Sample Program for Churches and Gatherings
Sunday 2nd March 2014 is the fourth National Day of Prayer and Fasting. Individuals, groups and
churches can participate in the day in a way they feel is best appropriate. For those looking for
ideas these guidelines provide a sample program with suggested resources, readings, songs and
prayers.
Please find below a sample 1-hour program to be led by leaders of Christian churches as a
Sunday morning or evening service. Otherwise the NDOPF event could take place at some other
time on Sunday. One possibility is straight after morning service which would include fasting the
mid-day meal. Times of worship are encouraged as part of the program.
If your church cannot be involved, then you could gather others in your family or circle of friends
and use this program to help you.
You may also want to include a segment of live webcasting from Parliament House in your final
program. Here is the webcast link.
Introduction
Leader: Today, Sunday 2nd March 2014, is a day set apart as a National Day of Prayer and
Fasting in Australia. Many will be gathering in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra, and
many more will be gathering in churches and other venues across Australia.
Sing: National Anthem of Australia with the unofficial ‘sixth’ verse on page 4.
Opening Prayer: Leader or designated individual commits this time to God.
Leader: This year’s focus for the National Day of Prayer and Fasting is “REVIVAL”. The most
recent National Census shows a further 3% drop in five years in those who call themselves
Christians. Even though this is still 61% of the population, only 9% of Australians attend church
weekly.
At the same time we are seeing the Judeo-Christian values which have made Australia a great
place to live, being undermined on many different fronts. Today we will be praying for
 the REVIVAL of the Church in Australia,
 a great harvest of souls across our land and overseas and
 a renewal of sexual purity throughout our Australian society.
Show NDOPF Promotional Video: Choosing from NDOPF Promo Video – 60 Second / NDOPF
Promo Video – 97 Second / Church Leaders NDOPF Promo Video (2 Minutes 42 Seconds)
Revival
Leader: There have been times in history when God has moved powerfully amongst His people to
draw them to Himself. History has shown that as God’s people pray and seek His face and turn
from their wicked ways, He moves in a mighty way. Just when it seems the Church is gasping for
air, God breathes new life into His people. Just when it seems the embers of the light of the Gospel
are flickering, God by His Holy Spirit rekindles them into a mighty blaze.
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True revival is a sovereign act of God in response to the prayers of His people. It is the sudden,
awesome and overwhelming flood of the power of God upon a community of His people. It is the
mighty rushing wind of the Holy Spirit filling our churches and our homes with the presence of God.
There is a sense that our nation has gone spiritually dry and that much of our society lies in
spiritual darkness. We need to pray in our day that God will be gracious to us and move in a fresh
way in the churches throughout Australia. We need to repent and pray for times of refreshing for
the Body of Christ that come from the very Presence of God.
Suggested Prayer of Repentance and Revival: to be read out by all gathered
Our Loving Heavenly Father,
This day we cry out to You that You would send revival to our land. We know that for this to
happen that we Your people, who are called by Your Name, need to humble ourselves and seek
Your face and turn from our wicked ways. This day we come before You to plead Your mercy over
our own sins and the sins of our nation. We stand before You to confess the awful affront to You in:
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the disunity in our churches,
our prayerlessness and poor use of time,
our carelessness and neglect of the Word of God,
our lukewarm deeds and lack of zeal,
the love of money and worldly pursuits,
the increase of crime in our land,
the widespread use and abuse of alcohol and drugs,
the lack of moral character in our leaders,
moral rottenness in the media,
rampant immorality and sexual impurity,
the breakdown of marriages and families through domestic violence and divorce,
the abuse and sexualisation of children,
the shedding of innocent blood in our land through abortion and much more.
We have sinned and fallen short and ask that in Your mercy You would forgive us. Purge out the
dross of sin and degradation in the Church and our society, and consume us with Your Holy Fire.
Rekindle in us a love for You and for Your Son Jesus. Breathe upon us we pray, and ignite our
hearts to honour Your Holy Word. Bring upon us deep conviction of sin and spiritual brokenness.
Stir within us a holy fear of You so that we would continue to repent of everything that is
displeasing to You.
