Psalm 86 Prayer for the nation

 
Saving God,

Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; your works and your miracles are incomparable. All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, bringing glory to your name.  You are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.   Lord, hear and answer your people in this nation in this hour.  We are in deep trouble, broken, humbled, and desperately needing your help.  Arrogant foes attack your people, your Church and this nation.  Ruthless people who have no regard for you are trying to destroy us. Their deceptive and evil ideas have permeated this society so that its institutions, people, and even your Church are attacked, misled, and degraded.  Hear our prayers, Lord, and protect and save those who serve you and trust in you.  You are our God; have mercy on us and answer us as we put our trust in you.   May your strength become our strength and save us.  Give us a sign of your goodness so our those who hate us will be put to shame, for you, Lord have helped and comforted us.  You are forgiving and good, abounding in love, to all who call on you.  You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and faithful.  Bring us deeply into a fuller knowledge of your ways, Lord, so we may rely on your truth and faithfulness.  Give us undivided hearts so we fear your name.  We will praise you, Lord, our God, with all our hearts and glorify your name forever. You have delivered us from the deepest place of darkness and you love us so much Jesus died for our sins and you have placed your Spirit within us.  Rescue your people, your Church, and this nation from the wickedness that has infiltrated it. Break the power of the wicked and protect your righteous ones.  We claim in the name of Jesus that no weapon formed against your people, your Church, or this nation will prevail.  We are servants of the Lord and his vindication is ours.  In Jesus's name, Amen. 


No weapon forged against you will prevail,
    and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
    and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17 NIV)

The power of the wicked will be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous. (Psalm 37:17 NIV)

1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 
3 have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you,
    because you answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
    will come and worship before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
    you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
    slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
    show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. (Psalm 86 NIV)

1 Lord, bend down to listen to my prayer.
    I am in deep trouble. I’m broken and humbled,
    and I desperately need your help.
2 Guard my life, for I’m your faithful friend, your loyal servant for life.
    I turn to you in faith, my God, my hero; come and rescue me!
3 Lord God, hear my constant cry for help;
    show me your favor and bring me to your fountain of grace!
4 Restore joy to your loving servant once again,
    for all I am is yours, O God.
5 Lord, you are so good to me, so kind in every way
    and ready to forgive,
    for your grace-fountain keeps overflowing,
    drenching all your devoted lovers who pray to you.
6 God, won’t you pay attention to this urgent cry?
    Lord, bend down to listen to my prayer.
7 Whenever trouble strikes, I will keep crying out to you,
    for I know your help is on the way.
8 God, there’s no one like you;
    there’s no other god as famous as you.
    You outshine all others, and your miracles make it easy to know you.
9 Lord Almighty, you are the one who created all the nations.
    Look at them—they’re all on their way!
    Yes, the day will come when they all will worship you
    and put your glory on display.
10 You are the one and only God.
    What miracles! What wonders! What greatness belongs to you!
11 Teach me more about you, how you work and how you move,
    so that I can walk onward in your truth
    until everything within me brings honor to your name.
12 With all my heart and passion I will thank you, my God!
    I will give glory to your name, always and forever!
13 You love me so much, and you have placed your greatness upon me.
    You rescued me from the deepest place of darkness,
    and you have delivered me from a certain death.
14 God, look at how these arrogant ones have defied me.
    Like a vicious band of violent men, they have tried to kill me.
    They wouldn’t worry for a moment that they were sinning against you!
15 But Lord, your nurturing love is tender and gentle.
    You are slow to get angry yet so swift to show your faithful love.
    You are full of abounding grace and truth.
16 Bring me to your grace-fountain
    so that your strength becomes mine.
    Be my hero and come rescue your servant once again!
17 Send me a miraculous sign to show me how much you love me,
    so that those who hate me will see it and be ashamed.
    Don’t they know that you, Lord, are my comforter,
    the one who comes to help me? (Psalm 86 TPT)

April 5, 2021 Prayer - Killing Giants

 Giant-killing God,

You are the victor over the enemy of our souls.  You are the one whose power, presence, and faithfulness remind us not to fear, for you, the Lord our God, is with us. We believe that when we know our identity as sons and daughters of the King of Kings and we know the One who has our future in our hands, we can stand strong against the enemy of this world.  We believe that when we know who you have created us to be, using the gifts and blessings you have given us, and when we are doing what you have purposed for us to do, you will fight the battle for us.  No weapon formed against us will succeed because you are our shield and our defense.  When the constant arrogant and intimidating voices of the enemy try to cause fear within us, remind us of your voice which calls us to a place of peace in the storm.  Give us wisdom, discernment, and courage for the battles we fight, and cause the giants in our lives to fall before the power and strength of our God.  In Jesus's name we pray, Amen.  

Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah...2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 3 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

The people of God faced war with people who were not of God.  Sounds familiar to our day. 

4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was [9 feet 9 inches...] 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing [125 pounds]; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed [15 pounds]...8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

The enemy forces are strong and bold.  They are mean and intimidating. And they don't seem to quit.  Day after day they continue their threats and intimidation.

