PRAYER POINTS FOR THE 24x7 PRAYER CHAIN FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST & NIGERIA, April 23 - 29, 2023
THANKSGIVING & WORSHIP: Psm 126.1-2 “When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing” We are trusting God for a dream-state turnaround in the polity; to have God’s choice and the people’s mandate restored. God is faithful and NEVER will fail. Let is lavishly sing His praise. God’s people shall yet be victorious,
REPENTANCE: Let us truly repent and ask God for mercy and forgiveness for all of your sins, and the sins of your family, the Church and Nigeria, and for the contributions of Christians to the woes that believers and Nigeria are now facing by ignoring prophetic warnings. Pray for God’s grace to turn and live in obedience; that our land may be healed (2 Chron. 7.14)
FOCUS: Making the most of the 17th week of 2023 and the 30th Week of Nigeria’s Year from Oct-1
PRAYER POINTS :
- Jeremiah 17.5-8: "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit” Moshood Abiola who reportedly bought Bibles just to destroy them in the sea had campaigned on the theme of HOPE. Tinubu has campaigned on the theme of HOPE RENEWED, with a Muslim-Muslim ticket. On what is that “hope” that has no fear of the Most High God?
*** (a) Call on the Most High to glorify His name in the midst of those who have put their HOPE and TRUST in Him;
*** (b) to show mercy despite their shortcomings
*** (c.) to humble ALL who have acted in defiance of the Most High
- Jeremiah 30.18-22: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents, And have mercy on his dwelling places; The city shall be built upon its own mound, And the palace shall remain according to its own plan. [19] Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. [20] Their children also shall be as before, And their congregation shall be established before Me; And I will punish all who oppress them. [21] Their nobles shall be from among them, And their governor shall come from their midst; Then I will cause him to draw near, And he shall approach Me; For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the LORD. [22] ‘You shall be My people, And I will be your God.'” Believers in Nigeria are “the Israel of God” and partakers of the commonwealth of Israel. Call on the Most High God to watch over this word and perform every bit of it.
*** Let Nigeria be “built upon its own mound” an undivided people under God Most High
*** Let “the palace…remain according to its own plan;” let leadership of the nation remain according to God’s plan, not the evil imagination of proud and wicked men
*** Let God so demonstrate His sovereignty, power and faithfulness in a manner that triggers an eruption of praise; that “out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who make merry”
*** Christians are already in the majority in Nigeria but have not known how to harness their numbers. Now, let God in mercy “multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small”
*** Let God’s are be stretched forth in justice that “their nobles shall be from among them, and their governor shall come from their midst” NOT a stolen mandate and evil imposition of Muslim-Muslim ticket over Christians that are far more numerous than Muslim
- Pray other prayers for current national issues as you have observed or are burdened to pray.
- SPECIAL PRAYERS: Pro_29:2“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice” (a) God delivered Israel from Pharaoh about this time of year; same for Esther/Mordecai and the Jews; same for Peter at Easter (Acts 12). Pray that will do it again in Nigeria (b) That through the courts or by any means God chooses in His sovereignty, God will reverse and restore every stolen political mandate and establish the true choice of Nigerians (c) Lord have mercy on Leah Sharibu and all others abducted and still in the hands of their captors. Please raise political leaders that will set them free. (d) Defend Your children from Jihad in S/Kaduna, Jos and other Christian territories (e.) Have mercy on IDPs and enable them return to their homes.
REGISTER; INVITE OTHERS: Please join this 24x7 prayer chain. Choose suitable day and time each week that you will pray for just 30 mins. Register at http://repent.csmnigeria.org/ Please share & invite others too. Thank you.
SUPPLEMENTARY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOT THE WEEK OF APRIL 23-29, 2023 BEING WEEK 17 of 2023 AND WEEK 30 OF NIGERIA’S YEAR FROM OCT-1, 2022
The 17th book and chapters of the Bible indicate the following concerning the 17th season:
1. The 17th season is for crushing evil giants. God overthrew Amalek in Exodus 17, overthrew Goliath in First Samuel 17, overthrew Ahitophel in Second Samuel 17, and overthrew wicked Haman in the 17th book of the Bible. In the 17th book of the Bible, those who wanted kill the king were killed; those who wanted to kill Jews were also killed. The rebellious northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrians in Second Kings 17 for disregarding God. Those who disregard God go down in the 17th season. The deposed Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, was executed in the 17th week of 1945 (April 28). Adolf Hitler committed suicide about the same week (April 30).
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will overthrow people and systems that are expressions of Amalek, Goliath, Ahitophel, Haman in the nations. Pray that the Lord will overturn the plans and efforts of killers and agents of death in your nation and in other nations.
