Praying for Our Country

Praying for Our Country
Pastor Steve Anderson | 7.3.24

First Seek God

Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Matthew 6:10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Pray Like Nehemiah

Nehemiah 1:1-11 In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I said, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7 We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.

8 “Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

10 “The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

1) Confess our nation’s sins…Repent of the sins of your people.

2) Pray that God will “heal our land”

2 Chronicles 7:14 “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.”

It’s Healing for and because of the REPENTANT

Hosea 14: 1-2, 4 Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sins have brought you down. 2  Bring your confessions, and return to the Lord. Say to him, “Forgive all our sins and graciously receive us, so that we may offer you our praises.

v.4 The Lord says, “Then I will heal you of your faithlessness; my love will know no bounds, for my anger will be gone forever. 

So Pray for a Spiritual Awakening/Revival

Proverbs 14:34 Godliness makes a nation great but sin is a disgrace to any people.

Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

3) Pray for those in authority (ALL of them) so we may dwell in peace

1 Timothy 2:1-4 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth

NOTE: God wants everyone to be saved! Don’t pray AGAINST them, pray FOR them!

Daniel 2:20 (Daniel) said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. 21 He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings.

The call to pray for others is a command, not a suggestion

1 Samuel 12:23  Furthermore, as for me, far be it from me that I would sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.

Pray for a “King Josiah moment”

2 Kings 22:15-20 (Huldah the prophetess) said to them, “The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken! Go back and tell the man who sent you, 16 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this city and its people. All the words written in the scroll that the king of Judah has read will come true. 17 For my people have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to pagan gods, and I am very angry with them for everything they have done. My anger will burn against this place, and it will not be quenched.’

18 “But go to the king of Judah who sent you to seek the Lord and tell him: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says concerning the message you have just heard: 19 You were sorry and humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I said against this city and its people—that this land would be cursed and become desolate. You tore your clothing in despair and wept before me in repentance. And I have indeed heard you, says the Lord. 20 So I will not send the promised disaster until after you have died and been buried in peace. You will not see the disaster I am going to bring on this city.’”

4) PRAY URGENTLY

Romans 13:11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

John 9:4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.[a] The night is coming, and then no one can work.

5) PRAY! 

James 4:2…..We have not because we ask not. 

Hebrews 4:16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. 

NOTES

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