Prayer leader Lou Engle has said,

“You should look for the answers to corporate days of prayer and fasting in the headlines of secular newspapers.”

From the drought to the bushfires to Australia’s effective response to the virus, we are seeing this prove true time and time again.

Most recently, we have seen God’s answers in our newspaper headlines regarding the relationship between Australia and New Zealand. Here’s what happened.

A while ago, God used the Canberra Declaration and the National Day of Prayer and Fasting to help kick-start a united prayer movement in New Zealand.

This year, in the lead-up to Anzac Day, this NZ prayer movement asked if we would like to hold a joint Anzac Day Prayer Call between the two nations. On Saturday 25th April, we did just that.

Locking shields in the spiritual realm, we marched into battle with New Zealand’s prayer warriors. We sought God for a breakthrough for our respective nations; for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit; and for a release of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We also prayed for greater unity between the two countries.

A little over a week later, splashed across the front page of The Australian was this article: “Morrison brings Ardern into national cabinet in trans-Tasman solidarity“.

“In a show of trans-Tasman solidarity not seen for 120 years,” The Australian reported, “Scott Morrison [welcomed] Jacinda Ardern into the inner sanctum of national cabinet.”

The article reported that this is “believed to be the first time that a New Zealand prime minister will have attended a cabinet meeting of the Australian government.”

For historical perspective, at the time of Australia’s Federation, our 1901 Constitution included provisions to allow New Zealand to join Australia as its seventh state, though the New Zealand government decided against this move.

Though this isn’t yet news of the revival we continue to pray for, we see it as the first-fruits. God has heard and is responding to the prayers we have been praying for our two nations.

Jacinda Ardern is sadly pursuing an ungodly agenda in New Zealand that includes radical new provisions for abortion. Nevertheless, she does represent the nation of New Zealand, and she needs our prayers.

May God continue to bless our nations as lockdown restrictions are lifted and churches are gradually re-opened. Let us go forth in unity, as our ancestors did of old.

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Update on the 31 Days of Prayer and Outreach: Thousands are receiving daily devotions—if you would like to, please register here. In fact on Facebook, we have seen almost 200,000 people reached with our content over the last week!

We are hearing very encouraging stories of the Gospel being shared and lives being impacted. Thank you again for your support and your participation in GO 2020. This is a team effort, and you are playing such an important part in it.

P.S. Be sure to check out the World Prayer Together event that took place on May 1. It is estimated that millions took part in the event. Be sure to watch the Australian contingent pray at 3:23:55. Click this video link to take a look!