What does Pray4Victoria have a distinct impact on our nation?
We will address this question below.
First some helpful reflections from our prayer for the Federal Election on 2 July 2016.
The text on our heart was: “Jesus came closer to the city and when he saw it he wept over it saying, “If only you knew today what is needed for peace.” Luke 19:41-42
What did Jesus see in our city and nation that would cause him to weep?
Is this still an issue? Ask Him….. and take some time to reflect on this.
What would Jesus weep over in your life and sphere of influence?
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” Romans 6:12
“If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us…” 2 Timothy 2:12
We face vital times and our choices matter everyday – but our prayer and vote in elections is vital. What would Jesus do?
Pray for our citizens to live and vote Jesus’ kingdom to reign.
Turning the Tide of Darkness
It is heartbreaking that many cannot see the truth – that the consequences of their choices drains life, binds them in compulsive cycles, reaps cursing, broken relationships and death. They do not see their need for salvation and intimacy with God. They do not know all they are missing.
“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:4
Past and present sins are impacting quality of life in Australia. These consequences of our collective choices continue to cut us off from abundant life and ‘shalom peace’ – which is God’s restoration to wholeness and righteousness. When we deal with sins in our lives, laws and culture the atmosphere in our city and nation shifts and it is easier for people to know God; discern good and evil, receive the conviction and gifts of the Spirit of God – healing, miracles etc.
“Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behaviour; because it is written, ―You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16
We can face our nation’s future with anxiety, dread or fear – or we can seek our Father’s will.
“I have an urgency in my heart about these elections and the shaking that will come if Australia continues on this path of unrighteousness in government policy. The church must pray as the pure bride and His covenant body.” Karen Wilson
“I think there is a real message of hope and joy when we pray what is on the LORD’s heart for this country.” Elisa Mullen
“Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.” Psalm 47
Why do we need to pray daily?
There are some things we all do daily. They are essentials to maintain good physical and spiritual health. The prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread” can apply to physical and spiritual food. Seek the Word of God and pray in the Spirit – his words in your daily prayers.
Jesus invites us to be persistent in prayer. (Luke 18:1-8) The Lord’s prayer contains many elements that are useful in daily prayer – to remind us how to stay in alignment with God. Kris prays daily as a faithful watchmen who stands in the gap to intercede for others. A watchman’s daily prayers put a fresh daily mantle on groups of people who do not yet know how to seek Holy Spirit discernment, leading and protection for themselves. We pray they will call on God directly – out of their own hunger for salvation, encounter and intimacy with God – and their own gratitude!
Let’s arise as watchmen to pray over our family, school, neighbourhood, workplace, city or nation.
“Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold he darkness shall cover the earth, and the hick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you. And nations shall come to the brightness of your light and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Isaiah 60:1-3
Hear these invitations to refresh daily prayers:
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
“But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.” Psalm 59:16-17
Why does Pray4Victoria make a difference in our nation?
A few days after our Pray for Melbourne focus began, Kris Schylder a key national watchman and coordinator of the Australian Indigenous Prayer Network contacted us from Queensland. “The Lord has had me praying a specific prayer for Melbourne and Canberra every night for the last two or three years. When you put out your email calling for prayer for Melbourne the Lord told me to discontinue praying that prayer.”
We believe something significant in the spiritual realm shifted when people across our city, agreed to pray together for this city! We have taken Kris’ encouragement and prayer very seriously and see it is vital that we maintain our prayer for Melbourne and for Victoria and Australia.
Below you will see the very specific daily prayer Kris has been praying for Melbourne. It exemplifies the power of praying for righteousness to triumph over evil and for the freedom of salvation to liberate souls, laws, justice and life style choices in this city and those influenced by Melbourne.
Kris prayed against evil influences that were instituted at Federation and became a “foul spiritual river” that “commenced in the period our Federal Parliament was seated in Melbourne 1901-1927 and then flowed on to Canberra when it became our capital.”
“…….And Father God, I remind You of that river of spiritual filth in Melbourne and Canberra, which flows elsewhere in parts of Australia. I pray, my Father, that You will uproot it and turn it back on itself until You destroy it with Your consuming fire, and set free those entrapped by it, so that they may come out of the darkness into the light to seek salvation and healing.
I thank You and praise You and bless You for all that You have done, are doing, and are yet to do in this regard. I give You all the praise, all the glory, and all the honour, for the harvest of souls coming from this work.
All this I pray in the precious name of Yeshua HaMashiach.”
Kris Schlyder Coordinator Australian Indigenous Prayer Network kschlyder1@dodo.com.au
A River of Life
I found the term “river of spiritual filth” is confronting. I was writing this post while in Ireland where I lived for a year as a teenager. Much of our focus and service in 1969 was on poverty, children begging late at night, helping elders unable to get their own coal or food up to their filthy high rise housing. My Irish great grandparents and their children emigrated to Gippsland, Victoria during the potato famine.
