Monday 9 March 2009

Prayers for our communities and churches

Spring 2001

Lord, I hereby fast and pray for transformation of my community, starting with myself. I pray for a changed mind and heart, a changed life. Help me to see in a radically new way, believe in a radically new way – Your way! Convert me, turn me around, help me to discover a whole new world out there… the world the way You see it and know it and love it. Transform my mind according to the mind of God. Fill me with Your Spirit moment by moment. Teach me a new way – Your way – of relating to God, the world, and others. Thank You, Lord, for this gift of Transformation, which is available only from You: make me open to it, help me repent, help me accept Your forgiveness, change my mind, my perspectives, my vision of myself, my world, my God! Fulfill Your will for my life, dear God: make me like Jesus!

Lord, I fast and pray also for transformation of all Christian people in our community, our nation, our world. Help us all to see and believe in a radically new way – Your way! Convert us, turn us around, let us see and love and know the world the way You see and love and know it. Transform and unite us according to Your mind, and in the power of the Spirit of God, moment by moment, as we walk together with You, Lord. Teach us a new way – Your way – of relating to You, Lord, to the world, to others. Open us, Lord, to this wonderful gift of transformation You have for us, help us repent; change our minds, our perspectives, our vision of ourselves, our world, our God! Fulfill Your will for our lives, dear God; make us like Jesus, and through us, transform our communities and our world!

I pray for the ministers and Christian leaders in our community, that they may each come to a sure knowing of Jesus, a true personal relationship with Him, and be truly filled with Your Holy Spirit, and that they might be truly united in Your Spirit and fast and pray and intercede together for their parishes and communities, in the name of Jesus! Transform them, dear Jesus! Unite them by the power of Your Holy Spirit!

I pray, dear Lord God, that the churches in our communities will be a light on a hill that cannot be hid; that they will become salt of the earth as they reach out to the lost, and that many will be drawn to You and be discipled, and that there will be a great move of Your Spirit, and a great transformation of our communities and country and world. Lord, please help me to always pray for all our churches, and never criticize them! Lord, pour out Your Holy Spirit on all the churches and on all Christians here in our community and the surrounding area. Fill us all, Lord, with Your Holy Spirit, that we may all be totally united in You; help us to set aside our prideful distinctives and petty differences, and keep our eyes totally on Jesus, so that we may, in the love and total unity of Your Spirit, intercede and pray together for our communities and world.

Lord Jesus, please pour out, through Your Spirit, Your love, power, and unity on the Christian youth groups of our communities. Help them to reach out with the friendship of Jesus to lost youth. Give both leaders and kids a vision of transformed youth in our communities. Help them to truly love You and love other youth! And Lord, please give them the strength and protection of Your Spirit so they may stand strong for You!

I pray for the Christian teachers, staff, and students in our schools. Make them strong for Jesus! Make them a beacon, drawing others to You! Give them wisdom and protection, Lord, in the name of Jesus. Thank You, Lord.

Lord, please give all Your people a deep longing to delve and dig into Your Word, and so to seek and find You. And give us a burning desire to seek Your face and Your power in continued powerful vigils of prayer and fasting.

Lord, we/I confess that You have found us/me to be dead. Waken us up, Lord; help us to obey, to repent, to strengthen what remains through the blood of Jesus and the power of Your Holy Spirit and the love of God. We have been neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm. We have said, “We are rich,” but when we truly search ourselves in the light of Your Word, we find that we are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. O God, please do not spit us out, but instead help us to be earnest and repent. Lord, help us to receive and learn from Your loving discipline You place upon us. For we have indeed forsaken our first love; help us to repent and love You in thought, action, and word as we did when we first tasted of the glory of Your love and forgiveness and salvation! Search our minds and hearts, shake us up, show us clearly our evil deeds and what we lack, that we may repent and turn totally to You.

Lord I pray for those who are fasting and praying for revival in our area. I join them in their prayer that You will cleanse us in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ so that we may be acceptable in the presence of God the Father. I pray for a wall of protection around the church leaders, their families, and for all those who are joining in this ongoing prayer vigil. I pray for salvation for our loved ones. Let us be ready for this revival and welcome one and all to our church families. Give us boldness to preach Your Word, God. Give us discernment to know what is Your will. Help us to pray each day for the different parts of our communities. In the name of Jesus the King of kings. Let the enemy’s plans be destroyed and God’s plans reign victoriously! Praise You, Jesus! Hallelujah!

I pray against the spirit of self-satisfaction (we’re okay – don’t rock the boat)… among Christians as well as non-Christians. Make us to need You, crave You, beg for You. In the name of Jesus.

I pray against the spirit of “tradition” among many Christian churches. Lord, we have worshiped “other gods” – human philosophies, religious traditions, worship styles – instead of worshiping only You; so often we have not even recognized that we are doing this. Help us to turn away from these “false gods” and turn to You, Yourself, with all our hearts, souls and minds. In the name of Jesus!

I pray against the spirit of prejudice (racial, cultural, financial, dress style, employment…) and especially “Christian” prejudice – our self-righteous sense of superiority about our worship styles, our doctrinal purity, and so on, both individually and denominationally. Forgive us, dear Lord Jesus. Unite us, heal us, make us one, in the love and power of Your Holy Spirit, and keep our eyes only on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith! In the name of Jesus!

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