"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
Please, don't turn a blind eye to this! Please consider getting involved. Right now I am excited to tell you about a way you can do this. In just a little over a week, another "40 Days for Life" Campaign will begin and will be from March 9 - April 17. If you haven't heard of this effort, let me tell you a little more. From their website here are their vision and mission statements:
"40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life campaign with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion in America.
The mission of the campaign is to bring together the body of Christ in a spirit of unity during a focused 40 day campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful activism, with the purpose of repentance, to seek God’s favor to turn hearts and minds from a culture of death to a culture of life, thus bringing an end to abortion in America."
Since its beginning in 2007, there have been seven coordinated 40 Days for Life campaigns which have taken place in 337 cities across all 50 of the United States, 7 Canadian providences, 4 Australian states, plus England, Northern Ireland, and Denmark. And the momentum is building! They're anticipating the next campaign to be the largest international campaign yet, with more people and countries participating than ever! The results from the threefold mission of prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigils, have been incredible. They have given pro-life people renewed hope and courage.
For more information, including how to get involved, please go to their website at: http://www.40daysforlife.com/
Anyway, I was just thrilled to tell you about this in case you didn't know what's going to be happening soon - all across the globe! I hadn't heard of 40 Days myself until recently when the head of our church's mission committee asked me to check it out and tell her what I think. After looking at their website and reading about it I told her I felt it was a great idea. Really in line with the heart of God.
However, I also felt, as a post-abortive woman, that our church needed a tool for people to know what to pray and, hence, a prayer guide. But I couldn't just have it be for our church - so I'm killing two birds with one stone by posting it here as well!
I don't know about you, but I get really excited when I think about being "united in spirit and intent on one purpose" (Philippians 2:2) with believers from all over the world! Therefore, even if you're not going to participate in a 40 Days for Life campaign, I hope you'll still consider joining us in prayer during that time. Together we can lift our voices before the Lord and plead for the lives of unborn children, and for their mothers and fathers.
Perhaps you could dedicate an entire 24 hour period to earnestly praying throughout the day about this issue. Or commit an uninterrupted hour to seeking God. Whatever way you feel led, remember that you can make a difference by standing in the gap through prayer! Before I get to the guide I want to share the following video that shows the amazing power of prayer. It features a lady named Abby Johnson, Planned Parenthood's Employee of the Year 2008, whose heart and mind were changed during the 40 Day prayer vigil that took place outside the clinic where she was director in 2009. It's absolutely incredible what God did. Watch and I think you'll agree and be blessed!
However, I also felt, as a post-abortive woman, that our church needed a tool for people to know what to pray and, hence, a prayer guide. But I couldn't just have it be for our church - so I'm killing two birds with one stone by posting it here as well!
I don't know about you, but I get really excited when I think about being "united in spirit and intent on one purpose" (Philippians 2:2) with believers from all over the world! Therefore, even if you're not going to participate in a 40 Days for Life campaign, I hope you'll still consider joining us in prayer during that time. Together we can lift our voices before the Lord and plead for the lives of unborn children, and for their mothers and fathers.
Perhaps you could dedicate an entire 24 hour period to earnestly praying throughout the day about this issue. Or commit an uninterrupted hour to seeking God. Whatever way you feel led, remember that you can make a difference by standing in the gap through prayer! Before I get to the guide I want to share the following video that shows the amazing power of prayer. It features a lady named Abby Johnson, Planned Parenthood's Employee of the Year 2008, whose heart and mind were changed during the 40 Day prayer vigil that took place outside the clinic where she was director in 2009. It's absolutely incredible what God did. Watch and I think you'll agree and be blessed!
Prayers for 40 Days of Life
1. Begin with praising God and thanking Him for the gift of life (1 Corinthians 15:45; John 5:21) The Psalms are a great place to begin searching for words of worship and praise. Although too numerous to list, here are some good ones: Psalm 9, 24, 34, 36:5-12, 48, 66, 68, 84, 89, 90, 92, 95, 96, 103, 138, & 145. Perhaps you'll find a few that you like even better. Just don't overlook this opportunity to tell God how awesome and mighty He is!
2. Pray for women in your community and abroad who are considering abortion at this moment. Ask God to remove all ungodly influence and deception in their lives, and instead give them eyes to see the truth about the personhood of their unborn child. Pray that these women would love and cherish their children. Ask that He minister to each woman, helping her to deal with her emotions and not "listen" to them, but do what is right. Especially ask God to remove all fear and give them the moral courage to carry their babies to term.
3. Ask God to bring people who will "speak the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15) into each woman's life and show her they care.
4. In this endeavor of showing care to women considering abortions, as well as those choosing to give birth, ask God to help the Pregnancy Care Center in your area, and those nationwide, to carry out their work of mercy. Pray that God would supply all the needs of these ministries. (Philippians 4:19)
5. Pray that as unborn children are saved from abortion, they would be properly cared for and nurtured when they are born. Ask God to give the mothers courage to place their babies for adoption if they are unable to care for them themselves. Also pray that the Lord would bring the right couples into the mothers' lives to adopt and parent their children.
