Prayer for the severe drought in South Africa

A call to prayer (Guidelines by Jericho Walls Prayer Network)

Jeremiah 14:7 - O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for Your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against You.

Most of us are by now aware of the drought that is affecting our nation. Both people and animals are suffering because of the drought that already has, and will have an even more devastating effect on all of society and the economy of South Africa in the next year. We feel to encourage and suggest to local congregations to consider dedicated times of prayer during worship services for the next three Sundays to pray and seek God’s face concerning this issue in our nation:

15 November 2015

22 November 2015

29 November 2015

It is our duty and responsibility as Christians to come to God our Father, to humble ourselves before Him, to pray for mercy, and to call people to return to God. Local congregations are encouraged to consider using these guidelines to pray over the next three weeks. Also call to prayer other gatherings, weekly cell groups, Bible study groups, youth groups and prayer groups. It is important to do at least these things:

Humble ourselves before God and rend our hearts. (Joel 2:13; 1 Timothy 1:17).

Return to God. Hosea 6:1 – Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

Come with godly sorrow that produces repentance and lead to salvation. (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).

Plead for mercy. Daniel 9:9 – To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him.

Seek His face. Psalm 27:8 – When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

Devote ourselves to honour and obey God.

Our repentance must include the following:

Personal

For not loving God heart, mind, soul and strength. (Matthew 22:37).

For not loving my neighbours. (Matthew 22:38).

For the lack of respect for government; negligence to pray for government. (1 Timothy 2:1).

For not fulfilling the great commission given by Jesus. (Matthew 28:19-20).

For not taking care of the poor and needy. Galatians 2:10 - They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.

Bloodshed, immorality, idolatry, unethical life styles and love for the world.

The church

As a church we need to repent before God:

For not living holy lives as we ought to and neglecting our God given commands: a) taking care of the poor and needy, b) boldly evangelising all people in our nation, c) preaching repentance and forgiveness of sin, d) and taking the gospel to the nations through missions.

That we are lukewarm. (Rev.3:15-17). For all kinds of sin in the church that quench and resist the work of the Holy Spirit. For living lives contrary to the clear commands and guidelines of God in Scripture. As Christians, to repent for openly living immoral lives, for rampant divorce numbers among Christians, for accepting bribery as normal, for being unmoved by the fact that many are dying without knowing Jesus and for many so guilty of the sin of prayerlessness.

For the love of money, the love for the things of this world and our carnal lifestyles. (1Timothy 6:10).

For the lack of compassion towards people in need. (James 1:27).

For so easily compromising the truth of the Bible as the only truth, as well as the Bible being the highest and final authority. (Isaiah 29:13). Also for many who perish for a lack of knowledge of God and the Scripture. (Hosea 4:6).

For syncretism in the church (the mixing of the worship of idols, other spirits/gods and the Living God). (Jeremiah 3:13).

Government

As believers we need to repent before God for what is wrong in our government:

Repent on behalf of our current government which is given over to corruption, fraud and bribery.

Repent before God that our current constitution and government do not acknowledge the supremacy of God and of the Bible.

Repent that currently our government, as well as other institutions are tampering with the judicial system.

Repent before God that especially people in influential positions in our nation do not submit themselves to the laws of the country.

The nation

As believers we also need to repent before God for what is wrong in our nation:

Repent for the increase of crime, violent crime and murders, more than ever before in history.

Repent for approving and the legalizing of abortion.

Repent for deliberate actions of removing God and the Bible (Christianity), out of all schools, tertiary institutions, the workplace, as well as the restraining of Christian practices like prayer.

Repent for all substance abuse, human-trafficking, rape and prostitution that are on the increase.

Repent for all forms of racism which is on the increase in all spheres of society.

Repent for all forms of idolatry, witchcraft and involvement in the occult.

Repent for all covenants that were and are being made with godless people controlled by godless ideologies and false religions opposed to the Living God.

After confessing these sins and humbling ourselves before God with godly sorrow, let us join in pleading with Him to send us rain. He explicitly says in Scripture, that when we humble ourselves in His presence that He will send us rain. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place (2 Chronicles 7:13-15). Father God, we acknowledge our dependence upon You as the only God who can send rain. Please let it rain again in our land. Restore to us all crops, and livestock, in Jesus Name. Amen." -Guidelines by Jericho Walls Prayer Network