2.                    Pray for a Spirit of Brokenness and Repentance – Righteous God, please send overwhelming conviction of sin, deep brokenness and genuine repentance among Your people.  Grant to us the true godly sorrow that leads to repentance.  Fill us with holy fear and reverence for Your name.  Purify the Bride of Christ for His Glorious Second Coming.  Please prepare and cleanse us for the marriage supper of the Lamb of God.  (Psalm 51:17; Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1, 10;)

3.                    Pray for Boldness, Holiness and Power in Our Pastors – Mighty God, please come upon our pastors with deep repentance, dynamic power and renewed passion for Yourself.  Grant to him a mighty wall of protection from the world, the flesh and the devil.  (1 Timothy 3:1-2; 2 Timothy 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 2:4)

4.                    Pray for Fervent Prayer to Sweep Our Land – Righteous God, grant to us a burning hunger for Yourself and a passion for fervent prayer.  Help us draw near to You and seek You with all our hearts.  Lord, cause us to hunger and thirst for You above all else.  Help us lead our churches to become houses of prayer for all nations.  (Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 5:6, 21:13; Acts 2:1; Philippians 2:13; James 4:8)

5.                    Pray for Unity in Churches and Families – Holy Father, please bring us to loving unity in our churches and a deep harmony between our churches.  Help us tear down the strongholds of bickering and disunity that so ravage Your Church. (John 13:34-35, 15:12, 17:20-22)

6.                    Pray for an Explosion of Evangelism – Gracious Lord, please fill us with a burning passion to pray for and witness to the lost.  Cause our eyes to weep for souls that we may reap in joy. (Luke 19:10; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5, 9:1-3)

7.                    Pray for a Passion for Missions – Righteous God, empower Your people with a burning passion for local and global missions.  Grant to us a fiery zeal for planting new churches.  Please forgive us for our frequent lack of concern beyond “me and mine.”  (Matthew 18:12, 24:14, 28:19; Luke 19:10; Acts 1:8)

8.                    Pray for an Increase of Laborers – Lord of the harvest, please call thousands into ministry, missions and Christian witness.  Send forth a mighty flood of laborers into the harvest.  (Matthew 9:37-38; Acts 1:8)

9.                    Pray for Pure Motives and Kingdom Purpose – Holy Lord, we ask You to deepen and purify our very motives in praying for revival and blessing.  Lord, teach us to seek Your “face” and not just Your “hand.”  Cause us to seek You and not just Your comfort or blessing.  Dear God, teach us to pray for Your glory and pleasure, not our own.  (Hebrews 4:12; James 4:1-4)

10.                 Pray for Salvation and Wisdom in Government Leaders – Holy Father, we humbly ask for a mighty move of conviction and salvation in government leaders and others who influence culture.  We ask You to pour out convicting, saving power upon Washington, D. C., colleges, universities, media networks and the Hollywood movie industry.  We ask that you so move that millions will be converted to Christ in these strategic communities of cultural influence.  (Psalm 2:8; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)

11.                 Pray for Sweeping Revival in The Church – Righteous Lord, we ask You to send sweeping revival even if it takes hard times and great trials to prepare the soil of our hearts.  Father, we pray not for shallow selfish ends, but for Your great glory and kingdom.  Cause us to come to You in true humility, brokenness and contriteness of heart.  (Matthew 26:39; James 4:1-4)

12.             Pray for Global Spiritual Awakening and Evangelistic Harvest – Sovereign God, we ask You to rend the heavens and send forth Your awesome “manifest presence.”  We ask You to so move that over thirty million Americans will be saved in a single year.  Cause Your glory to sweep the whole earth bringing unprecedented millions to Christ.  We humbly ask You to move even greater than You did in any previous awakening.  Blessed God, we pray for one last great harvest before the glorious return of Your Son.  Purify Your Bride O Christ, and then come Lord Jesus, come quickly! (Isaiah 64:1; Ephesians 5:26-27; Revelation 22:17, 20)

Copied from “How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life” by Dr. Gregory Frizzell

