NATIONAL PRAYER ALTAR
MARATHON PRAYERS
Monday 14th - Sunday 20th April 2025
THE TIRSHATHA
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor. But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God (Neh. 5:14-15).
Whenever the people of God are in distress, through manifold sins and disobedience, God’s prescription has been to search out a man to lead the people out of the distress and back to God. In God’s dealings with man, leadership is crucial. Repeatedly in the Scriptures, God says the same thing:
1 Sam. 13:14 ”... the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart”
Jer. 4:25 “I beheld, and, lo, there was no man…”_
Jer. 5:1 ”Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now … if ye can find a man … that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.”
Ezek. 22:30 ”And I sought for a man … that should … stand in the gap before me for the land ...”
The greatest problem of Nigeria today is not a lack of wealth, resources, or capable manpower, but the lack of people who meet the stringent requirements of God for proper leadership. The burden of raising such a leader is upon the Church. While there are many people who occupy positions and bear titles in the Church, the dedicated leadership required for national transformation is grossly in short supply.
The spiritual leadership that will birth national transformation must be modelled after the pattern of Christ: “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44) In this generation, in which servants of Christ want to be referred to as “daddy”, “papa”, and “father in the Lord”, finding the required authentic spiritual leadership candidates amongst Christians becomes a serious challenge. Many covet positions and titles in the Church; very few pursue authentic spiritual leadership.
In the book of Nehemiah, we find a model of leadership that surpasses what we find in the Church and in the country. Nehemiah distinguished himself in his generation by the quality of leadership he provided for the Israelites. He was not only an administrator, he was also an effective spiritual leader, a revivalist, an army general, a tactical diplomat, a compassionate benefactor, a defender of Godly moral standards, and a strict disciplinarian. Nehemiah satisfied the three broad conditions required for Godly leadership. He was:
1. Spiritual
2. Authoritative
3. Sacrificial
When Nehemiah heard of the broken walls of Jerusalem, he started seeking the face of God in prayers. The problem of the entire nation became a burden to him, which he first discharged through prayers. To inform his boss the king about the burden on his heart, he also prayed. As the rebuilding of the wall progressed, Nehemiah kept praying. He was a leader who realized that his strength and ability came from God, and he ensured that he remained connected with Heaven. He did not permit the allure of the office of the governor to distract him from his relationship with God. The fire on his personal altar did not go cold at anytime.
Nehemiah exemplified authoritative leadership in how he dealt with the shylock Israelites who were oppressing the less privileged ones amongst them. He did not show respect of persons but spoke for the poor and needy. He used the authority of the office of the governor to promote righteousness and justice in the land. While other men might have befriended the rich and the powerful in the society, Nehemiah used his authority to call them to order and ensured that the wealthy ones did what was right. He demonstrated boldness in how he handled Sanballat and Tobias. His response when asked to hide in the temple from would-be assassins was a classic, “Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in” (Neh. 6:11).
As a sacrificial leader, he joined his men in the work as well as in providing guard duty. Nehemiah and his men did not change their clothes in the fifty-two days it took for the project to be completed (Neh. 4:23). He was not merely a supervisor, he was a labourer amongst the labourers. At his table, from his personal expenses, he made sure that he provided daily meals for many people. All the while, out of the fear of God and a compassion for their sufferings, he refused to extort money from the people. He sacrificed the privileges that other governors enjoyed, and rather bore the expenses of making life easier for those he led.
A leader like Nehemiah the Tirshatha is what the Nigeria Church and the country require. Many Christians in spiritual and political positions fall far below this model of leadership. Having such a leader in the Church and in the land should be the goal of Christians. The model of Nehemiah should be the irreducible minimum standard to measure leadership in the Church.
Leaders like Nehemiah are not raised in leadership schools or at business seminars. There is divine sovereignty in the manifestation of such leaders. Someone might say that such leadership virtues belong to those who have prepared themselves. That is not entirely correct. They are prepared by God. The Bible says in Matt. 10:40, “But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.”_Certain people have been prepared by God to play some roles in the life of a nation. It is God Who endows them with the burden for leadership and creates the enabling environment for them to manifest and perform.
True spiritual authority does not belong to those who seek it. It is usually reserved for those whom the office calls. Oswald Sanders wrote, “Should it not be the office that seeks the man, rather than the man the office?” Jeremiah 45:5 admonishes us thus: “And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not…” It is perilous to put an ambitious man into office. The word “ambition” derives from a Latin word that means, “canvassing for promotion”.
In Mark 10:35-45, Jesus taught His disciples the principle of leadership in the Kingdom of God. It is the office that seeks the man, and those who have been sought are called to be the servants of all. If this principle can guide all who occupy leadership positions in the Church, blessings may begin to proceed from spiritual and temporal offices in the land.
For now, the Christian community should commence prayers for God to release His appointed leaders for the Church and for Nigeria. There are men like David in the land, men like Nehemiah, Joseph, Joshua, Moses, and Paul. There are people who have been prepared by God for such a time like this. Only Heaven can release them. Concerning John the Baptist, the Bible says in Luke 1:80, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.” There comes a day for the manifestation of the authentic spiritual leader in the Church. The Nigeria Church is ripe for such a leader. If the leadership crisis in the Church can be resolved through the manifestation of authentic spiritual leaders, Nigeria will reap the blessing. The responsibility of the Christians is to pray authentic spiritual leaders into manifestation. It is time for the manifestation of the sons of God in the Church. Men must make the demand, and Heaven shall respond. It is time for God to release His champions for the Nigeria Church, because Jesus must be glorified.
God bless Nigeria.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Mal. 3:1
Pray that God shall release to the Nigeria Church His messenger who shall rebuild the broken altar of righteousness in the Church and in the land, so that Jesus shall be glorified.
2. Jer. 3:15
Pray for the release of a new generation of spiritual leaders in the Church, who shall be men after the heart of God.
3. Neh. 6:11
Pray to God to release for the Church bold and uncompromising leaders who can stand to defend Christians without fearing the enemy.
4. Neh. 5:14-17
Pray that God would raise a new set of Church leaders who will have compassion on the sufferings of Christians in Nigeria, and release the resources of the Church to help weak and vulnerable Christians.
5. Neh. 13:23-25
Pray for the manifestation of Christian leaders who will restore the moral standards of God in the Church and challenge worldliness in believers.
6. Rom. 8:19
The Nigeria Church has failed in raising disciples. However, what is impossible with man is possible with God. Pray for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit, for revival to be poured upon the Church in Nigeria.
7. Isaiah 32:10-15
After many years of trouble in the land, pray that the Spirit of God would be poured upon Nigeria for restoration and for healing.
JOIN US AT THE NATIONAL PRAYER ALTAR
DAILY INTERDENOMINATIONAL PRAYERS FOR NIGERIA
Started since 18th April, 2022
TIME: 9:00pm – 10:00pm daily (Nigeria time)
VENUE: ZOOM
ZOOM link:
https://zoom.us/j/96806190505?pwd=K2RqcUN3YjRwQzEzRDZaMUt2N1ZsUT09
Meeting ID: 968 0619 0505
Passcode: 024184
LINK TO MARATHON PRAYERS ZOOM ROOM
https://zoom.us/j/94064259957?pwd=bm13eDlSNTMrZWhVdTl5bmNRRlBHQT09
Meeting ID: 940 6425 9957
Passcode: Altar