National Day of
Prayer and
Fasting
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Guidelines for Prayer
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National Day of Prayer and Fasting
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Guidelines for Prayer
Welcome
We welcome you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to the Great Hall of
Parliament House. We also welcome those who are joining us in your own church or prayer group.
Together in God we are making a difference.
Today is a National Day of Prayer and Fasting, a day to deny ourselves. Today is a day to glorify
Jesus, to pick up our cross and follow him. Jesus prayed for us, Jesus prayed for the Church, Jesus
prayed for Jerusalem and Jesus prayed for the world. We are here to follow Jesus example.
We are here to follow in the footsteps of Jesus our Lord and Saviour, “Who was raised to life, is at
the right hand of God and makes intercession for us” as it says in Romans 8:34.
We are here today to intercede for Australia, pray for revival and transformation. We are also
going to pray for those in authority as instructed in Timothy, our political leaders and parliaments.
We will be praying for the people of Australia to come to a knowledge of the truth and individuals
to find Jesus Christ.. We will be dividing our prayers today into six sections (found below) which
we will pray through during the day. We invite you to join us.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life”. Jesus Christ is the answer for this nation. We are
here to pray that this nation receives a revelation of Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords,
Jesus Christ our redeemer and our saviour, Jesus Christ who through His blood has forgiven our sin
and allowed us to come boldly before his throne of Grace.
We are here to declare the truth of Jesus Christ, that He is the Lamb of God who takes away the
sin of the world. We are here to pray for the truth to reign, but let us first begin this day, on our
knees before our Father in heaven. Will you join us as we pray? For those who are able, let us
kneel before God and pray.
For those praying in your own church of prayer group – we bless you in the name of the Father,
Jesus Christ our Lord and the Holy Spirit. May the Lord bless you as you pray.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Executive Summary
1. Worship & Repentance
2. Forgiveness & Restoration
3. Pray for our Leaders & those in Authority
4. Pray for Australian people to come to knowledge of the Truth
5. Pray for Individuals to find Faith in Christ
6. Declare a Harvest of Souls in Australia
7. Prayer and Faith Fact Sheet
8. Sponsors & Contributors
p. 3
p. 5
p. 6
p. 7
p. 8
p.12
p.13
p.14
p.17
p.19
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National Day of Prayer and Fasting
Sunday, 19 February 2012
Guidelines for Prayer
Introduction
Welcome to the exciting journey of walking with God in prayer for our nation. True intercession is
finding out what is on the heart of God and praying it into being. Our desire this year is to see
what is on God’s heart for our nation to be reality here on earth.
This year the organizing team of the National Day of Pray and Fasting (NDOPF) has a strong sense
that our focus for prayer is “Souls”. The key to seeing this happen is for each one to have a
personal encounter with Jesus as Lord.
The first place to see this happen is for us to start in prayer, hence the reason why we are calling
the nation to come together and pray and fast on Sunday 19 February 2012 and then to continue
40 days of prayer.
1 Timothy 2:1-4 says: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live
peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, 4
who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
It is time to see this verse come into reality for our nation! The simple fact is that if each church
attending believer brought one person to Christ in one year and discipled them we could double
the Australian church in one year. At that rate we could win Australia for Christ in 4 years!
Exponential growth is powerful.
The purpose of this prayer guide is to give you a basic outline and guide your prayer on the day.
Of outmost importance though is that as a group you take time to listen to what is on God’s heart
for our nation and to pray that into being. So often we come to God in prayer with our list, our
plans, our desires for how we desire things to be, yet don’t take time for one of the most
important parts of prayer and that is to listen to what is on God’s heart and pray that into being.
Therefore we are going to suggest that you have no pre-conceived ideas for the day, but are led by
the Spirit as to how to pray. This guide has some suggestions for you, but of primary importance is
that you listen to what is on God’s heart and pray that into being.
A key part of your prayer time is extravagant worship. Of worship focused on the greatness of
God, God’s authority and the fact that God rules and reigns. We would encourage you to have
those who are leading worship to focus on this aspect of God, or to choose appropriate worship
CD’s that are designed to take you into the very presence of God.
By all means appoint different people to pray during the day, however we would encourage you
not to have an agenda, but come together as a people who are humble and have hearts open to
see the power of God at work in your own lives, in the church and in our nation.
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Make sure you appoint someone whose responsibility it is to record the key insights that God is
giving you in a journal. We would appreciate if you could also share them with the NDOPF
committee so that we can compile them and gain a collective understanding how God has led the
many groups and individuals across our nation to pray on this day. These can be emailed through
to: wesleyl@businessblessings.com.au.