On the Baptist General Conference of Oklahoma Website

I list twelve covenant prayers for revival and spiritual awakening (see Covenant Prayers). This primary covenant is designed for easy use in personal, small group or corporate prayer. It can also be adopted as an official covenant by churches, denominations and groups. For convenience, I also list a second covenant that includes additional prayers for broader kingdom focus. Appendices B through H are practical tools for all aspects of seeking God’s face in powerful prayer. The time is now — Jesus is surely calling us to seek His face and kingdom. May we say unto Him, “Thy face O Lord I will seek.” (Psalms 27:81) Let us seek Him while He may yet be found! (Isaiah 55:6)

An important note to readers: This unique covenant calls for serious ongoing commitment to powerful personal and corporate prayer. It also commits to embracing a meaningful pattern of deep heart search and surrender to Jesus. While of course, no one is perfect, this covenant is far more than meaningless general phrases. Do not just “say” these words, Trust God’s grace to help you mean it. He will surely do His part!

• Heavenly Father, lead us into deep repentance; let today be just the beginning. Reveal to us the condition of our hearts in the light of Your word. Lead us in repentance. We acknowledge that we have not prayed as we ought.Teach us to pray.
• You have called our churches to be Houses of Prayer, yet our prayer meetings have become weak and emaciated. Teach us to pray in this urgent hour. Make our pastors strong. Grant us god-fearing spiritual leaders. Grant them godly influence  across the nation. Let Biblical wisdom and reason be heard in the public square. May Your Spirit burn Your word into their hearts. Use them like You did Spirit-filled clergymen in the Great Awakening and in the founding era.
• Send revival to Your churches. Grant repentance to denominations that have strayed from Your holy word.  Multiply corporate repentance, prayer and solemn assemblies. Your heart longs to turn us back to You, to cleanse and to heal our land.
• Help us to stand in the gap for our fellow countrymen – for those who seem to have no conviction of sin. Intervene Lord! Awaken us to sin, righteousness and judgment, and the grace that can be ours through Christ!  Raise up intercessors who will stand in the gap for America. Your promises and the shed blood of Jesus are more than sufficient to cleanse our hearts and to heal our land. May Your people arise to share the gospel in our neighbors in a measure unprecedented in modern history.
• Raise up faithful, godly counselors who will speak truth to our leaders. Turn our civil leaders to You. Raise up leaders in the coming election who are qualify for public leadership according to Your word, men and women: 1) who are capable leaders; 2) who fear God; 3) who love truth; and, 4) who hate covetousness (Ex 18:21). Make us to be salt and light! We cry out to You, today, in Jesus’ Wonderful Name, Amen!

(from Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! © 2009, Dr. Gregory Frizzell, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html ), by special permission)

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Tit 2:12-14).

Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart… (Luke 18:1 ff).

[P]raying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… (Eph 6:18b).

This covenant is different from most in that it calls for an ongoing lifestyle of deeper prayer with three specific steps of actual repentance. It is also different in that it provides concise, practical tools that enable believers to carry out their pledges. Rather than an occasional emphasis of merely “saying” some general prayers, believers are led to embrace concrete patterns of lasting prayer and repentance. It is very important to realize simply “saying” we repent is not the same thing as embracing actual steps for doing it.

Sadly, surveys strongly suggest most American believers have inadequate knowledge of how to embrace deep, detailed repentance. Many acknowledge they have never been taught how to embrace full heart examination and deeper prayer. For this reason, many modern covenants and prayer emphases are far too general to guide believers into meaningful surrender to Christ’s Lordship. While leaders’ intentions are no doubt excellent, they are based on the false assumption that Americans already understand true repentance. One thing is certain — a true return to God requires a commitment to embrace deep heart searching and specific yielding to Christ. Anything less is a mere “pretense” of prayer and a “false show” of repentance. God is neither impressed nor fooled by shallow efforts.

As believers, we simply must do more than briefly “say” we repent and voice a few general prayers. We must decide to fully embrace a God-seeking lifestyle of deeper prayer and detailed repentance. Yet, by God’s grace there is glorious hope! He invites us to a loving intimacy and purpose too wonderful for words. Let us lay aside the shallow general prayers of spiritual children and join our Lord in the grown up prayers of a mature, loving Bride.

• Heavenly Father, as we come to Call2Fall, we pray for a deep move of your Spirit upon each church and the lives of all who will humble themselves before you this Sunday. Lord we pray that you will give unction to pastors, leaders and heads of household as they endeavor to lead those in their care to understand the things that Dr. Frizzell has articulated here. Please use this day to be a genuine day for men, women and children to declare our nation’s utter dependence upon God on the eve of the day our nation celebrates our independence.

