On April 6, President Rodrigo Duterte addressed the nation about our fight against COVID-19.

In his speech, the President presented the dismal realities on the ground: a vaccine is yet to be developed, our nation has limited budget, food supply is becoming scarce, and the virus is still spreading. The President called on all the Filipinos to pray together on April 8 to ask for God’s providence and intervention.

 So today, we call on everyone to join hands in prayer. As Paul pointed out in his letter to the Ephesians, our battle isn’t just physical.

 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 6:10–12 (NIV)

We need to fight with the right weapons in order to win this battle. As the President himself said in his speech, “Diyos lang ang makakatulong sa atin dito.” Let us call on the name of the Lord in the midst of this crisis, and whatever crisis we may face. We can count on Him for He has proven that He is our banner, our provider, and our redeemer. 

The Lord is our Banner (Exodus 17:15). He is our fortress, a shield of protection. Let us pray for His protection from this deadly disease. Let us pray for God to arrest this virus and to stretch out His arms to heal and save, for He is mighty to save.

The Lord is our Provider (Genesis 22:14). He is our Father, our Shepherd, and a very present help in time of need. We know that God will reveal himself to everyone as the ultimate source of security and provision, and all the people will be drawn to Him and will acknowledge Him.

The Lord is our Redeemer. Job, in the middle of his suffering, cried out, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:25,26). However things turn out, we know that God is our Redeemer, and we shall see Him in the midst of this crisis.

While the crisis has indeed become a serious medical and economic crisis, the situation need not be a spiritual crisis. As different front liners risk their lives for the sake of others, we call on all Christians to stand together and form a united front as spiritual frontliners.

You and I are spiritual frontliners in the face of this global pandemic. God is searching the land, looking for men and women who will stand in the gap on behalf of the people (Ezekiel 22:30). Will you answer God’s call and stand in the gap?

Stand your ground. Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God. 

Fight the battle in prayer and see the power and the purpose of God unfold right before our eyes.

 Together, we shall look this enemy straight in the eye and declare that only Jesus has full authority in heaven and on earth.