As we have sought God as a team there are a number of areas that we have discerned that God is
calling us to pray in, feel free to use these and incorporate these into your prayer as God leads you
on the day.
Most of all prayer is an exciting journey with God. We would encourage you to develop a lifestyle
of prayer and intercession.
God bless you as you pray.
Ps Matt Prater, Warwick Marsh, Wesley Leake, Sue Tinworth, Ps Ben Irawan and Dr Graham McLennan
National Day of Prayer and Fasting Team
For more information visit the website www.nationaldayofprayer.com.au
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National Day of Prayer and Fasting - Sunday, 19 February 2012
Executive Summary of Guidelines for Prayer
Thank you, for taking the time out on this day to pray and fast for our nation.
Our key focus for the day is Jesus - to see the power of his resurrection and his truth to be released afresh
into our nation. The foundational focus is revival and transformation for Australia. The themes for prayer
are leadership, people to find Christ and a harvest of souls across Australia.
The key areas we will concentrate on are:
1. Repentance and Worship
Beginning with a time of prayer with repentance, we will ask God to reveal specific areas to repent of
personally, that the church needs to repent of and that we need to repent of on behalf of our nation. Key
Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14.
2. Forgiveness and Restoration
It is important for us to not be carrying any unforgiveness in our heart to anyone or anything. This includes
individuals, family members, work colleagues, institutions, churches and government. We will ask God to
show us whether we are harbouring any unforgiveness. Key scriptures: Luke 11:4, Matthew 5:23 & 24
3. Praying for our Leaders and those in Authority
We will pray for each of the leaders and those in authority in our nation. Included in our guide is a list of all
the federal parliamentarians so that you can pray for them by name. Pray that all of our leaders will have a
revelation of the love of God through Jesus Christ. Key scriptures: Colossians 1:9-14; Ephesians 3:14-21;
Isaiah 11:2-3
4. Praying for Australian people to come to the Knowledge of the Truth
We will pray for the people of Australia to have revelation of the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.; that the veil
of darkness will be removed so they can see, hear and understand that Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and
Lord of Lords. Key scriptures: Colossians 1:9-14; Ephesians 3:14-21; Isaiah 11:2-3.
5. Pray for Individuals to find Faith in Christ
We will pray for those we know who are friends and family that they will come to know Jesus Christ. Share
in your prayer group the names of people you are praying for to come to know Jesus Christ. “The effective
fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”, James 5:16. Key Scriptures: Psalms 51:6; John 8:32.
6. Declare a Harvest of Souls in Australia
Let us declare a harvest of souls across Australia. Let us also declare the righteousness of Jesus over our
nation. Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.” 2 Cor 5:21,
“God made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God
in Him.”
Thank you for praying for our nation of Australia!
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1. Worship and Repentance
After a time of initial worship focusing on the greatness and majesty of God, take time for each
one to do as David did in Psalm 139 and pray:
23
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
We would encourage you to provide a copy of Psalm 51 for each person present, to read through
privately and ask God to show them any area of their lives which God is asking this day to be made
right with Him. Repentance needs to start with us. As God makes us clean, so we can help others
become clean as well!
Psalm 51
1
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived
me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the
womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
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Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
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Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O
God,
you who are God my Saviour,
and my tongue will sing of your
righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would
bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
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Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
18
May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the
righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
At the completion of this time, which we encourage you not to rush, have another time of worship
and give thanks to God for His cleansing power in our lives.
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2. Forgiveness and Restoration
One of the last things that Jesus said on the cross was “Father, forgive them for they do not know
what they are doing.” (Luke 4:34).
So many people in our nation are bound up by un-forgiveness in their hearts. This un-forgiveness
may be towards God, towards the government, towards specific people for offenses committed
against them.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:23 & 24: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there
remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of
the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
This would be an appropriate time to ask God to show you if there is any area of un-forgiveness in
your life and to pray for forgiveness. If necessary make plans to go and make things right with the
person(s) involved.
When Jesus taught his disciples to pray in Luke 11:4 He said, “Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive
everyone who sins against us.” Not only do we need to ask forgiveness of ourselves, but also ask for
forgiveness for those who have done wrong against us. In Matthew 5:23 &24 Jesus said: “Therefore, if you
are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave
your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your
gift.”