2. The 17th season is for triumph over death and dryness: God appeared to Abraham at 99 in Genesis 17 with a definite promise that 89 year old Sarah would conceive and birth a son for him. He changed his name and the name of his wife. He also named their son, Isaac, here. In Numbers 17, God gave life to Aaron’s dry rod and made it bud, blossom, and bear ripe almond fruits overnight. In Joshua 17, the five daughters of Zelophehad received inheritance in the name of their dead father who had no son. The first place the dead was raised to life is First Kings 17. Esther and Mordecai triumphed over death and killers in the 17th book of the Bible. Esther overcame orphanhood, overcome those who plotted to kill her husband, the king, and those who wanted to kill her people, the Jews. Jesus healed ten lepers in Luke 17.
PRAYER: Pray for the reviving of dead and dry situations in our lives and country this week.
3. The 17th season is for the vindication and manifestation of the humble: God vindicated Aaron in Numbers 17 when his dry rod budded and bore fruit overnight. God vindicated David in First Samuel 17 where he killed Goliath. God vindicated Elijah in First Kings 17. In Matthew 17, God vindicated Jesus at His transfiguration. God vindicated Mordecai in the 17th book of the Bible.
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will manifest and vindicate the humble in the nations as He did for Esther and Mordecai in the 17th book of the Bible.
4. The 17th season is for mysterious (supernatural) provisions: God gave Israel water from a dry rock in Exodus 17. Ravens fed Elijah in First Kings 17. God sustained a widow’s last meal by the Word of the Lord from Elijah in First Kings 17. The widow, her son and Elijah ate off a last meal for so many days. In Matthew 17, Jesus sent Peter to fetch their tax money from the mouth of a fish he would catch.
PRAYERS: Pray that this will be a week of strange provisions for missionaries, ministries, businesses and families in need. Pray for refugees and persecuted believers. Pray that you will be sensitive and open (not doubtful) to ways God may choose to meet certain needs in your life.
5. The 17th season is a time of Favor from High Places. Esther received favor from her cousin, Mordeca, when her parents died. She received favor from the keeper of the women when the king needed a replacement for Queen Vashti. Esther received favor from the king to overthrow the wicked plot of Haman. This is a week of favor for God’s people.
PRAYER: Pray for open doors for God’s people standing before closed doors in the nations. Pray for the suspension or reversal of laws in favor of God’s people where it is necessary.
6.The 17th week is a season of unprecedented happenings. New things that had never happened before are recorded in the 17th book and chapters of the Bible. In First Kings 17, Elijah prayed, spoke and stopped rainfall for 42 months, ravens brought him food twice daily in a brook, the last meal of a poor widow was sustained for many days and a dead child was raised back to life. In the 17th book of the Bible Esther obtained favor that suspended the irrevocable law of the Medes and Persians. In Mathew 17, Peter fetched tax money from the month of a fish he caught by the word of the Lord. The 17th season is a time of strange and unprecedented happenings.
PRAYER: Decree that strange things that will honor and glorify God will happen in the nations this week.
WHAT IS THE WORD OF THE LORD CONCERNING THE 30TH WEEK?
The 30th week is a week of going from frustration to change through seeking God. In Genesis 30, there was crisis in Jacob’s family. Rachael wanted a child desperately. She gave her maid, Bilhah, to her husband and she gave birth to Dan and Naphtali. Leah also gave her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob; and she gave birth to Gad and Asher. Leah eventually gave birth to her last two sons – Issachar and Zebulun. She also gave birth to her only daughter, Dinah. At last, Rachael gave birth to Joseph. Jacob had seven sons and one daughter in this chapter. Jacob also made a deal with Laban that made him wealthy; after he had thought of leaving his father in-law with his family. In Genesis 30, Jacob’s family went from pain to gladness. The 30th week is a season of going from pain to joy.
In First Samuel 30, Amalekites raided David’s camp at Ziklag and abducted the families of David and his men; but David sought God and received grace to recover all. He went from pain to joy.
Psalms 30 reveals that the 30th season is a glorious turnaround season when morning takes the place of night, when joy takes the place of weeping, when dancing takes the place of mourning, and gladness takes the place of sackcloth. It is a season of marvellous and swift answers to desperate prayers.
Proverbs 30 teaches that wisdom will find a way where there is no way. Proverbs 30 shows that the 30th is a time of survival through wisdom. Proverbs 30: 24-28 says,
[24] There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: [25] The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer; [26] The rock badgers are a feeble folk, Yet they make their homes in the crags; [27] The locusts have no king, Yet they all advance in ranks; [28] The spider skillfully grasps with its hands, And it is in kings’ palaces”.
Jeremiah 30 shows that the 30th season is a season of restoration. Jeremiah 30 is the promise of the restoration of Judah.
This week may begin with frustration and discomfort, but the Lord will show and make a way where there is no way; and the week will end with joy.
PRAYER: This 30th week, pray for the release of the wisdom and force that will make a way where there is none; and move us desperation to celebration. Let this be a week when joy overtakes weeping; and mourning turns into dancing in Nigeria.