• Lord we acknowledge that to the degree that we have become independent of you, to that degree we have become slaves to every kind of unrighteousness that you can never bless. God we are desperate. Please do a work in those who bow this Sunday. Lead them to an ever deepening understanding, deep repentance and a lifestyle of prayer. Make our churches “houses of prayer” and use them to flame the fires of prayer for God-enabled repentance and revival in Your churches, and a great awakening in our needy nation.
• Hear our prayer and mix them with those of our forefathers who dedicated this nation to You! Help us to walk in Your covenant of grace as living sacrifices, our reasonable service, and use us to reach our fellow countrymen with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ – the same gospel that has brought blessing to our nation in years past and is our only hope for the future. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. (See Mt 26:40; Ps 27:8)

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gave His disciples a most passionate plea — “watch with Me!” Believers, we again find ourselves at a most crucial moment of history. Our nation is sliding into serious judgment and most churches are asleep at the wheel. As the world careens toward judgment, the Savior is again calling to His remnant — “watch with Me!”

If there is to be a final great awakening and sweeping global harvest, it can only come one way. That way is effective fervent prayer, deep repentance and empowered obedience in evangelism and missions. Yet one thing is certain — fullest power never comes from shallow prayer, surface repentance, voluminous programs or promotions alone. It only comes by God’s grace through the effective, fervent prayers of deeply repentant hearts. (2 Chr 7:14; Jas 5:16) For the most part, that is not the kind of prayer most practice in our generation. However, it is the type outlined in the covenant prayers in this [series].

Each of us must come to a crucial decision — do we truly want to embrace God’s heart and mission or just continue with business as usual? Today, there are various prayer covenants or particular prayers we are urged to embrace. Unfortunately, many modern suggested prayers are general and non-specific. They fail badly at bringing believers to biblical prayers and deep detailed repentance. Whatever we do, we must not settle for anything less than genuine heart surrender and kingdom focus in our praying. It is time for both our intercession and obedience to grow up into the maturity of a holy Bride.

• Heavenly Father, You have exercised remarkable patience toward us: America and the churches of America. How sinful we have been, how pallidly, insincerely, selfishly and hypocritically we have often prayed. How shallow is our repentance; how deeply influenced our churches have been by the declining culture around us – how dim our light, and unsavory our salt. Now, Lord, we are like Sodom; we have become brazen like Gomorrah. Your judgments are raining down across our nation. Our churches, our families, our government, our military, and our economy – all are in deep decline yet we ignore your warnings.
• God help us to humble our hearts and teach us to pray in this hour. Cause us to rise from this and other sincere prayer efforts toward individual and corporate repentance to embrace a new covenant to embrace and pray Your heart daily. Turn our hearts back to You. Send sweeping repentance and revival to Your churches and Awaken America. Cause America and the churches in America to become a light once again among the nations. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009  www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission. Download Covenant (Prayer addendum on this page, Rev. Pierre Bynum)

It is God’s heart desire that His people passionately yearn and prepare for Christ’s return. Believers’ greatest passion and prayer must be the ultimate coming of Christ’s kingdom and glory of His name. Rather than being consumed only with Christ’s “work,” we are to be consumed with a passion for His personal “coming.Rev 22:17-20) Believers are to yearn for His immediate manifest presence. We are to cry out for the final wedding of the Bride (the Church) with the Bridegroom (Christ.) Churches are to faithfully proclaim the return of Christ.

A huge part of co-laboring with God is praying and preparing for the ultimate coming of Christ’s kingdom. In fact, our obedient labor to spread the gospel is a huge part of brining about Christ’s return. (Mt 24:14) Believers, we are to ever be “washing our robes spotless from the world” and “seeking to save the lost” (Lk 19:10; Rev 3:18). Only by so doing and praying, do we embrace God’s deepest heart and purpose. Yet, we are always to keep our eyes fully centered on personal love and surrender to the Savior. Believers, it is entirely possible to allow the “work of the church” to distract us from first love intimacy with the “Lord Himself” (Rev 2:1-4). May God save today’s busy, distracted Christians from the “Martha syndrome” (Lk 10:38-42).