It is important for us to not be carrying any unforgiveness in our heart to anyone or anything. This includes
individuals, family members, work colleagues, institutions, churches and government. We say this
particularly that if you are harbouring an animosity or ill will towards our government in any way, it could
be because of how a law has affected you or others, then we would encourage you to ask forgiveness for
this.
Take time to again ask God to show you personally and corporately whether you are harbouring any
unforgiveness. Again repent of this. It may be that after this day of prayer or during the prayer time you
may need to write a letter or go and put things right with the person/people that God shows you.
We would also encourage you to allow God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ for anything that you have
done. God forgives you and you must do the same. As the scripture says, “His grace is sufficient for you.”
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3. Pray for Leaders and those in Authority
We need to bring before you each of the leaders in our nation. This is not limited to only federal
parliamentary leaders but also state, local council, community, union, education, artistic, business,
entertainment, media and church leaders. Of particular importance today is prayer for the outcome of the
Queensland Elections, to be held 22 March 2012.
Today is also a very important day in Queensland as the State Government goes into caretaker mode.
Today, in Queensland Parliament, a prayer meeting is being held inside the parliament, 1pm-5pm, with
hundreds in attendance. We encourage you to pray for this meeting, that Godly leaders will be raised up
on both sides of the parliamentary divide.
Let us also pray for all tiers of Government: federal, state and local. Who better to pray for your local
council than you? Pray for the Mayor and the Councillors by name. God loves to hear us pray for people by
name.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
STOP PRESS – PRAY FOR MARRIAGE
There are now three homosexual marriage bills before the Federal Parliament according to newspaper
reports. Pray that these bills will come to nothing and Godly leaders will be raised up in Federal Parliament
who will promote and support marriage between a man and a woman. Ask God to remove those from
parliament who refuse to support the truth. Let us build on the prayers of last year for marriage and family,
as we focus on soul winning. Pray for our parliamentary leaders to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus
Christ and begin to trust in God and His Word. The Bible is clear that marriage is between a man and a
woman and sex outside of this holy relationship is sinful. Sin should never be promoted by government
legislation.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
We have included in this guide a list of all the Federal Government parliamentarians so that you can pray
for them by name, particularly the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, other government leaders and the leader of
the opposition, Tony Abbott. Pray that all of our leaders will have a revelation of the love of God through
Jesus Christ.
Timothy urges us that “first of all, that requests, prayers and intercession and thanksgiving be made for
everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and
holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to
knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
We would like to encourage you to pray how Paul prayed in Colossians 1:9-14: For this reason, since the day
we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of
his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life
worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have
great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in
the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins.
Ephesians 3:14 -21: For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on
earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his
Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long
and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be
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filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all
we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever, and ever! Amen.
Finally, pray Isaiah 11:2-3 that our leaders will have wisdom and guidance from God. “The Spirit of the Lord
will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of
knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.”
The theme in these passages is that each of our leaders and parliamentarians will have the wisdom,
knowledge and understanding that they need to carry out the task that God has called them to do.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard MP
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott MP
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Justine
Kate
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Byrne
Cameron
Carr
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Champion
Cheeseman
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Clare
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Colbeck
Collins
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Combet
Conroy
Cormann
Coulton
Crean
Crook
Crossin
Danby
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Di Natale
Dreyfus
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Christopher
Don
John
David
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Laurie
Martin
Concetta
Mitch
Mary Jo
Joel
Paul
John
Josh
Mark
Alex
Teresa
Peter
Joanna
Steve
Steve
Gary
Sharon
Alan
Natasha
Barry
Jill
Sarah
Luke
Alex
Chris
Bill
Joe
John
Gary
Greg
Ed
Steve
Harry
Dennis
David
Ewen
Stephen
Barnaby
Bob
Evans
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Faulkner
Fawcett
Feeney
Ferguson
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Fitzgibbon
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Gambaro
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Andrew
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Kirsten
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Kate
Geoff
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John
Nola
Louise
Richard
Gavin
Brett
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Christine
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Markus
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Marshall
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Matheson
McClelland
McCormack
McEwen
McKenzie
McLucas
Melham
Milne
Mirabella
Mitchell
Moore
Morrison
Moylan
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Stephen
Marise
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Helen
Louise
Jane
Christopher
Rowan
Don
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Bernie
Amanda
Andrew
Stuart
Michael
Michelle
Nicola
Wyatt
Kevin
Philip
Scott
Janelle
Alby
Bruce
Nigel
Patrick
Nick
Bill
Sid
Rachel
Luke
Lisa
Parke
Parry
Payne
Perrett
Plibersek
Polley
Pratt
Prentice
Pyne
Ramsey
Randall
Rhiannon
Ripoll
Rishworth
Robb
Robert
Ronaldson
Rowland
Roxon
Roy
Rudd
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Ryan
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Warren
Alexander
Andrew
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Mike
Dan
Matt
Craig
Kelvin
Warren
Alan
Malcolm
Anne
Maria
Bert
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Andrew
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Tony
Penny
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4. Pray for Australian people to come to
knowledge of the Truth
2 Timothy 2:4 says that God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. In
our world today what is “truth” has become very blurred. Jesus was very clear when He says that
“I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 .
