Prayer for business and the economy

[notice] A fortnightly column by Johannesburg Business Editor, Patrick Kuwana. [/notice]

We have continued to see labour unrest in the foundational economic sectors of South Africa – starting with the mining sector and now moving to the agricultural sector. In the last few months I have written numerous articles addressing many prevailing facets of business and the economy, but this week I would like to address the foundational catalyst to Kingdom based business and economic revival – prayer.  The issue of prayer is so foundationally critical and is fundamentally why the top business and economic brains in the world will never be able to sustainably solve the problems. Business and economic revival sits squarely in the hands of the body of Christ because we have access to the only true living God ‘Yahweh’ through prayer and to heavenly strategies and blueprints through the Holy Spirit.

The scriptural reference I will use for this article is the famous 2 Chronicles 7: 13-15 which has become almost synonymous with every call to revival prayer.  The verses read – ¹³ “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, ¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place (NIV).

The economic translation of 2 Chronicles 7:13-15
I would like to look at this passage with business/economic eyes and translate what the Lord might be saying to us.

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¹³ “When I bring an economic downturn so that my divine help ceases, or bring about a recession, tough market conditions and labour unrest among my people”.

¹⁴ “If my children, believers of My son Jeshua, will admit that they have forsaken me in their business and work practices and chased after mammon more than me, and ask me for forgiveness, and come back to a true relationship with me by seeking my wisdom and following my ways for business, and completely repent and turn away from following the ways of the world, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and bring about economic prosperity once again, abundant provision to take care of their every need so that they can fulfil the Abrahamic covenant to be a blessing to the world and eradicate systemic poverty by taking care of and providing opportunities for the widows, orphans and the poor among you.

¹⁵ Now if you do this my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers you offer before my throne and I will continue to grow your economy as you will now be fulfilling the desires of my heart and the reason why I want to pour my unending blessing upon you.

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 A critical point to note is that God does not call for the world – (non believers, the government, the President) to do anything in these scriptures. He calls upon His people (¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name) – that is us, the church. Brothers and sisters we hold the economy in our hands and we should stop blaming everyone else for the sorry state that we find our finances, businesses, country and the world in.

The purpose of Kingdom business and economic growth
The issue of addressing systemic poverty is so critical to the end time harvest and I believe the key reason why God is looking for Kingdom businesses, is so that the fullness of His blessing can flow through them into an increasingly desperate world. For as long as the majority of the world continue to live in systemic poverty it will be very difficult for them to understand how God can possibly be good and that He loves them. The day Kingdom business channels and Kingdom economic cycles start to direct Kingdom resources and create opportunities for the widows, orphans and the poor is the day we will see a mass flow of souls coming to salvation because they will now have a clear manifestation of the incredibly loving God who has created such abundance on this earth for all His children to enjoy. This is why Satan does not want us to understand and implement Kingdom business and economic principles – because when we do – its game over for the enemy because the Luke 4:18-19 and Isaiah 61:1-2 mandate that Christ announced will be brought to natural completion –  ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’

The fasting that pleases God is linked to an economic mandate
Isaiah 58:5- 11 – Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? ⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? ⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? ⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. ⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, ¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. ¹¹ The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Friends – this entire passage of scripture is linked to us fulfilling a Kingdom economic mandate that has been given to us by our Commander in Chief.

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Prayer of repentance
Dear Abba Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, please forgive me for blaming the government, the economy and everyone else for what is going wrong in my country and the world. Forgive me for exalting and treasuring my worldly wisdom above the truth of your word. Forgive me for running my business and doing my job according to the ways of the world instead of standing up in boldness to go against the flow by applying your wisdom and ways as instructed by your word and the Holy Spirit. Forgive me for thinking that I am the owner of my business, gifts and talents and primary benefactor of the profits. From today onwards I dedicate myself to be a faithful manager over the business, work and talents you have given me stewardship over, so that I can bring profit to your Kingdom. You have given me the mandate to do my part to bring the goodness of God to all the peoples of the earth and I commit myself to this task. I commit myself to be strong and courageous and to carefully follow and obey all the business, economic and other instructions you have given me in your word and continue to give me through the Holy Spirit. Thank you Daddy for the forgiveness that you have given me through the precious blood of Jeshua and for bringing restoration to the land you have apportioned to me and to the country and nations of the world. Amen