• Lord, we praise You that Jesus will return and His kingdom will come! We cry out for Your manifest presence to be mighty in our midst. Forgive us when we become so enamored with the world, we fail to long for Christ’s close presence and soon return. Forgive us for settling for religious activities and church work instead of Your manifest presence. Help us trim our lamps and cry out for the marriage of the Church with the Bridegroom. Lord, cause our hearts to yearn for Your face of intimacy. Lord Jesus, let Your kingdom soon come on earth as it is in Heaven. Be glorified in all the earth! Come Lord Jesus, come quickly!
• Lord, I repent and commit to seek Christ’s fullest daily presence and to yearn for His ultimate appearing. I trust You to fill me with a trimmed lamp and a heart prepared for Your return. (Matthew 25:1-13) As a church, we covenant to be pure and faithful in a land of darkness. Help us be ready and watching for Your glorious appearing!

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (see Acts 5:29, also Jer 45:5; Hos 10:12; Mt 5:10-12, 10:16-26; 26:39; Rom 8:18; Php 3:10; Jas 4:1-4).

It is God’s heart that His people stand strong in persecution and walk joyfully in the fellowship of His sufferings. (Mt 5:10-12; Acts 5:29; Php 3:10) The purposes and ways of God do not always lead quickly to great revival and blessings. (Jer 45:5) There are many times in history when a people or nations had to go through major periods of judgment and trial. (Jer 29:4-9) Obviously, there are also many instances when believers endure intense persecutions and difficulty for the sake of the gospel. For years, I have sensed that prayer for revival in America might mean we must first see a time of deep breaking, trials and humility. But whether it does or doesn’t mean far greater trials, believers must be fully willing to obey and seek God regardless of the cost!

The central object of our prayers must be God’s kingdom and glory regardless of cost or sacrifice. Whether we soon see revival or endure a remnant period of deepening trial, we are to love and seek God all the same! While God certainly delights in sending great blessing and sweeping revival, societal and church conditions at times make that impossible without prior breaking and trials. As believers, we must be willing to pray God’s heart even if it means a lengthy period of chastisement, persecution and trial. Though revival is certainly crucial, our prayers must be about the Reviver and His full kingdom will not just revival or personal blessings. Whatever revival requires, His grace will be sufficient!

• Righteous Lord, we praise You for grace to help us be faithful in a land of darkness. We ask You to send sweeping revival even if it takes stronger judgments and greater trials to prepare the soil of our hearts. Break up our fallow ground and rain righteousness upon us. If we must walk many years as a remnant in a land under judgment, we will praise and trust You still! Father, we pray not for shallow selfish ends, but for the glory of Your name’s sake and the spread of Your kingdom. Lord, cause us to seek You in true humility, brokenness and contriteness of heart. Cause us to surrender to Your will regardless of cost or sacrifice. Help us desire to know You in the fellowship of Your suffering as well as the power of Your resurrection. Teach us that no suffering can be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us! Dear Father, help us willingly embrace persecution if it is required to see revival in our land.
• Lord, I repent of shallowness and commit to embrace Christ’s full Lordship in my life. I commit to live for Your glory and kingdom whatever the cost. As a church, we covenant to be a faithful remnant in a land of darkness. Help us be bold, faith-filled and uncompromising. We will seek Your face and proclaim Your truth no matter the cost.

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks (Jn 4:23, also 1 Sam l 15:22; Ps 29:2; Is 1:12-17, 58:1-8; Amos 5:23-24).

It is God’s heart passion that His people worship Him in Spirit and truth. Indeed, our very reason for existence is to continually worship and obey God with great sincerity and passion. In both the Old and New Testaments, God earnestly desires for His people to worship Him with great power, intensity and purity. In fact, He is literally “offended” by worship that is shallow and disconnected from obedience. (Isaiah 1:12-14, 58:1-8; Amos 5:20) Throughout history, great spiritual awakenings always result in newly impassioned worship.

God is ever-seeking worship in Spirit and truth, not the mere singing of high-sounding words that do not match our lifestyles. (John 4:23) In fact, if we don’t mean what we sing, pray or preach, our worship becomes seriously offensive to God! While we should certainly sing hymns, choruses and spiritual songs, we must also commit to embrace what we sing. It is crucial to understand that true worship is far more than singing. It is praying, praising, responding to God’s word and living it in daily life.

