Heavenly Father, we pray for the Christian church worldwide, which You have called into existence for a witness and testimony of Your grace, mercy, love, and truth. We ask Your forgiveness for ‘peddling the gospel’, for making your sacred truth and benevolent grace a profane product to be advertised, marketed, and merchandised. Lord forgive us for pursuing material gain, worldly success, and personal happpiness as the highest priority in our lives. Cause us to seek first, and above all else, to love You with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength—to seek first Your Kingdom, the Kingdom of God, and Your righteousness and true holiness.
Make us to realise that You are building Your church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. Likewise, humble us to acknowledge Your supreme wisdom, knowledge, and power. Lord, you don’t need us or our feeble, misguided plans and methods; for Thou, O Lord, art able to raise up from the very stones of the ground faithful children unto Abraham. We thank You for the opportunity You have given us to partner with You in the expansion of Your Kingdom here on earth. Help us to remember that our role and responsibility in God’s Great Commission is to sow, and not to grow. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 3:16 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.”
And so, O God, we are confronted with our own poverty and impotence, trusting in You to govern, guide, lead, train, and equip us to disciple all nations in the way of Christ. Anoint us with Your Holy Spirit and empower us to transform our world for Jesus. Raise up labourers for the harvest. Bring into the sheepfold of God those who through repentance and faith have submitted themselves to the rule of Christ their Messianic King. And Lord, we will be sure to give You all the glory, honour, and power, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer was taken from Lord, Teach us to Pray by Manfred Wagstaff, 2017.
