Thursday, May 5, 2011

National Day of Prayer

From the very beginnings of our nation, those in leadership have known the value of calling for national days of prayer, particularly in times of trouble. Today national prayer is vital to our country
during this critical time.
This year the theme for the National Day of Prayer is, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” taken from Psalm 91:2: “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” I encourage you to join me and millions of prayer warriors all across the country, Thursday, May 5, 2011, to participate in the National Day of Prayer, to pray for our nation and leaders as never before. Don’t take this opportunity lightly. It is a privilege to have the freedom to pray without fear of persecution,
and it is also our responsibility as Americans
and as Christians.
And as President George W. Bush reminded us in his 2001 National Day of Prayer Proclamation,
it is part of our heritage:
Turning to prayer in times of joy and celebration,
strife and tragedy is an integral part of our national heritage. When the first settlers landed on the rocky shores of the New World, they celebrated with prayer, and the practice has continued through our history. In 1775, the Continental
Congress asked the citizens of the colonies
to pray for wisdom in forming a Nation….
The faith of our Founding Fathers established the precedent that prayers and national days of prayer are an honored
part of our American way of life.
Historically, President Truman signed a joint resolution by Congress in 1952 establishing an annual,
National Day of Prayer. Then in June 1988, President Reagan signed a bill enacting the permanent
National Day of Prayer to be set as the first Thursday of May. Each year the president signs a proclamation encouraging all Americans to pray on that day.
Every year millions of Americans participate in National Day of Prayer observances across the nation. And each year President Ronald Reagan’s 1982 National Day of Prayer Proclamation con-tinues to resonate:
Prayer has sustained our people in crisis, strengthened us in times of challenge, and guided us through our daily lives since the first settlers came to this continent. Our forbearers came not for gold, but...in search of God and the freedom to worship in their own way…. Today, prayer is still a powerful force in America, and our faith in God is a mighty source of strength. Our Pledge of Allegiance states that we are “one nation under God,” and our currency bears the motto, “In God We Trust….” One of my favorite passages in the Bible is the promise God gives us in 2 Chronicles: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” That promise is the hope of America and of all our people.
America is a godly nation and established in righteousness. We are and always will be one nation
under God. As we unite in prayer, things have to change.
I want you to notice something about the scripture President Reagan quoted in 2 Chronicles
7:14. God didn’t say it would take everybody in the nation to turn things around. He said, “If MY people….”
As believers, we have authority over the powers of Satan. Matthew 16:19 says, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” We have also been given “a name which is above every
name,” and at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow (Philippians 2:9-10). In the Name of Jesus,
we can take authority over the evil spirits that are trying to destroy this nation.
It’s time we begin to realize how important
we are to national and world affairs. Since the day Jesus gave us the Great Commission, the life or death of the world has been in the hands of the Church. That has never changed. As we pray in unity, power and authority, we have the ability to change the face of America and the world!
Father, I bring the needs of our government before You and ask You to bless our nation through godly leaders. I magnify the Name of Jesus and declare that He is LORD over this nation.
Father, I pray according to 1 Timothy 2:1-3 which says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.”
I pray, in the Name of The LORD Jesus, for our president, vice president, and all members of the Cabinet, the chief justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court to receive the wisdom of God, to act in obedience to that wisdom and for the power of God to flow in their lives.
I pray for the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to find Your peace and direction, and for these men and women to act and lead according to Your WORD. A house divided against itself cannot stand, therefore I pray for them to be unified in righteousness for the sake of the nation.
I pray for Your protection to cover all our law enforcement officers and the men and women of the military. I ask for godly counsel and wisdom for judges across this land. In the Name of Jesus,
I pray that You and Your kingdom of righteousness be manifested in the hearts of all those who are in authority in any way.
Father, Your WORD says to pray for the peace of Jerusalem because those who love Jerusalem shall prosper. Lord Jesus, because You love Jerusalem and wept over it, I love it also. I pray for Jerusalem to receive the shalom of God, which brings wholeness—nothing missing, nothing broken. I pray that no leader of our nation will make any decision that will harm Jerusalem in any way. And in the Name of Jesus, I pray that You reveal Your perfect will to all the leaders of Israel. I ask You, LORD, to reveal Yourself to each person. Thank You, Father, for hearing my prayers that are in accordance with Your will. I receive the answers, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Scripture References: 1 Timothy 2:1-3; Psalm 122:6; Mark 3:25; Proverbs 21:1; 1 John 5:14-15
Father, in Jesus’ Name, I give thanks for our country and its government. I hold up in prayer before You the men and women in positions of authority. I pray for all people in authority over us in any way. I pray that the Spirit of The LORD rests upon them.
I believe that skillful and godly wisdom has entered into the hearts of our leaders and knowledge
is pleasant to them. Discretion watches over them; understanding keeps them and delivers
them from the way of evil and from evil men.
Your WORD declares that “blessed is the nation whose God is The LORD.” I receive Your blessing and declare with my mouth that Your people dwell safely in this land and that they prosper abundantly.
It is written in Your WORD that the heart of the king is in the hand of The LORD and that You turn it whichever way You desire. I believe the heart of our leader is in Your hand and that his decisions are divinely directed by You.