Let’s join together and pray that each one in our nation would know the real truth about Jesus.
How He came to seek and save that which was lost and to set men free. Take time to pray over
Luke 4:18 &19:
18
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
Asking God that the Good News will be proclaimed to the poor, that prisoners will find freedom,
that those that are blind (both physically and spiritually) will see. That the oppressed will be set
free. That the year of the Lord’s favour would be proclaimed in our land.
For people to receive truth means that the current strongholds in their mind that have been
holding them captive need to be torn down. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says: “For though we live in the
world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of
the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish
arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take
captive every thought to make it obedience to Christ.”
Take time to ask God that the strongholds, or wrong thought patterns about God in people’s
minds would be torn down and replaced with the knowledge of the truth that God brings.
Knowledge brings transformation
Knowledge brings power
Knowledge brings life
Knowledge brings hope
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5. Pray for Individuals to find Faith in Christ
Jesus knows each one of us so intimately, He knows the number of hairs on our head. Each person
on earth is also created in the image of God. Take time to specifically pray for people who God
brings their name to mind asking that they will come to a knowledge of truth.
Acts 26:17b – 18 says: “I am sending you to them to open their eyes, and turn them from darkness
to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a
place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
Ask for this to happen in the lives of those who God brings to mind.
Keep this list of names with you and continue to pray for them over the next 40 days.
John 13:34 – 35 (NIV) says: “a new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so
you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one
another.”
So many people in our nation are crying out for love. When they don’t find it they start looking for
it in all the wrong places. As Christians, we need to have a fresh encounter with God’s love for us.
We also need to ask God for a fresh outworking of love in us to those around about us. We have
included here the last verse in 1 Corinthians 12 and all of 1 Corinthians 13 to pray through and ask
God that fresh love will be poured out on those in the church as the most excellent way and that
people in our nation will experience true love.
1 Corinthians 13
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If I speak in the tongue of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or
a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I
possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast but do not have love, I gain
nothing.
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Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not
dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love
does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres.
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Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they
will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy
in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked
like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of
childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to
face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
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And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
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6. Declare a Harvest of Souls across Australia
The goal this year is to pray for a great harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God. This is the focus
of the National Day of Prayer and Fasting 2012 and this is the focus of the 40 Days of Prayer that
follow from the 22 February to 1 April 2012 which is the period of Lent for 2012. The foundational
vision of this 40 day period is the spiritual renewal and transformation of our nation through the
saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. We encourage you to participate and invite your church to
participate in this 40 day period of prayer and fasting for the harvest. To register go to
www.40daysofprayer.com.au
How you choose to observe this call to prayer would be up to you: maybe a Daniel Fast (vegetarian
diet), maybe missing one meal a day or fasting one day a week. All we ask is that you consider
fasting from, or doing without something you love during this 40 day period. It might be coffee,
sweets or something similar. Some people are even fasting from TV or Facebook and praying
instead. The most important thing is to pray.
For more information about prayer and fasting go to:
http://www.ccci.org/training-and-growth/devotional-life/personal-guide-to-fasting/index.htm
In 1901, at the time of Federation, 96.1% of Australians claimed to be Christians. The last census
in2006 only 63.9% of Australians called themselves Christians. The real figures for those who
practice their faith through Church attendance is much lower. Church attendance has been falling
since Federation with only 8.8% currently going to church weekly. We must see a turnaround in
our statistics. God is interested in numbers because numbers represent people and God Loves
People. If this nation is to come back to Christ we must first see individuals come to Christ as He is
the only hope for our nation.
Why not start the five point prayer plan today. You have already started on the first point. Get a
pen and write the names of some of your friends who you would like to pray for today and over
the next 40 Days to come to Christ.
