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Editor’s Note: The Canberra Declaration team is supporting the 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting Call for the Lost Boys from Wednesday 26 February – 5 April 2020, initiated by Youth for Christ Australia. We commend this prayer call to you, for your consideration and prayerful support. We will publish a weekly devotional on the Daily Declaration starting on 26 February to rally support for this important initiative and every week thereafter. To get more information about this important Prayer Campaign or to register to receive your weekly devotion in your inbox, Click Here.

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Read: Proverbs 29:18, Ezekiel 37:10-12, Joel 2:28, Jeremiah 29:11

Lost can mean not saved; lost for eternity. It can also mean that you do not know who you are or what you could achieve. Maybe not even what you want. It can mean falling through the cracks of society – lost to mainstream community life. Not even a statistic. It could mean lost in a haze of confusion, alcohol, drugs or mental health issues. Ultimately without Jesus, we are all lost and in need of rescue.

Proverbs 29:18 tells us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps the law, happy is he.” Someone who does not have a vision or picture of the future, can’t plan towards it. He wanders aimlessly and can’t reach the target because he can’t picture or articulate the target, or even believe that he could attain it anyway. Self-belief is part of the problem. Setting a goal and working towards its attainment seems impossible. It’s hard even to imagine such a thing. People can slowly die within and lose hope. There is nothing to live for. Nothing to energise them. Nothing worth getting up for in the morning. Nothing to look forward to or work for. There are no milestones on the way to the goal to bring happiness or satisfaction. We need a godly vision for the future. The Lord wants to pour out His spirit so our sons prophesy and our young men see visions (Joel 2:28)

While the Lord loves us for who we are, not what we achieve, we love to do His will. But if we don’t know Him, how do we know to do His will? The first prayer for Indigenous youth is for them to have salvation – to experience the love, forgiveness and abundant life of God. Some come from loving homes and some don’t, but they all need to become a new creation – the old has gone and the new has come.

“An army of Indigenous young men on fire for God could bring our whole nation of Australia into revival.”

While there are many Indigenous boys and youth who are happy, healthy, come from good functioning homes and are achieving well at school or in jobs, there are also those who are lost. Their hope is dried up. Ezekiel 37:10-12 says,

“So I prophesied as He had commanded me, and the breath entered them, and they came to life and stood on their feet—a vast army. Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look, they are saying, Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; Therefore prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘O My people, I will open your graves and bring you up from them, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel…”

We need to pray and prophesy for the young Indigenous men and boys who feel that they have lost all hope, and are cut off from participating in Australian society in any meaningful way. The hopelessness and despair can lead to depression, the depression can lead to substance abuse to dull the pain, and the depression can lead to suicide. They are perishing – drowning in pain and in need of a lifeline. That lifeline is the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

Let’s pray that they will be revived and come to life, that their hope will be renewed, that they will receive the Lord and receive a fresh vision and fresh hope for the future.

An army of Indigenous young men on fire for God could bring our whole nation of Australia into revival. God has plans for them and wants to prosper them and give them a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11)

PRAYER FOCUS

For our Indigenous Lost Boys

• Salvation and new life in Jesus. We pray for good parental and family role models, solid discipleship, connection to strong Christian fellowship and friendships. That God would pour out His Spirit on them and give them visions and prophecies.
• That young Christians would pursue holiness, purity and devotion to God.
• To have a vision for the future, hope to attain it and resilience to overcome obstacles and difficulties. That they would believe God has plans to prosper them and give them a future.
• That anxiety, depression, hopelessness and suicide would be defeated.

An end to racism, stereotyping and inequality in our nation.

• For Indigenous and non-Indigenous Christians to stand together in unity as brothers and sisters in Christ.
• Healing, freedom and forgiveness from past hurt, injustices and prejudice.
• For Indigenous youth to have access to mental health, NDIS and other health services, even in remote areas.
• That the many Indigenous boys and young men who are healthy, happy and doing well at school or in jobs would receive the encouragement and opportunities they need.
• That the Closing the Gap Program would be successful in eradicating Indigenous disadvantage and poverty.
• That Indigenous youth would have similar outcomes to the rest of the population in health, education, employment, income and life expectancy.

For strong healthy and happy families and communities.

• An end to all forms of domestic violence and abuse. That Indigenous youth would not experience or witness family violence, or suffer sexual, physical or emotional abuse.
• That mothers would have the knowledge, desire and strength to abstain from alcohol while pregnant to save their children from fetal alcohol syndrome and brain damage.
• For a generation of Godly Indigenous youth leaders to rise up.
• Norman and Barbara are prepared to mentor 12 Indigenous Christian youth.
  Please pray that those they are meant to mentor come forward and wish to be mentored.