I give thanks to You that the good news of the gospel is published in our land. The WORD of The LORD prevails and grows mightily in the hearts and lives of the people. I give thanks for this land and the leaders You have given to us, in Jesus’ Name.
I proclaim that Jesus is LORD over my country.
Scripture References: 1 Timothy 2:1-2; Proverbs 2:11-12; The Amplified Bible: Psalm 33:12; Proverbs 21:1. Also see Jeremiah 1:12.
O God in heaven, I come before You in the Name of Jesus on behalf of the leaders of (name the nation). First of all, in accordance with 1 Timothy 2:1-2, I intercede and give thanks for all men, for kings and all in authority and expect to live a quiet and peaceable life. I pray for The WORD of God to be given free course and Your people to be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2). The heart of the king is in Your hand and You will turn it whichever way You choose (Proverbs 21:1). I ask You to direct the heart and mind of (name the nation’s leader) to make decisions that will lead the country in Your ways and according to Your WORD.
I thank You, LORD, for bringing change to the politics of (name the nation). Thank You for changing the voices of influence to speak in agreement with Your WORD. I ask You to send laborers
filled with the spirit of wisdom and might, to surround the leaders of (name the nation) with godly counsel and insight. I also ask You to remove from positions of authority those who stubbornly oppose righteousness, and replace them with men and women who will follow You and Your appointed course for (name the nation).
As we enter the final hours of the last days, I ask for the spirit of faith, the workings of miracles, for signs, wonders, gifts and demonstrations of the Holy Spirit and power to be in strong operation.
Let believers in (name the nation) and in every land be unified to stand strong by faith in Jesus, the Anointed One and His Anointing, that Your glory may be revealed in all the earth.
Thank You, Lord, that these requests come to pass. I believe I receive. Amen.
Scripture References: Proverbs 3:3-5; Revelation 3:8; Psalm 5:12; Romans 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12;
2 Corinthians 9:8, The Amplified Bible; Philippians 4:6-7, The Amplified Bible; 2 Corinthians 1:3, The Amplified Bible; Philippians 4:19.
The prayer of agreement is one of the most powerful tools God has given us. It is a prayer that Jesus Himself guaranteed would bring results every time: “If two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask,” He said, “it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19, NAS).
When you don’t see the results He promised, the problem usually lies in one of four areas.
Run a harmony check.
The word agree that Jesus uses in Matthew 18:19 can also be translated “to harmonize” or “to make a symphony.” A symphony is composed of many instruments, which, when played together, seem to be a single voice.
If you’ve ever heard a symphony, you know that when the individual instruments are tuning up, each one playing separately, it’s not much to listen to. But when the conductor raises his baton and all those instruments begin to harmonize, the sound they make is tremendously powerful.
The same is true in prayer. Believers agreeing together in the Holy Spirit are a powerful, unstoppable force. That’s why Satan fights Christian families. That’s why he doesn’t want men and women unified in marriage. He wants us fighting and fussing all the time because he knows it will hinder our prayers (see 1 Peter 3:7).
Anytime you fail to get results from the prayer of agreement, run a harmony check. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you’re in strife with your spouse (or anyone else). Then follow the instructions in Mark 11:25, where Jesus tells us, “When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you.”
It is not sufficient for you and your spouse to simply agree on the particular issue you are praying about. You must also be in harmony in other areas as well. So make a harmony check!
Establish your heart on God’s WORD.
The prayer of agreement will only work if it is based on The WORD of God. You and your wife might jump up one day and agree that you’ll own a hundred oil wells by midnight, but you’ll never see that prayer of agreement come to pass, because it’s not founded on The WORD of God.
So go to The WORD first. Find the promise that covers the particular situation you’re praying about. Then write it down and meditate on it until, as Psalm 112:7 says, your “heart is fixed, trusting in The LORD.”
Fix your mind on The WORD.
Second Corinthians 10:5 tells us to bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” You must do that if you’re to see results from your prayers of agreement. Do what the Bible says and “think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). What things? Things from The WORD of God!
Say to yourself, “I’ll not think on anything contrary to this agreement.” Then, when Satan tries to slip in negative thoughts and break down your faith, you’ll have to tell him, “No, no, no, Devil! I don’t believe what you say. I believe what The WORD says.”
Then, get out your Bible. Go back to The WORD and soak your mind in it. Obey Proverbs 4:21 and “keep it before your eyes.”
Act as if it’s done.
This is where so many believers miss it. They pray the prayer of agreement, taking a faith stand together. Then as soon as they walk out of the prayer closet, they start wringing their hands and saying, “Oh my, I just don’t know what we’re going to do if this problem doesn’t get solved!”
Don’t make that mistake. Once you’ve settled the issue through the prayer of agreement, refuse to act as though that issue is a problem anymore. Instead, just start praising God. In every way you can, act as though all is well.
When people ask you about the matter, just answer them with faith. Say, “Glory to God, that issue is handled. My spouse and I have agreed in prayer. God is honoring our agreement. And as far as we’re concerned, that problem is behind us.”
The prayer of agreement is a powerful tool. So don’t be discouraged by your past experience. Just make the necessary adjustments, and keep on in agreement. Run a harmony check. Establish your heart on The WORD. Fix your mind on The WORD. Act as if it’s done. And anything you ask shall be done for you by your Father in heaven.

1 comment:

  1. Praise God! Wonderful reading this, and praying it too. Jesus is the answer. - Brian S.

    ReplyDelete