Five Point Prayer Plan – Soul Focus
1. Renew your first love for Christ.
2. Make a list of friends you will pray for on each of these 40 days, praying they will come to a
living faith in Christ (Suggestion: plan to give them each a rose for Easter as a sign of God’s love).
3. Mobilise your church to pray and include this call to prayer in your church calendar.
4. Call for each individual church to set a measurable goal for souls to find Christ.
5. Call to pray each day for a national renewal and transformation for Australia.
Note: This year, at the end of the 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting, we are asking people to give a
rose to those people they have been praying for as a sign of God’s love. Jesus is referred to in the
Song of Solomon as the ‘Rose of Sharon’. Song of Songs 2:1. Jesus is the gift of God’s love to the
people of this world.
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Prayers
Pray also for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit to draw people to Christ. Jesus speaking about
the Holy Spirit said in John 16:8 “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin
and righteousness and judgment”.
It’s Gods job to convict people but it is our job to share the good news of Jesus with them and give
them an opportunity to respond to the gospel.
Stories of Harvest in the Scripture Matthew 9:35 - 38
35
.Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good
news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had
compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the
harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
The Valley of Dry Bones Ezekiel Chapter 37: 1-10
1. The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in
the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a
great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3. He asked me, “Son of
man, can these bones live?”
I said, “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
4. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the
Lord! 5. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you
will come to life. 6. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with
skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7. So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling
sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on
them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what
the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that
they may live.’” 10. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to
life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
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Declaration for the Harvest
We declare that now is the time to make a stand for the truth. Now is the time to share the good
news of God’s love through Jesus Christ. Now is the time to see a harvest of souls come into the
kingdom of God so we pray that you Oh God will thrust out labourers’ into the harvest fields for
the fields are white for the harvest. We pray the church will arise and be renewed and begin to
declare the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as never before because the Gospel is God’s power to
salvation.
We declare that now is the time to see this nation fulfil its destiny as the ‘Great South Land of the
Holy Spirit’. Now is the time for a sovereign outpouring if the Holy Spirit. God, pour out your spirit
just like you did in Acts chapter two. Fill us afresh with your spirit and your fire.
Now is the time for the Holy Spirit to convict Australia of sin and righteousness and judgment:”
Now is the time for this nation to turn from darkness and to light, from evil to righteousness
because “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach for any people.”
We speak to the valley of dry bones which represent the Australian people and we speak the
blessings of God upon you. We say, you are dead in your trespasses and sin but because of Jesus
and what Jesus has done you can be alive. Jesus died that you “might have life and have it more
abundantly”.
Jesus has paid the price for your sin. His blood has been shed for you. We pray the veil of darkness
will be taken off your eyes so you can see Jesus and know the truth and the truth can set you free.
You have been called to be a blessing to the nations of this world.
Breath of God blow on the valley of dry bones. Let the wind of the Holy Spirit blow across this
great South Land of the Holy Spirit and release a harvest of souls for the glory of God.
* Keep a record of the Scriptures that God gives you to pray over this land. Please also forward
them into us so that we can gather together a corporate sense of what God is saying about our
nation.
Send your comments to:
National Day of Prayer and Fasting
c/- Wesley Leake
businessblessings@yahoo.com.au
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Australian Prayer and Faith Fact Sheet
Belief and Prayer in God
According to the 2009 Australian Social Science Survey, 69% of Australians believe in God or a
spiritual life force. Only 16% are atheists while the other 15% just don’t know either way. In the
same survey 57% of the Australian population pray either daily or occasionally, which correlates
with the 2006 census which showed that people of Christian faith make up 64% of the population.
Early History
Australia’s early history of exploration and subsequent settlement was overwhelmingly led by men
and women with a strong and prayerful faith in God. Portuguese Christian explorer, Ferdinand de
Quiros, popularised the name of Australia with his declaration of 1606 in which he referred to this
nation as “Australia del Espiritu Santo” or literally ‘Southland of the Holy spirit’. Dutch Christian
explorer Abel Tasman discovered Tasmania in 1643. Other Christian explorers followed, such as
Captain James Cook, whose work in 1770 set the stage for the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.
Early Australian Christian explorers and men of prayer included those such as Matthew Flinders,
Capt Charles Sturt, Edward John Eyre, John McDowell Stuart, Frederick William Leichhardt, Sir
John Forrest and many others. Most of the early governors had a strong and active faith, including
the likes of Lachlan Macquarie, Sir Thomas Brisbane and Lt Col George Arthur to name a few. It
was devout men and women of faith and prayer that helped build the nation. Notable examples
are: Saint Mary MacKillop, David Unaipon, John Flynn and Caroline Chisholm, most of whom have
featured on Australia’s currency. This strong Christian influence continues today with 23 of the top
25 Australian charities being Christian charities compared with 3:25 in the UK and 5:25 in the USA.
The fact that the Australian Christian schooling movement is a world leader is testament to our
Christian heritage.