17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this [36 pounds] of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.” 20 Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. 

David was a "nobody" - not a firstborn, not a priest, not a Levite, not a king.  He was the seventh son of a sheep herder and his task was to care for the sheep.  Yet in 1 Samuel 16 God had Samuel anoint David as the future king of Israel.  Why did God choose David?  At this point in the story, all we know is that God considers David a man after his own heart.  (1 Samuel 13:14 NIV)

[David] reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.

The supposed warriors of the regular army were fearful of this giant who shouted "his usual defiance."  The people of God can become fearful of people and things who "shout" regularly their defiance of God's will and way. 

25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” 26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 31... Saul sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 

The king had set up rewards for the man with courage enough to face the giant.  Our King Jesus promises his Presence, Spirit, and Faithfulness to us as we stand against the giants.  David recognizes that this giant is coming against the people of the Living God, so he plans to go and fight the giant. 

33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

Then, well-meaning critics told David why his plan wouldn't work - in this case, because he was too young and Goliath had been a warrior from his youth. But David knew his past experiences of protecting sheep from bears and lions would help him protect his people from this bold, brash, and obnoxious giant.  

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

There can be people around us that try to talk us out of doing things God wants us to do, or change our direction in those things.  But when we know our identity we can stand on God's plans and purpose for us.  David had been anointed King - he knew God planned for him to be king.  So, he didn't need to fear this fight with Goliath because he knew his identity as the future king.  And he didn't need to wear Saul's armor because he knew it wasn't his - it didn't fit him and he hadn't practiced with it - so he chose for the battle the things that were his and which were familiar and useful to him - a slingshot and stones.

41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

The the enemy of our souls comes at us with arrogance, despising our seemingly small stature.  Yet, when we come against the enemy in the name of the Lord Almighty, the Lord will deliver the enemy into our hands and the whole world will know that God is real.  Ultimately, the battle is the Lord's. 

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.

David watches the giant move closer to him, but doesn't run away; instead, knowing his identity and purpose, he runs toward the battle line to meet the giant.

49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.

David uses the weapons of war he is familiar with, under the power of God's direction, and kills the giant.  Then he takes the giant's weapon and finishes the job.

When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines... Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp.

Once the giant's bravado and arrogance were cut down, the momentum of the battle turned.  No longer were the people of Israel afraid of the giant, but instead they pursued the enemy army, killing the soldiers and plundering their camp.  

54 David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent. (1 Samuel 17 NIV)

David took the severed head to Jerusalem to be displayed as a testimony to God's success in the battle.  And he put Goliath's weapons in his own tent as a reminder of what God had done.  

"[N]o weapon forged against you will prevail,

    and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

    and this is their vindication from me,”

declares the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17 NIV)

"But you, Lord, are a shield around me,

    my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

I call out to the Lord,

    and he answers me from his holy mountain." (Psalm 3:3-4 NIV)

"He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'" (Mark 4:39-41 NIV)

February 6, 2021 Prayer - For State leaders and influencers

Wonder-Working God,

    Thank you that in all seasons you are God alone; you are on your throne and you are continually working toward the fulfillment of your plans.  We rejoice today for all you are and all that you do within us, our communities, and the greater world.  We give thanks in all circumstances because we know you can use all things together for your good.  Thank you for the civic leaders you have placed in authority in this state.  When we agree with their policies and actions it is easy to thank you for them, but when we don't agree, it is more difficult.  Give us hearts to pray unceasingly, no matter what party affiliation or what ideology they espouse. 

    Today we pray for each person in elected government - from the township officials, to the county officials, to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General and others at the state level - to be men and women of righteousness, men and women after your own heart, seeking to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.  We pray that their ideas, policies, and actions would be pleasing to you, that the counsel they seek would be your godly wisdom, and that any weapon formed against your Will, your Truth, and your Way would not prosper.    We pray for roadblocks, barricades, and financial stoppages to be poured out on those in government who seek to enslave people to government, instill fear, cause economic hardship, release chaos, or otherwise further their power.  Instead, we bind, in the name of Jesus, any bad idea or policy that is not of you, and we proclaim NO MORE to those spirits of darkness.

    We pray for strength, courage, strategy and prevailing power for those godly men and women who are standing up to the powers of darkness in our state government.  May the state legislators, elected officials, lawyers, staff, and others who are fighting for Truth and Godliness have tough skin, grit, and stamina as they ask questions and press in for breakthrough.  May the hold of evil and wickedness - in government and in structures that influence government - be broken and shaken loose so that this state can be freed from the aggressive and pressuring forces of darkness.  In Jesus's name we bind them and proclaim NO MORE to these powers of darkness.  

