Bible Prep: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; John 15: 7-8
From the "1928 Book of Common Prayer" - United States
"Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage, we humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will. Bless our land with honorable ministry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitude brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endow with Thy Spirit of wisdom those to whom in Thy name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy law we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth. In times of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble suffer not our trust in Thee to fail: all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (IF MY PEOPLE, pg. 17)
"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Using 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, let's pray together "in one accord" for every American to seek God's wisdom, discernment, and knowledge as we prepare to vote in November.
REJOICE ALWAYS - "Father God, the joy of the Lord is our strength; therefore, let us REJOICE as a nation and as a people that have been blessed beyond all that we could ask or conceive. We rejoice in the privilege of voting in America."
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING—"Father God, we pray for Your divine guidance, O Lord, and never forget Your benefits. We desire to see our nation restored to godly integrity and excellence. Please forgive us for straying from Your Truth and relying on "self" rather than You. Give us a hunger to read Your Word. We ask that You turn our hearts back to You so our nation will bear the fruit of righteousness and be set above all other nations! Strengthen us with the power of Your Spirit in our inner being as we strive to abide in You and continue in faith, believing that You will do more than we ask or imagine. Keep us mindful to pray for our nation not only in our churches and our homes but also in the quietness of our daily lives. Open the eyes of every voter in America to realize the responsibility they have to PRAY WITHOUT CEASING before they vote. Oh, Lord God, please reveal any deceptions or lies so that truth will prevail. And, on Nov. 5, 2024, may the integrity of every election in America be brought under Your umbrella of protection."
GIVE THANKS IN EVERYTHING - "Thank You, Lord God, for welcoming us to Your throne of grace as You hear our requests. Thank You for allowing us to have a personal relationship with You through Jesus' death and resurrection. We give You praise and honor forever and always - no matter the circumstances we face individually or as a nation. We thank You for the freedoms, privileges, and blessings we have in America to worship You freely. We thank You, Lord, that America was founded on biblical principles, and may we stand true to that plumbline set for us. We thank You for the Supreme Court of the United States and ask that You place Your hand of protection over this highest justice system in our country. Sustain them as created with nine justices and no more. May no one be able to change or modify this most vital branch of the U.S. government, established in the passage of the Judiciary Act of 1789."
We ask all of this in Jesus' Holy name. Amen.
God gives each of His children the gift of participating in eternity here on earth through PRAYER. Like the church in Acts, let's be change-makers for the Kingdom of God. Pray again through this prayer above and this time as the Holy Spirit how to pray more specifically for our county, our leaders, your community, the election, the education system, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Lord's protection over America, and so much more.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." John 15:7-8
How is the Holy Spirit leading you to pray today?
From My Heart To Yours,
Carla McDougal
NOTE: I'm using the booklets "IF MY PEOPLE" and "PRAY FOR OUR NATION" as guides for each of these 40-Day Prayer Journey posts. You can order both booklets on Christianbook.com.