Constitution and Federation
The preamble to Australia's Constitution says, "Humbly relying on the blessings of Almighty God".
Alfred Deakin, one of the fathers of Australia's Constitution and Australia's second Prime Minister,
offered the following prayer after the Constitution was finally ratified. "We pray that it may be the
means of creating and fostering throughout all Australia a Christ-like Citizenship." Henry Parkes,
known as the Father of Federation (1901) had a vision for Australia as "one people with a destiny...
As we are British people - we are pre-eminently a Christian people - as our laws, our whole system
of jurisprudence, our constitution . . . are based upon and interwoven with our Christian belief . . ."
History of Days of Prayer
Prayer has always played a central role in the affairs of our nation. Our federal and state
parliaments have traditionally opened in prayer. The feasts of Christmas and Easter as well as
ANZAC Day are times of individual and national reflection, and prayer is often an Integral part of
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ceremonial occasions. Australians have prayed as individuals, as a community, and as a nation particularly in times of hardship and crisis. Fifty years after the arrival of the first fleet, the
Governor of NSW, George Gipps, a Christian, proclaimed Sunday, November 2, 1838 a national day
of fasting and humiliation because of the severe drought. Within two days heavy rains began to
fall to such a degree that many came down with the flu. Fifty seven years later on the 11
September, 1895 a day of prayer was again called in similar circumstances. Three weeks later a
day of thanksgiving was proclaimed to thank God for the breaking of the drought.
The first Sunday in the 20th Century was proclaimed Commonwealth Sunday and Christians were
called to pray for the Nation. During the 1940's as the Second World War began to take its horrific
toll and Australia was being threatened, particularly after the bombing of Darwin, several days of
prayer were held. One of these was called by King George VI throughout the Commonwealth.
Within another fifty years, at Australia's Bicentenary, another National Day of Prayer occurred on
Saturday the 7th May 1988 when 50,000 Christians gathered to open Parliament House in prayer
during the National Gathering. Many other national prayer days were held, most notably the
National Day of Prayer and Fasting held on 6th November 1998 called by the Praise Corroboree. In
2007 the Australian Prayer Network called the National Solemn Assembly in Canberra. Another
more recent initiative is the National Day of Thanksgiving which has been celebrated every year in
May since 2004.
For further information:
Christian Research Association www.cra.org.au
Australian Bureau of Statistics www.abs.gov.au
National Alliance of Christian Leaders www.nacl.org.au
Australian Christian History Website www.chr.org.au
Australian Christian Heritage Foundation www.achf.com.au
National Day of Prayer www.nationaldayofprayer.com.au
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Thanks & Appreciation
Sponsors and Contributors
The National Day of Prayer and Fasting is a team effort. We thank all those who have worked
behind the scenes and sacrificed their time to make today happen. In particular we would like to
thank our major sponsors and supporters and our many volunteers.
Australian Christian Channel
Australian Heart Ministries
Australian Opal Cutters
Business Blessings
Canberra House of Prayer
Centre for International Reconciliation & Peace
Christian Heritage Resource Institute
Generation Fire
Harvest International Ministries
HisStory Church
IM & WJ Taylor Produce
Koorong Books
Life Centre International Sydney
Melbourne Mural Studios
National Alliance of Christian Leaders
New Hope Church
New Life Church
Nova Sound
Oasis Christian Church
Orange House of Prayer
Partners in Prayer
Stephen Kirk Music
Suitor Holding Pty Ltd
TVU Video Productions
Unity College Australia
Vision Radio Australia
Sunshine Coast, QLD
Wollongong, NSW
Sydney, NSW
Brisbane, QLD
Canberra, ACT
Cairns, QLD
Orange, NSW
Blaxland, NSW
Gold Coast, QLD
Sydney, NSW
Caragabal, NSW
Nationwide
Arncliffe, NSW
Melbourne, VIC
Orange, NSW
Brisbane, QLD
Sydney, NSW
Canberra, ACT
Newcastle, NSW
Orange, NSW
Melbourne, VIC
Canberra, ACT
Port Macquarie, NSW
Sydney, NSW
Canberra, ACT
Brisbane, QLD
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