We may not have all the answers, but the Christian worldview offers us the tools to make some sense out of evil in the world. Christianity provides the best means for dealing with evil. In His sovereignty, God has chosen to use prayer as a tool for working out His will in the world. Our prayers make a difference! If you are not sure about that, then just take a look at any passage about prayer in the Bible. Jesus told His disciples in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Beside this, we are commanded to pray consistently and persistently because God responds to such prayer. (See Luke 18:1-8)
Like me, your heart has probably been heavy. Headlines seem to come out every minute with new details about the conflict in Ukraine. The conflict in Ukraine has been characterized as the most significant crisis in Europe since WWII. The images of people huddling in subway systems for shelter and neighborhoods destroyed makes our hearts ache for people we don’t even know. It hurts to see families being separated, as some are fleeing to safety and others are staying to defend their country. It’s enraging, and terrifying, and saddening. It’s easy to feel helpless in the face of such a crisis. So, how can we pray for the conflict in Ukraine?
- Pray for innocent lives to be protected and preserved. In Psalm 74:21, the psalmist cried, “O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy name.” Let’s join the psalmist in praying, “Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand . . . to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may not more oppress.” (Psalm 10:12, 18) This should be our prayer for the people of Ukraine. We can also claim the truths in Psalm 9:9, “The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble,” and Psalm 103:6, “The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.” We know that God values all human life. We know that He is the righteous Judge of the universe. While we cannot explain why He allows certain evil to happen, we can trust that the righteous Judge of the universe will do right (Genesis 18:25).
- Pray for Putin’s plans to be thwarted. We know that Putin’s disregard for innocent human life is not pleasing to God. We can be confident that we are on God’s side when we are opposing Putin’s action. As the psalmist did, we can claim this truth in Psalm 146:9: “The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.” Let’s pray that God will turn upside down the designs of President Putin. To this end, we can also pray for Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to be protected, and to have the strength and resources he needs to defend his country.
- Pray for our world leaders to make wise decisions that signal strength. We may not have faith in our current President, but we can have faith in God’s ability to influence him. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithsoever he will.” We know that God is ultimately in control and that He can influence world leaders to make right decisions. So, let us pray that God surrounds President Biden with wise counselors that will give him sound advice. We can pray that President Biden and other decision-makers will make decisions that signal strength in the face of tyranny, while also acting in the best interest of America and her citizens. In addition, we can pray for other world leaders (like President Zelensky of Ukraine and NATO leaders) to respond with wisdom, strength, and precision.
- Pray for Christians in Ukraine to stand firm in the faith and to stay safe. As I have seen videos surface of Ukrainian Christians singing and praying together, it has made me feel connected to them. All God’s children share a unique bond. We may not know each other personally, or share the same language, or live in the same place, but we “stand fast in one spirit,” and we are “striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27) While we may not be able to exhort each other physically, American Christians can exhort our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in prayer.
The apostle Paul begins many of his letters by mentioning his appreciation and prayer for his fellow believers (Eph. 1:16, Phil. 1:9, Col. 1:3, 9; I Thess. 1:2, II Thess. 1:11). As Paul prayed for the believers in these churches, we can pray for the Christians in Ukraine to stand strong in their faith during this trying time. We can pray that God’s sufficient grace will strengthen them (II Corinthians 12:9), for His perfect peace to keep them (Isaiah 26:3), and for His deliverance from danger. Let’s claim Psalm 33:18-19 for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters: “Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” Psalm after psalm describes the mercy, care, and protection that God provides for His people. These are the prayers we can pray over the Ukrainian Christians.
- Pray for the furtherance of the gospel. Many missionaries in Ukraine are faced with the difficult to decision: should they leave Ukraine or stay? They may be torn between the desire to make sure their own families are safe and the desire to remain with the people to whom they minister. God may have a different desire and will for each family. Nevertheless, we can pray that each missionary will be confident of what God wants for them and that their ministries will continue to flourish whether or not they remain there physically.
Throughout history, Christianity has faced severe opposition. Yet the flames of the Christian Church have only ever been fanned by the winds of opposition. We can pray that, as people are seeking for security and hope right now, they will find that in Jesus Christ and His gospel. Let’s pray that Christians, missionaries and their people, will have wisdom to know how, when, and where to share the gospel with seeking people. Since we know it is God’s will for His gospel to go forth, we can be confident that He will answer this prayer (I John 5:14-15).
This is a turbulent time for the world. Our hearts echo the words in Revelation 22:20, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” We know the end of the story: Jesus will come again and create a new perfect heaven and a new perfect earth. King Jesus will make all things right.
In the meantime, Christians are resilient in adversity because we are overcomers in Christ. Jesus said, “In this world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) We are overcomers because of our faith in Him (I John 5:4-5). And we are overcomers because we have a force in us that is greater than the forces of the world (I John 4:4). With the apostle Paul, Christians in Ukraine, Russia, and all over the world can say, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed . . . For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (II Corinthians 4:8-9, 17) Truly, it is wonderful to be a Christian.