Reflection of the Month: Thy Kingdom Come

The global prayer campaign Thy Kingdom Come is taking place from 21-31 May 2020. Here Brian Heasley, International Director of Prayer for 24-7 Prayer and Global Ambassador for Thy Kingdom Come, shares our Reflection of the Month for May 2020...

A recent study from the university of Copenhagen has found that there has been an amazing global rise in prayer in the last month. 24-7 Prayer’s international website has seen more traffic in the last 8 weeks, than it did for all of 2019. We are also seeing incredible interest in people wanting to take part in this year’s Thy Kingdom Come in many different ways.

In these times people are, increasingly, turning to prayer. As author of the study Jeanet Bentzen suggests, “The rise in prayer intensity supercedes what the world has seen for years.”

It could appear that there is a storm afoot in this world; one that is wreaking havoc on all that we hold dear. Governments, institutions, social structures and our very way of life are undergoing a profound challenge.

Nations are closing borders. The economy is heading for crisis. Global travel has, possibly, been altered forever; people are staying at home.

And people are dying.

We are living in a world that is changing around us every day. The world is scared and doesn’t know where to turn.

So, the world is falling to its knees in prayer.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected all of us. But in the midst of the darkness, a surprising and unexpected unity has arisen. Humanity is united in fear, worry and uncertainty.

Which, as the University of Copenhagen has seen, means the world is newly united in prayer.

And when faced with the reality of this critical and huge situation, a united prayer response is vital. We need to pray like we have never prayed before.

This is the time to invite the power of God to intervene; an opportunity for us to invite a Holy Kingdom to break in; to transform not just this current situation, but also to transform our hearts to love one another more deeply; to care for our global family in a new and radical way.Our prayer for Thy Kingdom Come, that people would come to know Jesus, is the greatest hope that we can offer the world at this time.

We believe that prayer can bring transformation. We believe that when two or more are gathered, Jesus dwells among us (Matthew 18: 20). We believe God partners with even our feeble, faithless, whispered prayers to bring about his Kingdom.

Why not get involved in Thy Kingdom Come, as part of the church’s response at this time which is about the praying for people to come to know the love, hope, peace of Jesus?

Use some of our prayer resources or get involved in our virtual prayer room for this period.

This is a crucial time for the world to fall to its knees in prayer.

Brian Heasley is 24-7 Prayer’s International Prayer Director. He and his wife Tracy pioneered the work of 24-7 Prayer in the party area of Ibiza, Spain, where they lived for 8 years. He is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and now lives in England. Brian is global ambassador for Thy Kingdom Come. He is also a trustee of Christian Solidarity Worldwide a charity working in the area of freedom of religious belief.