Day 1: Ask for the Impossible Together
Intention
To encourage people to pray big prayers, to a big God, to save our families and the women and children of Australia.
Scripture
“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”
– Ezekiel 22:30
“You have not because you ask not.”
– James 4:2
Reflection
In 1992, young nine-year-old Ebony Simpson was on her way home from school in Bargo, NSW, when a man kidnapped her and put her in the boot of his car. This man took her to a deserted place then raped and violated her, and as she pleaded for her life, tied her with fencing wire and threw her into a dam to die.
I had young children at the time, and I felt physically sick for days on end.
This horrific tragedy occurred 55 km from Wollongong, where I live. Subsequently, I organised a combined interdenominational Christian prayer and repentance gathering in the Wollongong Town Hall. Fast forward 32 years, my wife and I, together with the Canberra Declaration, are calling for a month of prayer and fasting for a revival of sexual integrity to renew marriage, restore family and protect children. We are starting today, 1 October.
God is looking for someone who will stand in the gap on behalf of the land and pray, as it says in Ezekiel 22:30.
Thank God, He has found you. We thank you for joining us in this mission of prayer. As Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, prayer is the greater work.”
I recorded a promotional video for this month of prayer and fasting for the revival and restoration of sexual integrity. In the comments section, a lady named Mavis commented “Hmm! Why not just call it prayer for revival? Sexual integrity won’t happen without revival.” My reply to her went like this, “Good point, but we can ask for both at the same time. As the Scripture says, “You have not because you ask not!”
Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
God wants us to ask Him for things. Paul puts it this way in Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” The inference is that we at least need to ask and think big because God can do exceedingly abundantly above all our big thinking and all our big asking.
So, what is stopping us from asking for a revival and restoration of sexual integrity in Australia?
We know that the driving force in abortion with 85,000 lives lost each year is the lack of sexual integrity. We know that the lack of sexual integrity is a driving force in marriage breakdown and the epidemic of fatherlessness in our nation. Not to mention the horror of domestic violence.
We know that the lack of sexual integrity is the driving force in one in four women and one in six men who are sexually abused in their childhood.
So let us be bold and ask for the impossible together. A revival and restoration of sexual integrity in our nation and revival, repentance and reformation for Australia at the same time.
Imagine how many Ebony Simpsons our prayers will save. As Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams off.”
Video
Prayer
Father in heaven, we dedicate this month of prayer and fasting for the revival and restoration of sexual integrity in Australia, to the memory of Ebony Simpson. Our prayer is that You will do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think.
Give us revival and repentance along with the reformation of our morals here in Australia. We pray this prayer and ask for the impossible together in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Author Bio
Warwick Marsh has been married to Alison since 1975 and they have five children and ten grandchildren. He is a family and faith advocate, social reformer, musician, TV producer, writer and public speaker. Warwick is well known in Australia for his advocacy for prayer, children, marriage, manhood, family, fatherhood and faith.
Prayer Points and Purpose for October 2024
- Revival and restoration of sexual integrity to renew the individual, revitalise marriages, restore families and protect children. Hebrews 13:4
- Revival, repentance and reformation of Australia. 2 Chronicles 7:14
- Revival, repentance and reformation of America. 2 Chronicles 7:14
- The Lamb that was slain may receive a reward for His suffering. Revelation 5:12
We invite you to support this prayer campaign by ordering your FREE copy of Break Through: 15 Keys to Supernatural Breakthrough, a book on prayer written by Warwick Marsh. Reading this book will multiply the effectiveness of your prayers. You can make a donation to the Canberra Declaration to help pay it forward and bless someone else to receive a free copy of Break Through.
Join us for our nightly Zoom prayer call:
DATES: Every night in October
TIME: 8 PM (AEST); 7:30 PM (ACST); 6 PM (AWST)
ZOOM LINK: zoom.us/j/776881184
Daily devotions are brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.
View October 2024 Daily Devotionals: dailydeclaration.org.au/tag/sexual-integrity-2024
Photo courtesy of Adobe.
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Such a confronting article that provokes memories of Ebony and other little girls and young women – Eloise Worledge, Samantha Knight and Anita Cobby – who became the headlines in newspapers in my childhood and early adulthood for the most horrific reasons. We never forget!
LORD, may we rise up in prayer and fasting in this hour for the restoration of the sacredness of sexual purity and integrity. Thank You for men and women like Alan and Helen Myer and Paul Bedwell who are devoting their lives to seeing a revolution in this area!
Thank you Warwick for this article so saturated with love and humility.
My youngest was born the year Ebony Simpson passed into eternity, 32 years ago; I will never forget the anguish of that time. I was in Bargo neighbourhood recently and prayed for her family …
Keith Green’s music was instrumental in cementing the foundations of my faith in 1982 and 83 … 42 years ago. My children were raised with Keith’s music instead of traditional nursery rhymes :))
As for our men, I’ve been praying particularly for them to come to Christ and be renewed into the marvelous manhood that He created them to have and be, since about that same time (when I was born again).
Thanks for instigating this month of prayer and fasting for our nation, it’s a joy and privilege to join you from my place.
Blessings upon you and your ministry as you raise the name of Jesus higher, and gladly take the humblest of places before Him and His world.