Historically this country was brought to their knees by rivers of physical filth. Thousands died in Dublin in 1832 and 1849 due to devastating cholera outbreaks that were carried by open sewers.
“Charles Orpen, a former medical officer of the Richmond Penitentiary… said that there were tenements in Dublin that were never free from disease for any length of time and he recommended that the authorities cleanse the streets with chloride of lime and provide more water fountains in the city. A massive campaign, spearheaded by city officials and a charity… was undertaken to clear up the city. Thousands of slum-dwellings were cleared out and disinfected, streets were cleared of refuse, walls whitewashed and the city was left, according to one government report, in “an admirable state of cleanliness”. However, Dublin’s slums soon returned to their former decrepit state.” http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/dublin-in-a-time-of-cholera-27882006.html http://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Charles%20Orpen&item_type=topic
Sir John Gray (1815 –1875) was an Irish physician, surgeon, newspaper proprietor, journalist and politician. His “work was particularly important in the improvement of conditions in the city, and to public health, as it improved sanitation and helped reduce outbreaks of cholera, typhus and other diseases associated with contaminated water.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gray_%28Irish_politician%29
In 1853-54 more than 10,000 Londoners died of cholera.
After the ‘Great Stink’ of 1858 Sir Joseph Bazalgette (1819-1891) designed a massive sewer network that solved their problems. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Bazalgette
Excuse the pun: Our ministry is called PIPES (Partners in Prayer & Evangelism) – so we take plumbing, healthy sanitation and irrigation seriously!
Our focus is not on the stinking sewerage – it is on the living water – the river of life! We fix our eyes on Jesus who is the solution available to our city. Jesus cleanses us personally – he is our sanctifier.
“…reject every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 20-24
Kris Schlyder’s prayer may confirm a need seen in vision by Roma Waterman in 2021. Please study and reflect on this.
Could our prayer from Melbourne release a river of life for the healing of our nation?
Let’s invite Jesus to reign in our cities and nation!
Pray your eyes are opened to see Jesus’ perspective of our city and nation. Pray for our humble reliance on Jesus – whose reign brings life abundant.
“As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.” John 17:18-19
Do you know how powerful it is when we worship God – uniting with heaven to invite God’s authority to reign in us on earth?
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14
We invite you to fix your focus on the wonder Jesus reigns in us and can extend his kingdom reign to bring abundant life to all in our city and nation!
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” “so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:17, 21
“For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” 1 Corinthians 15:25
How are you moved to pray about this?
Pray from your heart – in your own words.
These were some of mine.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you that You love the people of Australia. Thank you for a stable, peace-loving government full of people who want to make a difference.
Jesus, you are our Lord. Arise in us, your church, your house of prayer of all nations.
Reign in us personally and in the city of Melbourne and our nation so abundant and eternal life is accessible to all and glory rises to our Father.
We lift the public service up to You. The ministers advisors, the policy officers, the scientists and specialists that shape the strategy, policy options and laws that are put forward to ministers for approval. May Your pure, mercy filled, fruit producing wisdom rest on them. Inspire them with God solutions that are embraced, even by those who despise God. That heavenly truth would penetrate and be recognised by their hearts.
Open their eyes to see you, the source of wisdom, that revival and reformation would sweep through the halls of those who interpret what is best for Australia.
We pray strength and protection over the Christians among them. That they can stand strong in love without compromising knowing they were appointed for such a time as this.
We pray for God’s appointed to rise up into positions of power, in all levels. From lobbyist to prime minister.
Like Daniel and his friends, may their conviction, wisdom and understanding be 10 times their peers. May their love show them to be Yours.
Through this we announce a wave of God’s presence in the public service, reclaiming this fortress for God in both the spiritual and physical realms
In the name of King Jesus,
Amen
Prayers we are praying:
- Lord, be glorified as our King of Kings and reign in our nation.
- Father, we repent of our ignorance and blindness; and our tolerance of unrighteousness.
- Father, show us your will. Open our eyes to see truth; to see your ways which are life-giving
- Lord as Melbournians we repent of sin that entered our nation through our season as Australia’s capital city and we pray that the flow of evil from our sources, laws and influences will be cut off by the authority of Jesus. We pray that a river of holiness and life flows from Melbourne to our nation and the nations of the world.
- Jesus, we pray for every candidate – especially God fearing candidates – that they will represent God’s will.
- Father, we plead the blood of Christ over every polling booth – that those who enter will encounter the leading of the Holy Spirit to vote according to your will for us.
We declare in Jesus’ name:
“The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.” Psalm 93:1
“The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.” Psalm 9 7:1
‘How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”’ Isaiah 52:7