[Please join me on Sundays in praying for the Church.]
God of the Cloud and the Light,
You are the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet you do not leave the guilty unpunished. Today we pray you will break the power of the wicked in this world – whether in government, education, arts & entertainment, media, business, the family, and even the Church. We pray that every scheme the enemy of our souls has put forth in those places would be thwarted by you, your angel armies, your Church, and whatever else it takes. We pray you will drive out all those who are corrupt, wicked, or evil.
Although your children can be a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and give us your inheritance. We humble ourselves, pray, seek your face, and ask you to hear us, forgive our sin, and heal our land. Cause us to turn from our wicked ways. We pray you will favor and go with us. Before all your people we pray you will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. Show the people we live among how awesome is the work that you, the Lord, will do, for you are a jealous God. You uphold your people by your righteous hand and you shelter us under your wings of love. You are our fortress and shield, the God in whom we trust.
With the leading of Holy Spirit and in the powerful name of Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN!
“The power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.” (Psalm 37:17 NIV)
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
“Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.” Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snareamong you. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:5-14 NIV)
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” (Psalm 91:1-2 NIV)