A major element of seeking revival and preparing for Christ’s return is to seek a powerful personal and corporate deepening of true worship. True worship is primarily about whole life surrender and full obedience, not the mere singing of songs and choruses. Worship involves ever-deeper repentance with the love and passion to live in obedience. In other words, it is quite useless to sing choruses like “You’re All I Need” when I will not even commit to a serious daily quiet time. Merely singing certain words or getting a gushy feeling are not the same as personally embracing the professed words in lifestyle obedience.

God is not worshipped by the lip-service of high-sounding words or emotional lyrics that do not match our lifestyles. He is ever seeking a worship of true heart passion and obedience. (1 Samuel 15:22) In worship, God desires utter sincerity and truth. Think about it. If I sing “Brokenness is All I Long For” yet consistently fail to allow God to search my heart, I am essentially singing a lie. Would it not be seriously disingenuous to sing I Surrender All if I am robbing God by refusing to tithe and give offerings? (Malachi 3:7-8)  Indeed, it would! (Matthew 15:8) Since we cannot “work up or fake” sincere worship, we must pray for a deeper worship of Spirit and truth to grip our hearts. But along with our prayers, we must embrace the disciplines of serious Bible study, fervent prayer, fasting and life surrender that true worship requires. Dear saints, let us pray for God to teach us true worship. But, let us pray with faith and hope. God definitely wants to deepen us in worship! (John 4:23)

• Blessed Father and Son, You are worthy of all praise and worship all the time. We understand we were created to worship You in pure adoration, holiness and love. Teach us to worship You in the beauty of holiness and in Spirit and truth. Forgive us for singing songs without embracing the pledges we sing. Guide us into a pure love and worship revealed in obedience and holiness. Please move us to a worship that is far more about heart and surrender than music styles and personal preferences. Fill us with a worship that is more about Your glory and pleasure than our earthly comforts. Lord, You are worthy of all glory, praise and honor all the time! Grant to us a pure worship in Spirit and truth.
• Lord, I repent and commit to worship You more fully in Spirit and truth. I covenant to embrace a lifestyle of worship by full obedience and surrender. I trust You to fill me with a spirit of continual worship in the beauty of holiness. As a church we commit to stress lifestyle obedience to the songs and prayers we profess.

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (1 Tim 2:1-2; see also v. 3-4; Ps 2:8).

It is God’s heart desire to give His people leaders of integrity, wisdom and justice. In Scripture, believers are commanded to pray fervently for government, cultural and religious leaders. This command even carries a powerful promise from God. (1 Tim 2:1-2).  In today’s world, it is obvious many leaders desperately need new-birth in Christ. In today’s America, more and more politicians and courts are less and less Christian. Yet, through aggressive, strategic prayer even the most godless leaders can be influenced for good.

In Matthew 16:17-19, Jesus gives the picture of a powerful church boldly reaching souls for Christ. Saints, we are not to be “defensive” or “intimidated” by the darkness of sin. As believers we must pray with an aggressive faith to “take the nations for Christ and His glory. We must never forget that “all things are possible with God.” (Jer 32:27; Mt 17:20) Even in a society as dark as ours, leaders can be converted and influenced for Christ! Of course, in praying for leaders we must always remember that in a democracy the elected leaders are a direct reflection those who elect them. We must also understand that God often judges a rebellious people by giving their leaders that are evil and foolish. Even in praying for leaders, our first priority is prayer for society to return to God and Christ receive glory.

• Holy Father, we praise You for Your power to touch world authorities. We humbly ask for a mighty move of conviction and salvation in government and religious leaders. We cry out for all who influence our culture and laws. Lord, we ask You to grant great wisdom and power to denominational and religious leaders. We ask You to pour out convicting, saving power upon Washington, D.C., the Supreme Court, colleges, universities, media networks and the Hollywood movie industry. Let us not stagger in unbelief at the depth of today’s darkness. Lord, we plead for millions to be converted to Christ in these strategic centers of cultural government/and religious influence.
• Lord, I repent of any neglect to pray for those in authority. I commit to pray for the salvation and guidance of government, religious and cultural authorities. I trust You to fill me with a spirit of love for my enemies and kindness toward persecutors. As a church, we covenant to pray for our leaders. We repent of shallow prayer and trust Your guidance for strategic kingdom intercession.

