Author Darlene J. Conard

There are moments in history when the world feels heavy with confusion, injustice, and spiritual pressure. These moments are not signs for the church to shrink back — they are invitations for the church to rise. Scripture never portrays the people of God as passive observers. We are called to be watchmen, intercessors, and carriers of light in a world that often forgets what light looks like.

Darkness is not merely the absence of light; it is the absence of resistance. Wherever the church refuses to pray, darkness gains ground. But wherever the church stands in its God‑given authority, darkness trembles.

The Church Was Born for Moments Like This

From the book of Acts onward, the church has always advanced through prayer. Not polite prayer. Not quiet, distracted prayer. But focused, unified, Spirit‑led intercession that disrupts the plans of the enemy and opens the way for God’s purposes.

When Peter was imprisoned, the early church didn’t hold a meeting to discuss strategy — they prayed until heaven intervened. When Paul and Silas were chained in a dungeon, they didn’t wait for morning — they worshiped until the foundations shook. When darkness tried to silence the gospel, the church prayed until the Word ran swiftly.

This is our heritage. This is our assignment.

Prayer Is Not a Reaction — It Is a Weapon. We don’t pray because we are afraid of the dark. We pray because darkness is afraid of the light we carry.

Intercessory prayer:

• Exposes hidden works of the enemy

• Breaks cycles of oppression

• Releases clarity where confusion has ruled

• Strengthens the weary

• Opens doors no human hand can open

• Pushes back spiritual forces that seek to destroy families, communities, and nations

When the church prays, heaven moves. And when heaven moves, darkness loses its grip.

Standing in the Gap

Ezekiel 22:30 reveals God’s heart: He looks for someone to stand in the gap.

Not someone perfect. Not someone famous. Just someone willing.

Standing in the gap means:

• Feeling the weight of what is happening around us

• Refusing to accept darkness as normal

• Crying out for God’s justice, mercy, and intervention

• Declaring His promises over situations that look impossible

Intercession is not a side ministry. It is the backbone of spiritual transformation.

A Church Awake Is a Church Dangerous to Darkness. The Church is not a building. We are the church.

The enemy’s greatest fear is not a large church, a wealthy church, or a talented church.

His greatest fear is a praying church.

A praying church cannot be manipulated.

A praying church cannot be silenced.

A praying church cannot be deceived.

A praying church becomes a lighthouse in a storm, a fortress for the broken, and a prophetic voice that refuses to bow to the spirit of the age.

When the church awakens to its authority, darkness loses its influence.

This Is the Hour to Pray Like Never Before

We are living in a time when spiritual battles are intensifying — in families, in communities, in nations. But this is not a time for fear. It is a time for alignment. A time for courage. A time for the church to take its place.

God is raising up intercessors who pray with fire, not formality.

Believers who understand that prayer is not a ritual — it is a form of warfare.

Communities that know that when they gather in unity, heaven responds.

The works of darkness do not stand a chance against a church that knows how to pray.

A Call to Rise

If you feel the stirring to pray, that is not your imagination — it is your assignment.

If you feel the weight of what is happening in the world, that is not anxiety — it is intercession knocking at your door.

If you feel the urgency to stand in the gap, that is the Holy Spirit awakening your spirit.

This is the moment for the church to rise, to intervene, and to shine.

Darkness may roar, but it cannot overcome the light.

And the light of Christ shines brightest through a praying church. Let’s not forget that the church is not a building; we are the church wherever we go.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”

Feel free to forward it to anyone you wish. My mission is to encourage everyone to follow our Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. ©Darlene J. Conard Vision Ministries 2026. This may not be republished or used without the author’s written consent. The photograph is AI-generated. Darlene J. Conard is also affiliated with Glory Carrier Ministries. If you have a prayer request, please email it to darlene.conard@hotmail.com, and my intercessors and I will pray.

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