; there was only one Petros there. “The Lord will give a sign that what I have said is true. There will be a young man there named Petros.” Well, there was, and there was only one, and he was on the back row, and he is from Kyiv, Ukraine, and he is Rabbi Boris’ assistant. Because this is about multiplication. It is about raising up the next generation even in the midst of perilous times!
When You Have Done All — Stand!
I want you to know that the purposes of God come forth in times of crisis. Ephesians 6:18 (NASB1995) states, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
And when you have done all, persevere. And when you have done all, never give up! Stand up! Stand tall! Take a stand! Amen and amen! {eoa}
Dr. James W. Goll is the founder of God Encounters Ministries. He is an international bestselling author, a certified Life Language Coach, an adviser to leaders and ministries, and a recording artist. James has traveled around the world ministering in more than 50 nations, sharing the love of Jesus and imparting the power of intercession, prophetic ministry and life in the Spirit. He has recorded numerous classes with corresponding curriculum kits and is the author of more than 50 books, including The Seer, The Prophet, The Discerner, The Lost Art of Intercession and Praying with God’s Heart.
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