Do You Want a Nation?

I have a prophetic charge for you today. It’s not an original charge, but I do believe it’s a timely one.

This morning, I have been overcome with love for a country–a region. I won’t say exactly what the country is, because I don’t want anybody to think I don’t love their country too!

But this country has gripped my heart to the point of tears. I want this country for Jesus.

It’s not my country. It’s not the USA, where I live. But it is a country that I have studied, loved, and agonized over for years.

Do you want a nation? Because you should.

Two of my friends and board members attend Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. They told me recently that their pastor told the congregation there that they should be asking the Lord for a country to take for Him. They did, and then the Lord opened the door for them to begin doing missions in a country that needs Jesus–a country they never thought qualified as “missions” territory.

That’s how Papa works. If you ask, He’ll give you territory to take for Him.

Psalm 2:7-9 says:

I will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to me, ‘You are My son; this day have I begotten you. Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You will break them with a scepter of iron; you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.'”

Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance.

That’s what Father God said.

He said it first to Jesus, but He says it to you and me too. Why? Because we are His hands and feet. We are responsible for obeying His command to bring Jesus His inheritance.

That’s why Jesus said to go and make disciples of every NATION. He didn’t say “people,” although of course people are included in that. He said NATIONS.

Did you get that? He said NATIONS.

You and I are supposed to disciple nations.

YOU are supposed to disciple nations.

So what nation do you want? What territory do you want?

I dare you to pick one. Pick one that you want so badly for Jesus that it makes you cry. Pick one that you can pray over, like John Knox, who said, “God, give me Scotland, lest I die.” Pick a nation that moves you to wail and travail in intercession for that nation.

Pick a nation.

Then, ask God to open the door to that nation for you. And ask Him to give you recognizable influence in that nation over the next 12 months.

Start now; don’t wait. Start however He tells you. Maybe He will tell you to:

• Pray for that nation (this one’s a given);
• Sow into missionaries in that nation;
• Go on a short-term mission trip in that nation;
• Give to an orphanage, school, or charity/ministry in that nation;
• Participate in micro-lending in that nation;
• Sponsor a child in that nation;
• Write and make disciples in that nation;
• Record Facebook videos and sponsor them to be promoted in that nation;
• Or any number of other things.

Go. Make disciples of every nation.

You may not currently have international influence, but you can have in 12 months.

Before you laugh at that, just know that “international” simply means more than one nation. You already have influence where you are, in some way or another. All you have to do is add one more nation, and you’ll have international influence.

Then keep stewarding that international influence. Figure out ways to make a difference in that nation, whether it’s through any of the ideas above or some other idea Father gives you. Just reach one person at a time, and keep reaching one more person at a time.

You can do it. Social media can help. Existing ministries and missionaries on the ground can help when you partner with them. Creative ideas can help.

But most of all, JESUS can help.

He wants those nations, and He wants you to take them for Him. It’s a big charge, but dreaming small never got you anywhere.

Will you go after a nation? Will you do it today, and will you keep going after that nation? If you will, then I believe that in 12 months, you’ll be shocked what God has done.

Leave a comment below if you’ll go after a nation–and feel free to confess publicly that Jesus is going to give you ____ nation over the next year!