The following are the Diocesan prayer items for the week beginning Sunday 19th April 2020:

1. Thanksgiving

“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26)

“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.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

• We thank and praise God that He is faithful to His words. When we humble ourselves before Him and turn away from our rebellion, He will hear our prayers and heal us.
• We praise God for the excellent service of the medical personnel in this nation, the Director General of Health and the leadership of the nation, in combating Covid 19 and keeping the people protected from this virus.
• Thank God for healing many from this Covid-19 virus infection.
• We thank the Lord for His provisions- spirit, soul, body and material in our times of need
• Spend time praising God and worshipping Him for the Hope we have in the God who loves us and continues to provide for us.

2. Repentance

Personal and corporate repentance

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

Confess and repent of the way we the Church has failed in our role as royal priesthood to the world and “proclaiming His praises”:

• Confess and repent from the sins of unfaithfulness to Biblical truth.
• Confess and repent from the sins of indifference to the needs of the aliens, oppressed, the underprivileged, the marginalized, the defenseless and those suffering from injustice.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

• Confess and repent from failing to demonstrate to the world around us God’s love by living out Christ’s love among brothers and sisters in God’s family.
• Confess and repent of the sins of division within the Body of Christ, that we failed to witness authentically to the world.
• Confess and repent from failing to intercede more specifically for the nations, persevering in prayers for the Church and for the society.
• Confess and repent of failing to be God’s prophetic voice to the nations.

3. Praying for the Church

◦ Pray for leadership of God’s Church, for divine wisdom to make godly decisions and provide godly leadership over those under their charge. Pray that the Lord will continue to speak to them concerning His Church in the midst of this pandemic. Remember especially our Archbishop and all Bishops.
• Pray for all Christians in politics in the nations, that they will humble themselves before God in the fear of the Lord and make godly choices and responsible decisions for the welfare of the people and the nations.
• Pray that the people of God will find the reality of God’s love so close to us in our daily lives and our faith continues to be strengthened.
• Pray for the Church to be sensitive to the needs of those around them, that we may share God’s love, the message of hope and the gospel of salvation with them, especially the Church in Malaysia and the province of South East Asia.
• Pray for God’s wisdom as we are adapting to the new normal in our lives during this time. Pray that the Church will continue to experience a deep sense of God’s presence in an entirely new way of worship on Sundays, throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO) period. Pray that God’s people will continue in fellowship using internet technology.
• Ask the Lord to speak to His people at this time, so that we may know what areas of our lives that need reset and re-prioritize.

4. Praying for the nations

• Pray that we shall raise a level of repentance before the Lord that will cause His mercy to triumph against the Covid-19 pandemic in the nation
• Pray that we who are praying will receive divine strength from the Lord to pray effectively in this season of prayer and repentance in the name of Jesus
• Declare that those who put their trust in the Lord in this season will receive divine immunity from the Lord against this plague
• Bring repentance for all the darkness that has filled our land and given the enemy opportunity to afflict us. Many of the behaviors and social activities we call normal are an abomination before the Lord.
• Repent for all the sexual immorality in the land.
• Repent for the drinking culture in our nation that weakens us especially men and fathers who have become irresponsible and unable to take care of their families
• Pray for God’s mercy over nations affected by Covid-19 virus and ask God to save the nations. Pray against the destructive work of the enemy against the purposes of God in the nations. (see latest list of nations affected by coronavirus)

◦ Pray against fear, anxiety and hopelessness. (Use Psalm 91, 23, 46 to pray).
◦ Pray for all those who are or will be affected by the ongoing spread of the coronavirus and pray for healing. Pray for those whose livelihood is adversely affected, and students whose schooling is interrupted.
◦ Pray for our government and other governments around the world, that they would have wisdom to minimize, control and combat this pandemic.
◦ Pray for an availability of resources to help in the fight against this virus, particularly in poor nations.
◦ Pray for protection for medical staff and personnel, and those who are on the frontline including the police, the military, marine, essential service providers, the elderly, those who have underlying health problems, etc.
◦ Pray for the healing and recovery of the economy of the nation and the finances of the people in this nation after the MCO is lifted.

• Plead for God’s mercy and loving kindness.

Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses, for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. (Psalm 25:6-7)

◦ Pray that nations will turn their eyes and put their hope on God. Pray that many will humble themselves and turn to God for help and mercy.
◦ Pray that many in the nations will find Jesus as the sure hope in times of trouble.
◦ Speak peace, life, hope and restoration to our nation, the nations of the world.
◦ Pray that there will be a reset in economy, financial system and international relations in the world for a better future.

• Focus on the Cross of Jesus, appropriate the Power of the Name of Jesus against all viruses