PRAYER FOR OUR NATION

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. (2Ch 7:14)

The people of God are a people of prayer—or, at least they should be.

Prayer is a given for those who follow the Lord. It is a part of our spiritual practice, a part of our discipline.

Apparently, however, according to this verse, such is not always the case; for here we are told to pray—as if that was not being done.

Let’s recall the context of this particular verse.

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; (2Ch 7:13)

There is no reason given as to why the Lord would choose to do such things to His people; but it is safe to surmise that it would be because of transgressions.

A transgressing people would probably not be a people of prayer—therefore the injunction.

Within the specific context of the ordinary use of this verse, the ones who are putting it out there for the rest of us to take note are trying to tell us that we should pray for the healing of our land.

Indeed, we should.

There should be a never-ending barrage of prayer to the Father for the healing of this nation. (James 5:16)

HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?

The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and the Lord gave them the “Our Father.” (Matt. 6:9)

As a rule, evangelicals have quite a distaste for "canned" prayers, usually citing “vain repititions” (Matt. 6:7). Consequently, the “Our Father” mentioned above has been dissected into its parts and called the ‘model prayer.’ (You may have heard it incorrectly referred to as “the Lord’s prayer”.)

You will seldom hear this beautiful prayer in an evangelical congregation.

Jesus put His stamp of approval on so-called ‘canned prayer’ when He gave us the model, and told us what to SAY. (Luke 11:2)

I have no idea why so many are reluctant to use the prayers of the Bible. I also have no clue as to why we do not use the Bible for our prayers.

The Psalms are replete with just about every emotion and situation one could imagine in their walk with God; and many of them are prayers concerning these situations.

In praying for our nation, I have found this particular one designed by someone who chooses to remain anonymous to be beneficial for me to stay focused on what it is that I am asking of the Lord.

If you find this to be true for you, copy and paste this into your own program so that you can have it available to you.

1Tim 2:1............Heavenly Father, I give thanks for our government. 
1 Tim 2:2...........I pray for all men and women having authority over us in any way. 
Prov. 1:23..........Pour out Your Spirit upon them and make Your Word known to them. 
Ps 25:21...........Cause them to be men and women of integrity, obedient concerning us, 
1 Tim 2:2...........that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. 
Prov. 2:10..........Let wisdom enter their hearts, and let knowledge be pleasant to them. 
Prov. 2:11..........Let discretion preserve them and understanding keep them,
Prov. 2:12..........to deliver them from the way of evil and from evil men. 
Psalm 1:1..........Make their hearts and ears attentive to godly counsel, 
2Chr 20:32.........doing what is right in your sight. 
Prov. 2:21..........Let the upright dwell in our government. 
Heb 12:27..........Cause there to be a shaking in all areas. 
Prov. 2:21..........Let those complete and blameless before You stay. 
Prov. 2:22..........and cut off the wicked. Let the unfaithful be rooted out. 
1Cor 4:5............Bring to light what is hidden in darkness, 
1Cor 4:5............and expose the secret aims of the hearts. 
Rev 2:5.............Let this nation remember from where they have fallen, 
Rev 2:5.............repenting, and returning to doing their first works, 
1Chr 22:19........setting their hearts and their souls to seek the Lord, 
2Chr 7:14..........humbling themselves, praying, and turning from their wicked ways. 
2Chr 7:14..........Then hear them, O Lord, and forgive their sins and heal our land. 
Acts 26:18........Open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light. 
Heb 3:13...........Soften the hearts that are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 
Ps 107:20..........Deliver them from their destructions. 
2Pet 3:9............Father, You have been longsuffering toward us, 
2Pet 3:9............not willing that any should perish, 
2Pet 3:9............but that all should come to repentance. 
Isa 49:22...........Raise up a standard in this nation. 
Zech 10:1..........Cause the rains of Your Spirit to flood this land 
Hab 3:2.............and revive Your work in the midst of us. 
Isa 59:16...........Raise up intercessors for this nation 
2Cor 10:4..........to pull down strongholds over this land. 
Isa 40:5............And let the glory of the Lord be revealed!

This prayer copied from Scripture Prayers.