Heal our nation! Pour out Your Spirit like a mighty purifying flood. Purify our motives as we pray for
revival. Awaken and burden our hearts to pray that Your glory may dwell in our land – the Great
Southland of the Holy Spirit. We ask that every believer in Australia will dwell together in unity
proclaiming to the world that Jesus Christ is Lord. Reveal Your might, Your power and Your
goodness in our day, that the knowledge of the glory of God will cover our towns, our cities, our
nation and the whole earth, as the waters cover the sea.
In the precious and powerful name of Jesus we pray. Amen
Leader: The wonderful news is that once God sends revival to His people there is a new joy and
zeal to share the love of God with others. Let us sing this next song which speaks of revival and
the harvest of souls in Australia.
Sing: “The Great Southland” by Hillsong Music Australia with lyrics on page 5
Or Watch: “The Great Southland” on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-aH1_z4dpE
Harvest
Leader: Jesus said, “I tell you, open your eyes and look to the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send
out workers into his harvest field.” … (Matthew 9:37,38; John 4:35-37)
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Leader: We live in a time of harvest. The fields are white, ready for harvest. In fact the greatest
harvest of souls in all of history is being reaped right now. One reason for this is the increase of
revival around the world especially in Asia, Africa and South America. Also more people than ever
in history are now obeying Jesus’ command to pray to God to send workers into His harvest field.
Australia is a land that has been richly blessed in so many ways by the mercy and goodness of
God. It is the Great Southland of the Holy Spirit with a unique destiny to be a blessing to the
nations of the world.
Open Time of Prayer or Prayer Line: for a great harvest of souls. Pray that God will work
through each believer, church, denomination, ministry and mission organisation for a great harvest
of souls in Australia and to the ends of the earth.
Sexual Purity
Leader: Australia is falling into deep moral decay and is in great need of transformation. To stem
the tide of sexual immorality that is flooding our society, educational programs and tougher laws
are clearly not enough. We need a change of heart. We need to cry out to God and ask Him to
reverse this trend. Pornography, promiscuity, adultery, rape, paedophilia, sexual abuse of children,
sex-tourism, sex-trafficking, prostitution and other immoral behaviour mentioned in the Scriptures,
are increasingly prevalent in our society. The good news is that revival in the Church leads to a
harvest of souls and transformation in the nation. Let us now focus our prayers on the area of
sexual purity in our land.
Pray in Pairs or Small Groups: for a widespread renewal of sexual purity across our land.
Closing
Leader: Today we have been praying and fasting together that God will send REVIVAL to the
Church in Australia. Then out of a revived Church we have prayed for a great harvest of souls and
a renewal of sexual purity across our land.
In Psalm 67, we see how God blesses His people so that they can be a blessing to the ends of the
earth. It is amazing that this psalm writer looked ahead three thousand years to the fulfilment of the
Great Commission.
Let’s turn to it and read it together to invite God’s blessing on us as we look forward to a great endtime revival and harvest of souls in Australia and to the ends of the earth.
Scripture Reading and Benediction: read out by all gathered.
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May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us2
so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
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May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
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May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.
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May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.
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Then the land will yield its harvest;
and God, our God, will bless.
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God will bless us,
and the ends of the earth will fear him.
And all God’s people said Amen!
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The National Anthem
Advance Australia Fair
Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in Nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia fair!
In joyful strains then let us sing,
"Advance Australia fair!"
Beneath our radiant southern Cross,
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing
"Advance Australia fair!"
(the unofficial ‘sixth’ verse)
With Christ our head and cornerstone,
We'll build our Nation's might,
Whose way and truth and light alone,
Can guide our path aright.
Our lives, a sacrifice of love,
Reflect our Master's care
With faces turned to heaven above,
Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia fair.
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“The Great Southland”
Hillsong Music Australia
Verse 1:
This is our nation, this is our land,
This is our future, this is our hope.
A land of reaping, a land of harvest,
This is our land, this is our home.
Chorus:
This is the Great Southland of the Holy Spirit,
A land of red dust plains and summer rains,
To this sun-burnt land we will see a flood,
And to this Great Southland His Spirit comes.
Verse 2:
This is our nation, this is our land,
This land of plenty, this land of hope.
The richest harvest is in her peoples,
We see revival, His Spirit comes. [to chorus]
Verse 3:
This is our nation, this is our land,
This lucky country, of dreams gone dry,
And to these people we see a harvest,
And to this land, revival comes. [to chorus]
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