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By Pastors Steve & Susie Ahern, C3 Church Jervis Bay, NSW.

Intention
Keys for effective prayer and intercession for rain.

Scripture
“And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, and your new oil.”
Deuteronomy 11:13

Reflection
In discussing with folk about the current “Drought” that is gripping our nation and the desperate situation people are facing, one could well ask: “Who or what is responsible for all this?”

As if we could find someone or thing to lay the blame for all this on.

The Bible is clear, that rain and the “blessing” of it, comes from the LORD.

Okay… So how do we get people to “Obey” as this scripture says?

The answer is Intercession

The Prophet Daniel is a great example. He read in the book of Jeremiah that Israel would be put out of the land for seventy years, because the people had not given the land a Sabbath every seventh year. Jeremiah 25:11.

The math was simple – 490 years of disobedience divided by a Sabbath each seventh year, equals seventy years that Israel would be displaced from the land.

Daniel saw that the legal ability to return was available, it just needed someone to repent on behalf of the nation.

Authority and responsibility

How does one get that kind of authority? Well, simply by taking responsibility.

Daniel confessed His part for Israel’s rebellion and then repented on behalf of all Israel. Daniel 9:2-11

Then in in verses 20-21 we read this:

“Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of God, yes while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in a vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.”

The answer from Heaven was sent immediately, because Daniel took responsibility for Israel’s sin, thus granting him equally the amount of authority to get the task done.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:18

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

One could think, “Well of course Jesus has all authority… He is God’s only begotten Son!”

That is not the reason He has all authority; It was because He alone took All responsibility for all of mankind and their sin, upon Himself upon the cross.

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of the cross.
Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name.”
Philippians 2:8-9

This is why 2 Chronicles 7:14 is so applicable to drought-ravaged Australia and the church today.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Believer, take responsibility in intercession, and you will by nature receive the authority to bring repentance, renewal and rain to this Great South Land of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Dear heavenly Father,
We come to You in and through the Mighty name of Jesus.
We repent for our rebellion against You and Your ways.
We cry out for forgiveness for our nation, we acknowledge our guilt as a nation for turning from You, and seeking our own way.
Hear our prayer O Lord, and send revival fire upon Your churches, and repentance upon all people.
We pray this, in the Name of Christ Jesus. Amen.

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Prayer Points for October
1. Repentance – Father, give us the grace to repent as a nation in Jesus’ Name. Acts 3:19

2. Renewal – Lord, we pray for renewal in our hearts, in the church, in the community and in the nation. Numbers 14:17-20

3. Rain – Father, we pray as we unite together to pray the first two prayers, that You will give us the rain because of Your abundant mercies. Matthew 5:45

We invite you to join the daily Zoom video 1 hour National Prayer Call every night.
DATES: 1 – 31 October 2019
TIME: 8PM AEST (NSW time)
ZOOM URL LINK: https://zoom.us/j/776881184
ZOOM MEETING ID: 776881184
ZOOM TUTORIAL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFhAEoCF7jg

The Canberra Declaration is partnering with Dave Jackson from Western Air Care ministries, a Farmer Relief Charity, to ‘Bless the Bush’.
Please consider supporting this ministry directly by making a tax deductible donation.

Devotions brought to you by the Canberra Declaration.