Nowadays, there is a lot of talk about entitlements, those perks and privileges, usually of a material kind that are meted out by our governments to those who either have genuine needs or clamor the loudest and most persistently to get them. In the book of Revelation, the one who has overcome, the risen Messiah, offers the ultimate entitlements to those who will be like Him and overcome a world that is hostile to their faith. To each of the seven churches, Christ describes and offers a different aspect of the privileges that His followers can expect as they share His throne with Him in the coming age.

One of those awesome privileges that He promised to the Church of Thyatira is authority over the nations: “To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter. He will dash them to pieces like pottery.’” Quoting Psalm 2:9, one of the Messianic passages, He includes His people in the exercise of divine authority. What an amazing entitlement that is!

 However, we don’t need to wait to the sweet bye and bye to begin to exercise such authority. It is even available to us now if we apply it through prayer. Through prayers of faith we connect with the One who has all power and become His partners and conduits of that power to bring healing and transformation to our world.

 Four promises of God that resonate with His authority can literally transform not only our own personal circumstances but also the situations our nations face as well. In 60 national prayer initiatives over the last 25 years, my colleagues and I have seen His authority flow through the united prayer of His people as they have sought His face for breakthrough in the challenging, even impossible situations of war, suffering, and socio-political chaos. Time and time again, we have seen the Lord break through, changing both hearts and headlines in unique and supernatural ways that only He can pull off.

 Here are the promises that I have come back to over and over again and want to commend to for your application this year:

• 2 Chronicles 7:14 - Seeking His face through prayers of humility and repentance over personal and corporate sin towards national healing and deliverance.
• Matthew 17:20 – Authoritative prayers of faith that move mountains so that nothing is impossible to us who believe.
• Matthew 28: 18-20 - Prayers of agreement in His presence that will affect Heaven and Earth.
• Luke 10:18-20 – Childlike, authoritative praying that overcomes all the power of the enemy, giving us victory over all forms of evil.

 For us all, may 2016 be a year of growth in greater intimacy with the Lord as well in the authority that flows from such intimacy. May it also be a year of breakthroughs, both personally and in the nations, as we together release our faith in Him!

 Best regards in Christ,

 John Robb, IPC Chairman