Prayer Point #1: Pray for an End to the Spread of the Virus

March 18, 2020

The world is reeling from the threat of the coronavirus (COVID-19). For many, our entire way of life has been upended by a novel virus that health experts say presents a particular risk to our elderly and immunocompromised friends and neighbors.

As Christians, we know that one of our greatest spiritual weapons is prayer (Eph. 6:18). But what exactly should Christians pray about amidst these trying times? FRC’s President, Tony Perkins, recently released nine prayer points to guide us in prayer. Each point provides a specific way for Christians to pray during the ongoing crisis. In this blog series, we’ll be unpacking these points for you a bit more as we pray for an end to the coronavirus.

The first prayer point is that Christians should pray for an end to the spread of the virus. The Bible teaches us that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the world (Gen. 1-2; Col. 1:17). Because God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and omnipresent, nothing—including the coronavirus—ever takes Him by surprise or is outside His control. For Christians, this is an important and precious truth to remember in this time of uncertainty. Although the future is uncertain, we know and trust the One who controls it.

The coronavirus did not take God by surprise; He is still governing and sustaining the world (Col. 1:17). Pray for God’s healing mercy and that He would graciously bring this pandemic to an end. Pray for healing for all those affected by the virus.

God Delights in Prayer

Throughout Scripture, God’s people are given constant reminders of His care for them. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” In Matthew 6:26, Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Jesus teaches here that God cares for every single person made in His image. Nothing happens to His children—good or bad—without first passing through God’s gracious hand. 

In addition to stressing God’s care for His people, Jesus often encouraged His followers to pray (Mat. 6:5; Luke 18:1). For example, in Luke 11:9, Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Elsewhere, the New Testament is clear that Christians are expected to pray. Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue steadfastly in prayer.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul exhorts the church to “pray without ceasing.”

But the Bible does more than encourage believers to pray; it says God delights in the prayers of His people. Consider Proverbs 15:8b, which says, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.” Because God delights in our prayers, we ought to readily bring them before Him.   

God Answers Prayer

A second truth is that God answers prayer. The Bible is full of examples of men and women who cried out to God and received answers to their prayers. For example, when the Israelites were sojourning in the wilderness, their sin resulted in a severe punishment: fiery serpents released in their midst. In response to the peoples’ desperate cry and Moses’ prayer, God provided a bronze serpent that the people could look at and receive healing (Numbers 21:6-9).

Another example of remarkable healing in response to prayer is 2 Kings 20. In this passage, Hezekiah, the King of Judah, falls ill, and the Prophet Isaiah tells him that he is going to die. Hezekiah immediately cries out to God. Before Isaiah can leave the room, God tells him to return to the king with the good news: “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you” (2 Kings 20:5). The answer to Hezekiah’s prayer was 15 more years of life. 

There are many examples in the New Testament of Jesus healing people. Often, Jesus healed men and women who asked Him for help. For example, in Matthew 8:1-4, Jesus heals a leper who asks for healing. Additionally, Jesus healed the Centurion’s servant (Mat. 8:5-13), the synagogue ruler’s daughter (Mat. 9:18-26), two blind men (Mat. 9:27-31), a deaf man with a speech impediment (Mark 7:31-37), and the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30) in response to personal requests for deliverance. In one significant passage, Jesus himself prays before raising Lazarus back to life (John 11:41-42). These examples underscore the significance of bringing our requests for healing and deliverance to God. He not only hears our prayers, oftentimes He chooses to provide healing and relief.

Finally, in Hebrews 4:16, Christians are encouraged to “draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In this current time of need, Christians should pray that the virus would stop spreading, the affected would be healed, and all those quarantined and feeling alone would be comforted. Pray also that doctors and scientists will be successful in creating a vaccine for the coronavirus.

These are difficult times, but Christians serve a God who hears, delights in, and answers our prayers. Let us approach Him humbly yet with confidence, asking Him to graciously bring this pandemic to an end.

>