National Day of Prayer

A Prayer for the Church on the National Day of Prayer... as presented by Jim Bevis on May 4th in Florence, AL.

Before I pray for the church, I would like to acknowledge what just happened an hour ago in the Rose Garden of the White House. President Trump not only signed a proclamation declaring this day as the National Day of Prayer but he signed a historic executive order restoring to the churches and synagogues of our nation, freedom of speech, without government interference.

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH

Our Father, Savior and Lord,

We thank You for the church which You purchased with Your own blood. Thank You for creating us for relationships and for placing us in a spiritual family where we are “members of one another.” We thank You for what You are doing in and through the church worldwide. Thank You that millions of Your people will be gathering together across this nation this week, in one accord, lifting up their prayers unto You. Thank You for what just happened at the White House and the freedom we have had restored to the houses of worship in this nation.

You said, Lord, that if we, Your people, would humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, You would hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land. Therefore, Father, I confess these sins of Your people:

We have been a divided church rather than a united church, for this we repent.
We have stuck our heads in the sand, lacked discernment regarding the times in which we live, and we have failed to wage war against evil in the church and in the nation. for this we repent.
We have lacked in our love toward one another, toward our neighbors, toward our enemies, and most of all, toward You. for this we repent.
We have, in our preaching and in our living, lowered the standards of holiness which You require. The immorality of the world has crept into the church, for this we repent.
We have not preached the gospel of the kingdom. We have denied the reality of signs and wonders in the church today... for this we repent.

For these sins, and many others, we ask You to forgive us and change us that we might change the world.

Father, on behalf of our people, I humbly ask:

That You do a supernatural work in bringing us together in spiritual oneness - that men and women might believe.
Make of us a mighty force, committed to changing our culture. May there emerge from us, Your people, a new culture, a Christ culture where You will be exalted and obeyed.
Father, may the Holy Spirit fill us with courage as He did the disciples on Pentecost. Fill us with divine fire that will enable us to show up, stand up, and speak up for our Master, for what is right and against what is wrong. Release in Your church, mighty miracles, signs and wonders that humankind will believe that Jesus is Lord.
We cry out for revival and spiritual awakening for our churches, for life-changing transformation for our cities, states, and nation. Revive us again, O Lord.
O Lord, let the power come down. Open blind eyes, heal the broken hearted, set the captives free, that men might believe that Jesus is Savior, Lord, and Messiah.
May every church become a freedom house, a safe house, and a kingdom outpost where the hungry are fed, the naked are clothed, the homeless find shelter, and the lost have the Gospel of the Kingdom preached to them.
I ask this all in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, Savior of the world and Lord of the church,