Many good things can be said about the United States of America.
It is a land of freedom, and one of opportunity.
But few Christians today would argue the fact that America is a wounded nation, and one in need of much prayer.
If you sometimes struggle in knowing how to pray for our nation, will you join me in praying the Scriptures for this land that we love?
Here are twelve prayers to get us started:
1.)Ask God to give you and your Christian brothers and sisters a sense of humility and submission to the governing authorities. Thank God for the assurance that there is no authority except from God, and that those authorities that exist have been instituted by God for His purposes. (Romans 13:1)
2.)Affirm to God that nations who bow to God’s lordship are blessed. (Psalm 33:12) Thank God for our Christian heritage, and pray that God would restore our commitment to biblical principles.
3.)Rejoice in the Rock, whose perfect works and justice go hand-in-hand. Praise His faithfulness, justice, and uprightness, and pray that He would deal faithfully, justly, and rightly with America (Deuteronomy 32:4)
4.)Echo Daniel’s plea for God’s mercy on Israel, crying out to the Lord on behalf of your nation: “O my God, incline Your ear and hear. Open Your eyes and see our desolations…For we do not present our pleas before You because of our righteousness, but because of Your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” (Daniel 9:18-19) Pray that God would hear the cries of His people and restore America’s identity as a Christian nation that is under God.
5.)Acknowledge to the Lord that righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. (Proverbs 14:34) Confess any corporate sins the Holy Spirit brings to mind.
6.)Praise God for the promise that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9) Beg Him to restore a hunger and thirst for righteousness among believers in this land that would spread even to those who don’t yet know Him.
7.)Remind God of His promise to Israel, and implore Him to grant it to America: “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.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) Ask God to issue a fresh wave of sorrow over our sin and a longing for His face that supersedes all other desires.
8.)Grieve for unbelieving Americans, who have been blinded by Satan. Pray that God would open their eyes, allowing them to see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
9.)Ask God to give His people a heart of prayer for our government officials, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. Confess to God that these prayers are good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:2-4)
10.)Repeat the psalmist’s declaration:
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
let all the peoples praise You!
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for You judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise You, O God;
let all the peoples praise You!
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him! Psalm 67:3-7
11.)Thank God for your identity as part of a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession. Ask Him to impress upon believers the depth of our identity in Christ, far surpassing our identity as Americans. Pray that Christians would be faithful to proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. (I Peter 2:9)
12.)Pray that American believers would place our trust only in the Lord. Ask that He would establish us like trees planted by water, that send out their roots by the stream, not fearing when heat or drought come, for their leaves remain green and they do not cease to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7-8) Ask God to miraculously grant an abundant, fruitful harvest during seasons of heat and drought.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the United States of America. Thank you for using her as a beacon of hope, light, and truth for more than two centuries. We acknowledge to You how far we have fallen from our first love, and we ask that You would pour out revival on this land. Please bring Your people to repentance! Purify us; cleanse us; restore us to Yourself, that we may shine Your light brightly to our fellow Americans who need You so desperately. We humbly ask for Your mercy upon this nation. And should You decide in Your perfect wisdom that the time for justice has come, strengthen Your children for the days ahead. Root us firmly in Your love, and allow us to be fruitful even in the midst of the drought. We love You, and we thank You for calling us Your own. In the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
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So, so true. Our country and people need so much prayer. Without it, how can we ever expect it to turn back to God. Great post and perfect reminder of the great need in this country.