6. Remember to pray for the fathers of these babies as well. Ask the Lord to restore to their hearts the God-given desire to protect their children. Additionally, pray that God would turn the hearts of these fathers toward their children. (Malachi 4:6)
7. Pray for the abortion clinic workers. Ask God to remove the blinders from their eyes, and see the evil they are doing. Ask God to "remove the heart of stone from (their) flesh and give (them) a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26) Pray that the truth would so shake them that they would quit their jobs and leave the abortion industry.
8. Pray also specifically for the abortion doctors. Ask God that He would grant them godly sorrow leading to repentance, and repentance leading to the acknowledging of the truth, so that they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Corinthians 7:10; 2 Timothy 2:26)
9. Ask God to grant salvation to the mothers, fathers, abortion clinic workers, and doctors. Ask God to "open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in (Him)." (Acts 26:18)
10. Pray for those who are involved in supporting the practice of abortion: Activists, lobbyists, and politicians. Ask God to shed the light of His truth upon their hearts and that they would become convicted of their behavior. Ask God to grant that they would not be "wise in (their) own eyes, (but) fear the Lord, and turn away from evil." (Proverbs 3:7)
11. Ask the Lord to help those women who have had abortions to find healing and forgiveness through Him. (Isaiah 61:3) Then ask Him to move on their hearts to speak out against this atrocity. Pray that, as the Lord leads, they would feel an obligation to share the truth as only they can. Ask that their fear, shame, and guilt would be taken away and they would be given courage and grace.
12. On a local and national level, ask the Lord's help and protection for those fighting for life through grass-roots and legislative means. Ask God to grant them success as they honor His Word and principles. Pray for unity and that they would be "of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, (and) intent on one purpose." (Philippians 2:2) Also ask that if they should engage with those who, at this time, support abortion, that their speech toward them would be "with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that (they) will know how (they) should respond to each person." (Colossians 4:6)
13. Where politicians have turned a deaf ear to their constituents regarding pro-life legislation, ask God to cause them to now heed the voices of those constituents. Pray that they would remember that they are in our state and federal governments to represent the will of the people.
14. Ask God for hearts and minds throughout our country to be changed and renewed. Additionally, pray that He would send His Holy Spirit to bring revival to a land that desperately needs it, and that many would come to know Christ as Savior. Acknowledge that we, as a nation, have greatly sinned and offended Him (including the shedding of innocent blood), but we're now humbly asking for mercy. Tell Him that we know judgment must begin with the household of God (1Peter 4:17) and we invite that to happen. Ask Him to cleanse and heal us as a Church first, and then as a nation.
15. Ask God to make pastors and spiritual leaders stand firm and steadfast in speaking the truth about abortion. Pray that if there be a spirit of complacency or indifference in any of them, He would remove this and give them a passion for saving the lives of the unborn. Along with this, ask that God would grant them courage and that they would fear God rather than man.
16. Ask the Lord to help us to be diligent in praying for and supporting our pastors, spiritual leaders, and ministry leaders as they take their stand to end abortion and support life.
17. Pray that we as Christians would not just focus on fighting against abortion, but would also find creative ways to proactively support life. Ask God to open our eyes and show us how we can reach out to single mothers, adopting couples, elderly people and others who need our help. Pray that God would put specific individuals on our hearts.
18. Ask God to make us diligent to teach our children the truth. Pray that we would demonstrate by example a respect for all life and a willingness to defend it. (Luke 6:40)
19. Ask God to show you if He wants you to become more involved in this fight to protect and save unborn children from death. If you sense that He does, ask Him to clearly reveal in what way. Finally, pray that you may serve Him with the strength He supplies so that He may be glorified through it. (1 Peter 4:11)
20. Finally, pray first for specific clinics in your area, and then throughout our nation, to be closed. Ask God to do whatever it takes, and that He would no longer allow them to perpetuate evil. Tell God that we acknowledge they are altars to a false god and the idolatry of this age. Ask Him to cut them them off as He did the remnant of Baal in the days of old. (Zephaniah 1:4)
Praise God for this opportunity to join with other believers in this 40 Days of Life. Ask Him to put His hand of blessing upon us and prosper our efforts. Plead that our own hearts would be changed, and hope renewed, through this time of prayer.
Praise God for this opportunity to join with other believers in this 40 Days of Life. Ask Him to put His hand of blessing upon us and prosper our efforts. Plead that our own hearts would be changed, and hope renewed, through this time of prayer.
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Certainly this list of prayer items is not complete. Please pray as the Spirit of God leads. Furthermore, consider fasting while you pray as a means of setting aside earthly cares and earnestly focusing on worshiping and petitioning the Lord. If you need encouragement from the Bible, look to the Book of Esther. This story, in fact, is a remarkable example of results obtained through fasting and prayer. It demonstrates the dynamic power of collective and personal fasting during matters of national importance, and would be a blessing to reread and study at this time.
It's been good for me to focus on abortion for a time. It's given me reawakened zeal to see it end and post-abortive women forgiven and set free. Thanks so much for stopping by! I have a busy week ahead but I hope to soon finish the Identifying & Overcoming the Obstacles to Healing series with the fourth and final 'D' word. Specifically, that post will address the issue facing many betrayed spouses of Where Do We Go from Here? Then we will explore some ways we may equip ourselves for a brighter future. So I hope you will join me right back here next time! Until then, may "The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you." (Numbers 6:25)
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