I stood at the sidelines of the Chinese-Language Day of His Power on Sunday, 6 August 2023, and marvelled at the sound.

It was the sound of a thousand people praying faithfully, fervently, in Chinese. It was one voice, yet amid this one voice I could make out voices young and old, accents local and foreign, in prayer languages that reflected the entire religious spectrum.

It was the sound of unity.

I turned to my young children I’d brought with me – all of primary school age – and they all basically had the same response: The Chinese Church is LIT!

Two days later, on National Day’s Eve, at one of the 7 regional centres for Day of His Power, happily, we saw the same outpouring of passionate prayer. I’m told it was the same at the other 6 venues.

But then we drove home. And then it was Day 40. And on to Day 41. Then 42. And 43. And beyond.

The more cynical Kingdom observers will suggest that we’ve all seen prayer meetings where everyone gets fired up, everyone is on their feet … and the day after, same old church, same old Christians.

How do we make sure that won’t happen to us?

AFTER THE BIG PRAYER MEETING …

In Ezra 10, the people of Israel, too, had just finished a big prayer meeting. Similar to how we’ve wound our way through a 40.Day season of prayer culminating in the Kingdom-wide prayer event that was Day of His Power, they also had a season of preparation and fasting (Ezra 8:21) that precipitated it.

I believe what followed after their prayer is something we can learn as we come out of our prayer season: There was action. There was leadership. And there was unity.

1. LET OUR PRAYERS INSTIGATE ACTION

“While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.” (Ezra 10:1)

“Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law.” (Ezra 10:3)

Prayer isn’t just about us talking to God. It’s about God talking to us, too. It’s a conversation, and He’s the central figure in it. Are we listening?

What does He talk about? Sometimes He tells us about Himself – who He is (Exodus 34:6). Or He may tell about what He is about to do (Genesis 12:2-3). Or He may comfort us in our time of need (Exodus 33:14).

And sometimes, He tells us about something that we need to do. In the time of Ezra, God brought forth a wave of confession and repentance. “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us.” (Ezra 10:2)

When He speaks, are we listening? And when we listen, will we act on what we hear?

What has God said to you this 40.Day season of prayer (and for some, fasting)? Perhaps He has spoken to you through the three strategic focuses that LoveSingapore Chairman, Pastor Jeff Chong, laid out for the Church in Singapore – the need to Turn Singapore Godward, Win the Youth, and Bless the Nations.

Perhaps it was one of the specific messages detailed by the 40 devotional speakers this season. About engaging the world with gentleness and respect. About believing in and even mentoring the next generation. About being missions-minded, whether on our shores or to the ends of the earth.

Or perhaps it was a word lovingly given from Father to child. A word specifically to you, for you to personally act on. Something to repent of. Something to change. Something to do. Somewhere to go. Someone to love.

What you have heard from God, act on it. And you will be blessed when you do so! (John 13:17)

2. LET OUR PRAYERS INFORM LEADERSHIP

“Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath.” (Ezra 10:5)

“Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name.” (Ezra 10:16)

Through his leadership in prayer, Ezra surfaced deep remorse among the people of Israel. While Ezra himself may not have been guilty of the widespread sin of intermarriage with foreign women with false gods, he knew he would have to lead them in a season of repentance and renewal.

Many would have shied away from this. Many of the priests then made a very good living out of telling the people what they wanted to hear (Jeremiah 6:14, Ezekiel 13:10). Leadership that is people-pleasing – not God-fearing.

Not Ezra. The priest stood up and said to the people, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honour the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.” (Ezra 10:10)

For those of us in any position of leadership – be it as a Pastor, Elder, deacon, ministry head, small group leader, mentor, big brother figure – in this time of seeking the Lord for our church, flock and sheep, what has God told us about those in our care?

No doubt there is encouragement we have been told to extend, affirmation for those who need it.

But are there uncomfortable truths that need to be made known, to rouse them out of their slumber, and awaken them to God’s purposes for them? Is there hidden sin that prayer has brought to light, which must now be confessed and made right? Is there a mission that they should embrace, even if it comes at a personal cost?

One particular group of leaders that were highlighted in Ezra 10 – the heads of the household. They were called to stand up, be accountable, and to lead their families into holiness and godliness.

Fathers and mothers, what has God told you about your home relationships and family altar? Will you do what it takes so your family is turned Godward?

When the leaders lead – praise the Lord! (Judges 5:2)

3. LET OUR PRAYERS INSPIRE UNITY

In Ezra 10, convicted with sin, the Israelites came together as a nation, united in repentance.

“Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain.” (Ezra 10:9)

Even the leadership was united in echoing and executing this clarion call.

“Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” (Ezra 10:14)

When we first started planning for this new wineskin format for the 40.Day season of prayer, we sought God and He gave us 3 main goals.

Our first goal was to capture the beautiful DIVERSITY in the Kingdom.

To do so, we tried to capture as wide a spectrum of voices as we could.

Former Anglican Bishop Rennis Ponniah at the filming of the 40.Day series earlier in 2023.

We wanted to hear from men and women. We covered denominations from Anglican to Assemblies of God, from Brethren to Bible Presbyterian, from Presbyterian to Pentecostal. We had speakers from churches mega and “mini”. We had Bishops, Senior Pastors, and Elders, and we also had Youth Pastors and ministry staff. We had eloquent English speakers and credible Chinese speakers. We had speakers from the church, missions agencies, and para-church organisations.

Many streams all flowing from the same source. Different messages, all pointing to the same Lord.

Our second goal was to have these teachers and leaders give God’s DIRECTION for the Kingdom.

Each speaker was given nothing more than the three broad strategic thrusts as a guiding topic. And somehow, the Spirit led them to choose (mostly!) 40 different passages, giving more definition to those three focuses.

And so we heard, for example, the views of Angelic Cheah, the head of Alpha Singapore, on our motivation for evangelism. Or from Pastor Tan Seow How of Heart of God Church about the prayer every parent should pray for our kids. Or from Antioch21 Strategic Coordinator Joseph Chean on the heart posture we need for missions.

Our third goal was to have all this done in a DIGITAL format so they can be read and spread far and wide.

The best unity is Kingdom-wide unity. The more the merrier!

Some prefer to watch, some prefer to read. So rather than leave any segment out, we went with both videos and articles for the devotionals.

Just to make sure we included as many as we could, we had every video and article translated into Chinese. And then we found a pool of game, able volunteers to do family-friendly versions, so that even young children could participate in the discussions and prayers.

English Presbytery Moderator Christopher Chia at the 40.Day video recording earlier in 2023.

What was eventually birthed was the video and written devotional format, 40.Days • 40.Voices • 40.Prayers, which you have seen published daily since July 1.

The ultimate goal of representing the DIVERSITY, giving DIRECTION, through a DIGITAL format: UNITY.

We have journeyed together for 40 days. We have come together in seven prayer centres. We have worshipped in one voice, and we have prayed in agreement.

That doesn’t need to end come the end of the 40.Day season. This is the beginning, not the end.

Catch the posture of the people in Ezra 10.

“We will support you, so take courage and do it.” (Ezra 10:4)

“The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: ‘You are right! We must do as you say.’” (Ezra 10:12)

And so for us. Let’s do this. Let’s do this together. Let these prayers we have prayed instigate action, change, transformation. Let these prayers we have prayed inform our leadership – and our followership. And let these prayers we have prayed inspire unity. We are one Church, under the one banner of our one Lord.