The following are the Diocesan prayer items for the week beginning Sunday 24th May 2020:

1. Thanksgiving

“You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain. Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. You shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.” (Deuteronomy 16:9-12)

• As we remember Pentecost, we give thanks to the Lord for revealing Himself to us by giving us His words and His Holy Spirit.
• We thank the Lord for the gift He has blessed us with, and for the coming harvest. We thank Him in advance for the blessings which He is bringing into our lives in the coming year.
• Thank God for healing many from this Covid-19 virus infection especially in this nation. We thank the Lord for blessing us with wise leaders to put in place appropriate measures in combating Covid-19.
• We praise the Lord that as the nation is moving into re-opening of economic and social activities, most citizens are conscious of their social responsibilities towards each other in maintaining good hygiene
• We thank and praise God that He is a Covenant Keeping God, as He was faithful to Israel, in providing for them and protecting them, so He is faithful to His faithful ones today.

2. Repentance

Personal and corporate repentance

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Acts 1:12-14)

• As the disciples of Jesus together with the women, gathered to pray in one accord and wait on the Lord, let us spend this coming week to prepare ourselves for a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday

◦ Ask the Lord to reveal to us if there is any wicked way in us, any thought pattern, emotional responses, anything that is not honouring to the Lord. Confess and repent as the Lord reveals.
◦ Confess and ask the Lord to forgive us that because of our self-centeredness, prejudices and devouring one another, that we have failed or neglected to seek God’s Kingdom first.
◦ Confess and repent of any actions, attitudes, lifestyle choices, personally or corporately that have bore bad witness to Christ, and even become stumbling block to others from knowing Christ and His Resurrection Power. Especially as we remember Judas and Peter who betrayed and denied Jesus.

• Ask the Lord to forgive us, our nation and the nations of the world for fighting and competing against each other when situations call for corporation and tolerance for the greater and common good.

3. Praying for the Church

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance….

But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.
And on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days;
And they shall prophesy.
I will show wonders in heaven above
And signs in the earth beneath:
Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.
The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved.’ (Acts 2: 1-4; 16-21)

• Pray for God’s people that during this time, we will seek God in prayers and supplication in our homes, for the fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit to come upon us (Pentecost on 31 May 2020), so that we will have new strength, fresh vision, strong passion for God’s Kingdom, deep compassion for the lost and boldness to witness the powerful message of the gospel. Ask the Lord to speak to His people at this time, so that we may know how to conduct our lives in manners which are pleasing and glorifying to Him.
• Pray for God to re-order relationships and re-center them on Christ in the Church.
• Pray to the Lord to show us the way He is bringing revival to the world and pray for God’s people to have a paradigm shift in His direction.
• Pray for the Church that we will be guided into new strategies to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for the coming harvest of souls in a new as we celebrate Harvest Festival.

◦ Pray for the Church we will fix our hope on the Resurrected Christ. 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 comfort in the presence of the Risen Christ daily in our lives. As we experience His presence and love, we will find strength to overcome the challenges in life.
• 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 the Church that during this time we will express practical love and acts of kindness to our neighbors, especially those outside the Church, to testify to the love of God.
• Pray for the Church as we move into re-opening, that the Lord will lead us into this new normal in our fellowship, witness and evangelism, discipleship and ministry.
• Pray for God’s favour, grace and wisdom on all God’s people, that their livelihood will be restored. Pray for those who have lost their jobs or income will experience God’s favour and miracles in their lives in the months to come.
• Pray for Anglican Training Institute (ATI) as we move into online learning. Pray for both tutors and students that they will innovate and continue with effective training of equipping the saints for ministry and the harvest field.

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.
• Declare that those who put their trust in the Lord in this season will receive divine immunity from the Lord against this plague
• 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.
◦ 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 in the coming months.
◦ Pray for humility for all national and political leaders.

• Pray for our nation, that
◦ our leaders will act in the best interest for the nation, looking out not only for their own interests, but also the interests of the people and the future generations
◦ God will have mercy upon this nation, and protect the people from the effects of any misdeed of the leaders, past and present
◦ God’s timing and manner to execute justice, establish righteousness in the system of government
◦ Decisive and selfless leadership with integrity is evident at all levels.

• Speak blessings to the various communities in our nation, seek their welfare and pronounce success over their lives and their generations.
• 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. Spend time seeking the Lord and let Him convict our hearts to repentance.
• Focus on the Cross of Jesus, appropriate the Power of the Name of Jesus against all viruses, all works of the Kingdom of Satan. Begin to resist the enemy from oppressing and intimidating God’s people or anyone who seeks to live, speak and act in righteousness and integrity.

◦ Raise up spiritual warfare against forces of darkness seeking to subject this nation to bondages.
◦ Resist any witchcraft prayers against the government of this nation
◦ Resist the robber, thief and destroyer from ravaging this nation
◦ Spend time praising and worshipping God to enthrone Him