CESA Day of Prayer and Fasting

Ascension Day 9th May 2013

1. That God’s glory will be known.

Psa. 96:7-8″Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name”
Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name”
Recognize God for who he is
Praise him as our loving heavenly Father – Abba – the God who is close and who cares
Praise him for his holiness, majesty and glory
Perhaps you’ll want to pray through some of God’s other attributes

2. Repent, Confess and Humble ourselves before God and asking Him to revive His people.

Ask God to bring deep conviction of sin, spiritual brokenness, a holy fear of God and genuine repentance among His people.

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made, and you forgive the sins of all who repent: create and make in us new and penitent hearts, that we, lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain from you, the God of all mercy, perfect pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

“If my people who are called by my name 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 ESV)

Pray for revival in the Church of England in South Africa and particularly for your local church……and pray that He would begin with you.

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15 ESV)

Raise up your great power, Lord, and come among us to save us; that, although through our sins we are hindered in running the race that is set before us, your plentiful grace and mercy may help and deliver us; through the sufficiency of your Son our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be honour and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Examine your life and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your own sinful attitudes and actions – seek God’s forgiveness
Thank God for the forgiveness that is ours through the cross and the resurrection of Christ Jesus
Repent of the things which need to be forgiven – that is, set a new course, a new direction
Pray for those who have sinned against you – forgive them and ask God to forgive them – whether or not those people recognize their need for forgiveness
Pray that the Lord will restore those who have backslidden and fallen into sin.

3. That the gospel will advance in South Africa, Africa and the world bringing lost sinners into the kingdom of God.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people…This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1, 3-4)

God of all the nations of the earth, we pray to you to remember the multitude of men and women who, though created in your image are ignorant of your love. Grant that by the witness of those who serve our Lord Jesus Christ wherever they minister your word, perishing souls may be saved, the whole church revived, and the Name of our Saviour magnified. In Christ’s Name we ask it. Amen.

…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Pray for the church as the primary agent of God’s kingdom that we might be faithful to our mission
Pray for the spread of God’s kingdom through mission work and personal evangelism.
Pray for God to fill His people with a concern for the lost and for a passion to see people saved.
Pray for the government and all who are in leadership – presidents, regional leaders, local leaders, that they might be sensitive to God’s kingdom agenda

Most gracious God, we humbly pray for the members of parliament. Be pleased to direct and prosper all their meetings; to the glory of your Name, the upholding of your laws, and the safety and welfare of our country. Grant, that by their efforts, righteousness and freedom, truth and justice, may be confirmed and safeguarded for us. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ, our most blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.
Pray for justice and peace that reflect the presence of God’s kingdom – his reign
Pray for people in your own family, friends and neighbourhood who need to come to know Jesus Christ.
Pray for those who are struggling with health or other personal issues – that God’s will would be done in the situation and that his kingdom would be advanced through it.

We commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any way afflicted, or distressed, in mind, body or circumstances, especially those known to us, or for whom our prayers are asked, that it may please you to comfort and deliver them, according to their different needs, giving them patience in their sufferings, and a blessed end to all their troubles. All this we ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Pray for God’s will to come about no matter how pressing the situation.
Pray for the second coming of Jesus.

4. That God will raise up workers for the harvest field.

“Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37, 38 ESV)
Pray for GWC and the training of theological students for gospel ministry.
Pray for Mark Dickson, Principal of GWC and lecturing staff.
Pray for the regional ministry training programs – ENTRUST (KZN) and HOPE Training Course (W-Cape)

5. Thanksgiving

Think of the many things you can thank God for …….
We thank God for His Son the Lord Jesus Christ and for the gospel
For His faithfulness, power and sovereignty
We thank God for the Bible.
Blessed Lord, you have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and absorb them, that, encouraged and supported by your holy word, we may clasp and not let go the joyful hope of everlasting life; which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

6. Petitions and requests

For the financial needs of the Lord’s work especially in our poorer churches around the country with regards to the payment of ministers’ salaries and the urgent need to complete and upgrade many of our buildings.

Synod 2013 – please pray that the Lord’s hand will be upon us as we discuss, plan and strategize regarding gospel ministry through CESA.

The CESA Selection Committee, who will be meeting on 18th & 19th July 2013 to decide on the placement of 2013 CESA graduates (11).

CESA Leadership – For God’s grace, wisdom and strength as they seek to lead the denomination.
o Presiding Bishop: Desmond Inglesby
o Gauteng Area Bishops: Martin Morrison; Edwin Ngubane
o KZN Area Bishop: Raj Moodley
o Eastern Cape Bishop’s Chaplain: Rev Glenn Lyons
o Free State Bishop’s Chaplain: Rev. Simon Sennanyane
o Ministers, Lay preachers, Missionaries, church councils and other church leaders.

Almighty God, the great shepherd of your people, bless those who are called to the ministry of your word and the congregations to whom they minister. Fill them with your truth and clothe them with holiness. Give grace to our bishops and all other ministers that their lives and teaching will witness to your true and living word through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Give us today our daily bread.
Ask God to provide those things that you need to get through the day – food, water, home, finances.
“OUR daily bread” – pray for the basic needs of others – especially those who seem to be without, for those in our community and those abroad who are going hungry
In asking give thanks for God’s provision in your life.
In asking be open to the fact that God might be calling you to help provide for the daily needs of others
African Countries where CESA is involved
Namibia – 5 Churches – St Luke’s, St Paul’s St Peter’s, St John’s and Christ Church; for their pastors, Rev. Denys Nande, Rev. Jeremiah Wilhelm, Rev. Ben Paulus and Rev. Albino Adriano, as well as for Tish Hanekom (missionary) as she ministers to the folk in Ondangwa.
Pray for the Western Cape Ministry team that will be going to Namibia in July, and for Rev. Jan & Bonnie Vat who are considering going to Namibia for a 5 year stint as CESA missionaries.
Zimbabwe – Joe Mundamawo
Malawi
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look on our weakness; and in all our dangers and difficulties stretch out your right hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many great dangers that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: grant us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Ask God to get you and others through the tough times and pray that your faith will remain firm during times of trial
Pray for protection from all that is evil.
Pray for the safety of those in the trouble spots (wars, earthquakes, famines, etc) around the world
Ask God to protect the faith of those who are persecuted because of their faith in Christ
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you most humble and hearty thanks, for all your goodness and loving kindness to us and to all men. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life. But above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. Give us, we pray, such a deep sense of all your mercies, that we may be truly thankful and praise you not only with our lips, but with our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.