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Focus

Shift the Nation: 24/7 Prayer 12–22 May 2023

Intention

To pray for Christians to be mobilised to share the gospel boldly with miracles following.

Scripture

“Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.”

– Mark 16:20

Reflection

The disciples were frightened and intimidated when Jesus was crucified and were relieved to be told to wait in the Upper Room and pray, away from trouble and the crowds. But when the day of Pentecost came, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and power and went out and witnessed boldly, and about 3,000 people were saved.

“Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.” (Acts 2:2–3)

The sound drew a crowd and Peter preached boldly. They were cut to the heart and Peter told them to repent and be baptised. The church was birthed. Acts 2:44 tells us, “Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles”.

Today many believers are intimidated by the atheism, secularism, humanism, and wokeness of our culture which is trying to cancel the Church. We are frightened to speak out as it may mean social death, loss of jobs or friends, or being scoffed at as the disciples were when they emerged from the Upper Room.

We need to pray earnestly and in unity, as the disciples did but we also need to emerge from our churches and from our places of safety and witness boldly. Signs, wonders, and miracles will follow as Jesus has promised us.

We will face our challenges just as David had to face the intimidation of Goliath and slew him with one stone. While all he had was a slingshot, he knew God was with him and he was outraged that his God was challenged. Are we no longer outraged by the Goliaths that attack our God and our churches? Do we not have the faith to stand against the barriers in our culture that might seem insurmountable?

We do have to make a stand just as Elijah did on Mt Carmel when he faced the prophets of Baal who ate at Jezebel’s table. A revival in Israel resulted from it.

We may just be called to pray for or give a helping hand to neighbours or people we meet on the street or workmates. But we should not feel that we can’t share the gospel with them at the same time. Salvation is the best gift we can offer people.

Video

Prayer

Lord, we pray that you would give us the boldness and the power of your Holy Spirit just like you did for the disciples at Pentecost so we can share the gospel with courage and conviction and bring many into your kingdom.

We pray that we will not be intimidated by the anti-Christian culture in the world but you would mobilise your people to share the gospel effectively and that signs, wonders, and miracles will follow. We pray that you will send many more labourers into the field to bring in the harvest of souls.

Amen.

Authors Bio

Pastors Norman and Barbara Miller pastor in Cairns. They founded the Centre for International Reconciliation and Peace in 1997. They have a focus on reconciling people to God and each other that includes racial and Jewish-Gentile reconciliation. With an anointing for governmental intercession, they have held four conferences in Canberra and about 20 around Australia.

Prayer Points and Purpose for GO 2023 in May

1. To worship Jesus and give extravagant praise to God. Heb 12:28–29
2. Pray that the Lamb who was slain might receive the reward for His suffering. Rev 5:6–14
3. Pray for revival for Australia and for millions to find Christ. Isa 64:1–2
4. Pray for revival for Israel and millions to find Christ. Rom 10:1
5. Pray for five friends to find Christ and share the gospel with those five in May. Matt 28:18–20

We invite you to support this prayer campaign to multiply prayer in Australia for revival and see millions come to Christ. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for Family, Faith, Freedom, Life, and the Good News of God’s love through Jesus Christ His Son.

Join us for our nightly Zoom prayer call:

DATES: Every night for the month of May

TIME: 8pm AEST

ZOOM URL LINK: https://zoom.us/j/776881184

ZOOM MEETING ID: 776881184

ZOOM TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFhAEoCF7jg

May Daily Devotionals: https://dailydeclaration.org.au/tag/go-2023-prayer

Daily devotions are brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.