    Give godly leaders and influencers strategies to counter the attacks of the enemy of our souls.  Help your people to reflect our God of Heaven and to take the higher road to implement a strategic plan that would benefit our state for the near future and for the long term. Give them courage and wisdom to fight this battle.  Cause their hearts to be turned toward you and their eyes not to turn to the right to the left from your Goodness.  Give them great financial outpouring to counter those financing the enemy's ideas.  May the organizations working to fight for truth and righteousness have an OVERFLOW of donations, including big donors that want to invest because you have prepared them to influence "For such a time as this."  You own all the financial kingdoms and resources, so we pray you would pour out resources to fund righteousness and dry up the resources that fund wickedness.  In Jesus's name we bind the financial resources of wickedness and declare that NO MORE will you have power in our state. 

    Today we specifically pray for the election in the state Republican Party.  We do not put our hope in any particular party or person, but we know that you call us to choose righteousness and holiness and godliness.  So, we pray that these elections would cause righteous men and women to be elected into office that would work toward your Justice, Mercy, and Godliness.  Thank you that even now in our state Republican Party you would be cleaning house, undoing bad choices, unwinding generational curses, rebuilding good foundations, reforming poor thinking, and redeeming the many years of prosperity the locusts of evil influence have stolen.  Reform and remake this influential group of people so that their hearts, ideas, platform, and deeds are according to your Will and Ways.  We pray that Holy Spirit will guide all decisions made today and we bind any spirit of evil that seeks to disrupt your guidance.  We say NO MORE to a spirit of chaos and dysfunction that traps this group of people.  

    We continue to stand in the gap for our state, partnering with you so that you can do here on earth what you need and yearn to do.  We pray that miracles will abound in this state - that even non-believers will say, "This has to be God! I want to know Him more!"  Break the power of the wicked and uphold the righteous!  Pour out your wisdom, discernment, courage, and Spirit on the leaders in state government, we pray in Jesus's name.  Amen!!

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 ESV)

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 ESV)

"It is He who changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and [greater] knowledge to those who have understanding!" (Daniel 2:21 AMP)

"'No weapon formed against you shall prosper,

And every tongue which rises against you in judgment

You shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

And their righteousness is from Me,'

Says the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)

"The law of the Lord is perfect,

   reviving the soul;

the testimony of the Lord is sure,

    making wise the simple;

the precepts of the Lord are right,

    rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the Lord is pure,

    enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the Lord is clean,

    enduring forever;

the rules of the Lord are true,

    and righteous altogether." (Psalm 119:7-9 ESV)

"And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left." (2 Chronicles 34:2 ESV)

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19 ESV)

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,

The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.
27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the Lord your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame." (Joel 2:25-27 NKJV)

"For the power of the wicked will be broken,
    but the Lord upholds the righteous." (Psalm 37:17 NIV)

h/t Amy Hawkins, MI Prayer Warriors 2/4/21 & 2/5/21 

February 3, 2021 - Prayer - Wrong will be right when Jesus comes in sight

Lord Almighty,

Thank you that your Love is sincere and active and you call us to love in the same way.  Thank you that you do not judge us in the ways the world does, but you judge according to your Truth and what is in our hearts.  Thank you that you call us to hate what is evil, to not tolerate what is wicked, to love sincerely and actively, and to hold tightly to what is good.  Where we, your People, have scales on our eyes as to the reality of this world, cause those scales to fall off and us to regain our sight and be filled with the discernment of the Holy Spirit.  Where we see the "speck" in someone else's life, help us to also recognize and repent of our own "logs."  May Truth be shown in our lives so we may call non-believers in this generation to your Light and Life.  Today we pray that your Light would pour out into places of deep darkness, wickedness, corruption, and hypocrisy and expose these things as the evil they are.  We pray with the Psalmist that the power of the wicked will be broken, in the name of Jesus, and that you would uphold, protect, guide, and strengthen the righteous.   Bring into your Body the men and women you have marked for your Kingdom that are awakening as evil is exposed.  We understand that your Word teaches that, eventually, the cups of iniquity in this world will be filled.  But we believe that the earnest, heartfelt, continued prayer of righteous people makes tremendous power available.  We pray that our prayers would cause your Holy Spirit's power to be poured out upon us and upon this world.  We pray that your Saints will fill the bowls of prayer in heaven and that the iniquity of this world will be overwhelmed by the prayers of your People.  Thank you that no weapon formed against us will prevail and we will refute those who accuse us because we are your servants and have a rich and beautiful heritage from you.  In the midst of the darkness, confusion, hopelessness, and chaos of this world, keep us under your headship; keep us in your wisdom, goodness, favor, and grace as we shine your Light in every dark place.  Thank you that when you come in sight, wrong will be right and at the sound of your roar, sorrows will be no more.  In the powerful, roaring name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen!

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again."

- From "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis

"Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good. Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor." (Romans 12:9-10 AMP)

"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 ESV)

"So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened." (Acts 9:17-19 ESV)

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matthew 7:1-5 ESV)

"For the power of the wicked will be broken,

    but the Lord upholds the righteous." (Psalm 37:17 NIV)

"The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man 

makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]." (James 5:16 AMP)

"No weapon forged against you will prevail,

    and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,

    and this is their vindication from me,”

declares the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17 NIV)