Introduction

Dear Friend in Christ, we are delighted that you will join us in prayer for spiritual revival and national renewal. Our nation is in need of both. Jesus declared that His followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). We must become engaged in this battle for our nation’s soul. However, until as Christians we experience revival in our own lives, it will be extremely difficult to restore our nation’s moral foundations.

The battle for our nation’s soul is not just about voting booths. This is first and foremost a spiritual contest. A spiritual battle is being waged across our nation, and it must be met first of all with spiritual weapons. God’s people must pray for a great outpouring of God’s Spirit on them, the churches, and the nation. Then, when God has responded with His outpouring, His people will be empowered and motivated to do the hard work of restoring our nation’s moral foundation.

This Prayer Guide will help you join with thousands of other fellow believers to bring these great needs before God. The Guide provides a page for each day and hour of the 40/40 Prayer Vigil. Each page has everything you need to invest in a time of personal spiritual reflection and petition for yourself, the church, and the nation. Please keep in mind though, that the Guide is just that — a guide. It is designed to give you a starting place for your time of prayer. Here are some suggestions for making your prayer vigil a powerful, personal spiritual time.

How to Get Started

This prayer guide can be used by an individual, a small group, an entire church body, or an even larger group. Here’s how:

  1. You can pray once each day for the first forty days of prayer.
  2. You can pray for forty hours after the first forty days.
  3. You can do both by praying once a day for the first forty days and then for forty hours.

How to Use the Prayer Guide

STAY FOCUSED ON THE THEME FOR EACH PRAYER SESSION

For many of us, it is easy to get distracted during prayer. Many other prayer needs will probably come to mind as well. Unless God urges you to stop everything else and pray for these other concerns, consider writing them down and commit to pray for them when you have finished your current session.

MEDITATE ON THE BIBLE PASSAGES ON THE PAGE

Let the Holy Spirit speak to you through them and show you how they address your life, the church, and the nation.

PREPARE YOUR HEART FOR INTERCESSION

Let the Holy Spirit draw you into God’s presence and respond to Him as He speaks to you. Open your heart and your life to Him before you begin your time of intercession. Enjoy the closeness of His presence and fellowship.

USE THE SEVEN PRAYER POINTS AS STARTING POINTS

The prayer points provide areas of concern you can focus on, but they are not comprehensive. As you bring these concerns before the Lord, let the Holy Spirit guide you into other related areas that need your prayer. And always consider how to personalize your prayer. Consider praying for specific family members and friends, for your church, for your pastor and staff by name, for candidates by name, and so on.

CONCLUDE WITH THANKSGIVING

God hears the prayers of His people and responds. While He always acts according to His will, He has told us already it is His will to restore His blessing on the land of a people who meet His requirements for blessing. It is right to thank God for hearing you and working to glorify Himself through your prayers.

Thank you for entering into this Prayer Vigil with us. We look forward to watching what God does as His people meet His conditions for spiritual revival and national renewal. We pray God will do a great work in and through each of our lives as we meet with Him in prayer.

May God wonderfully bless you,

Richard Land, President of Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Richard Harris, Iterim President North American Mission Board