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