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you (Mt 5:11-12, see also v. 6:33; Acts 5:41; Php 3:10; Heb 4:12; Jas 4:1-4).

It is God’s heart that His people are filled with pure motives and kingdom-focused priorities. Beyond question, a major factor in answered prayer is the purity of the motives behind the requests. In several biblical passages, God rejected prayers that were insincere or more for selfish gain than the glory and kingdom of God. The New Testament clearly states that believers must be willing to suffer joyfully for the cause of Christ (Mt 5:12).

Today, a major need is to ensure we are seeking revival for God’s kingdom and glory rather than merely to be blessed or avoid trials. While it is certainly right to pray for blessing and peace, these must not be our sole motivations. In fact, God may very well have to bring severe breaking and humbling for revival to fully sweep America. May we be willing to seek God’s face regardless of the cost.

• Holy Lord, we ask You to deepen and purify our very motives in praying for revival and blessing. Cause us to seek revival for Your glory, kingdom and pleasure, not just to avoid trials or gain earthly benefits. Help us seek Your glory and kingdom whether it leads to good times or trials. Lord, teach us to seek Your “face” for holiness, not just Your “hand” for comforts. Cause us to seek You, not just personal gains. Help us greatly rejoice when we are persecuted for Your sake. Purge us from all self seeking or personal agendas in our prayers for revival. In all things teach us to seek first Your kingdom and righteousness.

• Lord, I repent of shallowness and commit to seek Your face no matter the cost. By Your grace, I will even rejoice in sufferings for Your Name’s sake. I trust You to fill me with the courage to boldly witness and suffer for Your name sake. As a church, we repent of the fear of men. Forgive us for compromising Your truth and rejecting Your word. Cause us to proclaim Your truth regardless of the opinions of pagan society.

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body (Heb 13:3; also Lk Ps 144:1-15; Eph 6:18-20; 1 Pet 4:1-2).

It is God’s heart to grant comfort, grace, provision and power to His persecuted saints. He also purposes that believers be mindful, prayerful and supportive of other believers in difficulty. (1 Cor 13:26; Heb 13:3) Because of God’s great compassion, it is crucial for Christians to have concern for the global body of Christ. We are not to become over-preoccupied with just our own immediate local or national needs. It would be the height of arrogance and selfishness to act as if God’s kingdom only revolved around believers in our own city, state, country or denomination.

Americans should count it a high priority to pray for strategic nations like China and India. God is so mightily at work in these nations that they may very well be the greatest hope for a global spiritual awakening! In many ways, believers in lands of persecution are always priority one in God’s heart and kingdom. They are top priority for at least two reasons. (1) God’s compassion always moves His heart toward believers who are in serious suffering. (2) Many persecuted believers are in lands most strategic to proclaiming Christ to the unreached masses.

As believers, we should also focus on faithful persecuted saints because we desperately need to embrace their same willingness to faithfully witness and suffer for Christ. When we consistently pray for persecuted saints, we are both instructed and inspired by their example. Not only do persecuted saints need and deserve our support, we need to learn from their example! Unless there is a great spiritual awakening in America, persecutions will become far more intense in coming days. May God grant us the same spirit of suffering joyfully for the Savior. (Acts 5:41)

• Blessed God, we praise You for a love worth living and dying for! Forgive us when we become selfish and forget our brothers and sisters who are persecuted. Lord, we cry out for powerful grace upon believers in lands of darkness. Grant them boldness, wisdom and love for their persecutors. Please empower their witness and direct their efforts. We pray for their protection, provision, power and grace. Fill them with the knowledge their eternal rewards will be infinitely greater than their suffering. Empower us with the same willingness to endure in sufferings. Lord, please remove the spiritual blindness from the cultures in darkness. Destroy Satan’s efforts to blind and deceive. Please send swift gospel advancement in lands of atheism and false religion. Holy God, help us realize our own nation must also now be called a land of darkness. Remove Satan’s blinders from Americans and help them recognize the lies of atheism and false religions.”

• Lord, I repent and commit to pray regularly for persecuted believers and explosive gospel advancement in strategic lands of darkness. (Let God guide you to pray for specific people and places.) I trust You to fill me with compassion for the persecuted and the power to suffer for Christ myself. As a church, we repent of neglecting to pray for persecuted saints around the world.

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)