Restore the Wonder: Childlike Faith and Bold Intercession

God reigns sovereign over nations and history, not merely as a figure of the past but as the king of kings who rules "wherever the sun goes" and over the chaos of international conflict. Women intercessors mobilized for a Purim pilgrimage to Israel, and those 115 seasoned prayer leaders moved from sightseeing to strategic prayer when war erupted. Intercession in bomb shelters became prophetic action; a prophetic declaration coincided with a decisive military strike, illustrating prayer as a force that reshapes events when aligned with God’s purposes. The covenant with Abraham anchors a theological claim that the survival and flourishing of Israel tie directly to God’s unchanging character and promises.

Prayer receives practical expression in global initiatives: a planned September pilgrimage invites thousands of believers and political leaders from dozens of nations to pray for Jerusalem, demonstrating prayer as both local devotion and international strategy. Discipleship demands hard choices—denial of self, single-hearted loyalty, and radical reordering of priorities—but the pathway into the kingdom also requires becoming like children. Childlikeness appears as three dense spiritual postures: smallness (dependence on the Father and recognition of personal limitation), wonder (fresh gratitude that resists cynicism), and openness (willingness to play, fail, learn, and be surprised).

Abiding in Christ functions as the practical mechanism for fruitfulness: remaining in the vine secures life and productivity; apart from that union people accomplish nothing of lasting kingdom value. Openness cultivates creativity and restores imagination—play, music, travel, and language learning serve as spiritual disciplines that reawaken the right brain and reintegrate the left. Becoming remains a process that cannot be rushed: spiritual formation requires daily practices that restore wonder, expand capacity for risk, and reestablish childlike trust. The offering and corporate prayer life enact partnership with God’s unfolding plans, inviting transformation in families, communities, and nations.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Intercession changes earthly history Prayer emerged as a decisive instrument in a geopolitical moment, not as mere emotion but as focused, prophetic engagement that altered outcomes. When intercessors refused to center on personal safety and instead petitioned for national liberation, their prayers synchronized with unfolding events and shifted the moral and strategic terrain. This affirms a theology where faithful prayer participates in God’s governance of nations and can bring divine initiative into human contingencies. [33:14]
• 2. Covenant secures Israel's place The covenant with Abraham frames Israel’s survival as rooted in God’s immutable promises rather than human bargaining or convenience. That theological claim reframes geopolitical concern into a covenantal responsibility, urging prayer, advocacy, and solidarity that flow from divine commitment. Recognizing covenantal ties adjusts priorities: it invites persistent intercession and global pilgrimage as faithful responses to God’s enduring word. [37:39]
• 3. Childlikeness opens the kingdom Becoming like a child calls for owned smallness, not infantilism—an honest dependence that refuses self-sufficiency and rests in the Father’s provision. It requires relinquishing prestige, embracing vulnerability, and reordering loyalties so Christ retains first place in every relationship and decision. This posture grants immediate access to kingdom realities and sustains courage in the face of impossible demands. [46:28]
• 4. Cultivate wonder and radical openness Wonder undoes cynicism by seeing each day as a fresh gift of mercy and possibility; openness invites new learning, play, and risk that restore imagination. Practices such as music, creative play, travel, and learning languages exercise both hemispheres of the mind, dismantle fear of failure, and expand spiritual perception. These habits create fertile soil for obedience, prophetic creativity, and sustained faith in uncertain seasons. [58:27]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [27:03] - Seizing a Purim opportunity
• [28:32] - Mobilizing women intercessors
• [31:43] - Bunker prayers and retreat
• [33:14] - Prophetic intercession and a strike
• [36:11] - Celebration after deliverance
• [39:19] - Global prayer pilgrimage announced
• [44:35] - Hard sayings of discipleship
• [46:28] - Becoming like little children
• [52:18] - Smallness secures the kingdom
• [53:49] - Recovering wonder and joy
• [58:27] - Openness, play, and creativity
• [76:24] - Practical steps: travel and language
• [81:09] - Invitation to a life-long project

1. According to Matthew 18:3, what specific change does Jesus say is required to enter the kingdom of heaven?
2. What does Jesus use as a metaphor for the relationship between himself and his followers in John 15:5, and what is the result of remaining in that connection?
3. In the story of the women's trip, what did the group do when they found themselves in a bomb shelter instead of giving in to fear? [31:43]
4. What are the three "dense spiritual postures" of childlikeness that were outlined?

1. Jesus said the Son can do nothing by himself, but only what he sees the Father doing [49:35]. How does this statement from Jesus redefine our common cultural understanding of power, success, and self-sufficiency?
2. The intercessors in Israel were not praying for their own protection but for a change in the equation and the liberation of a people [33:14]. How does this type of prayer differ from how we often pray, and what does it reveal about the nature of strategic, kingdom-focused intercession?
3. The idea of "openness" was described as being willing to learn, play, fail, and be surprised [58:27]. Why is a fear of failure and looking foolish such a significant barrier to spiritual growth and learning new things, especially for adults?
4. How does cultivating a sense of daily wonder and seeing God's mercies as new each morning act as an antidote to the soul-killing cynicism that can creep into our lives? [56:14]

1. Recognizing our complete dependence on the Father for everything is the first step to being a "kingdom kid." [48:21] What is one practical way you can remind yourself of your "smallness" and need for God each morning before your feet even hit the floor?
2. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much and can change history. Is your current prayer life more focused on personal safety and comfort, or on partnering with God's larger purposes for your family, community, and nations? What is one specific, ongoing global situation you can begin to pray for with strategic, faith-filled declaration?
3. Cynicism is like a fog that can creep up on us and extinguish our light. [57:17] What is one simple daily practice—like listening to music, taking a walk, or reading—that you can adopt to intentionally fight against cynicism and recover a sense of wonder and gratitude?
4. Openness requires a willingness to look silly and try new things, like learning a language. [01:15:40] What is one thing you've always wanted to try but have avoided because you're afraid of failing or of what others might think? What would be a first, small step you could take this week to do it?
5. Abiding in Christ is the practical mechanism for fruitfulness; apart from that union, we can do nothing of lasting value. [50:49] Examine a current project or goal in your life. Are you striving to accomplish it through your own strength and planning, or are you consciously seeking to remain in the vine and do only what you see the Father doing?
6. Play and creativity are not just for children but are spiritual disciplines that open up our minds to God. [01:06:09] When was the last time you engaged in a activity purely for the joy of it, without any goal of productivity? How can you schedule time for "play" this month to reawaken your creativity and imagination?