TUG Prayer Letter of 8 July 2010
Dear Prayer Friends,
TUG shares these prayer requests, for our country and people, with Jerico Walls. Let us pray together on the following:
Afrikaans onderaan
A Call for Christians to pray for post-Soccer World Cup South Africa
After all the excitement over the nations visiting South Africa, the drama, the emotional seesaw of winning and losing and the euphoria of being the showpiece of the world, the citizens of South Africa will return to a normal life with normal challenges.
We are still facing unemployment, poverty, rising living expenses, AIDS, racial tension and discrimination, corruption, violence crime, etc. We cannot afford for one moment to let our shields of faith down. The enemy will attack precisely at such a time as this - the end of a major emotional and civic event. Let us not abandon our watch, let us press in to seek God’s face and to plead for His favour and mercy over our nation.
Here are some prayer pointers to help you pray during the next several weeks.
1. Thank God for His protection over South Africa during the past six weeks. Thank Him for not allowing any major bloodshed or unrest during the time that the nations visited South Africa and also no terrorist attacks. Give Him the glory and the honour for allowing and trusting South Africa with people from many different nations. Give Him the honour for allowing South Africa to host such a major event. Honour Him by thanking Him (Ps 50:23). Especially thank Him that He trusted South Africa with the nations. Pray that South Africans will live up to this trust and take responsibility for other nations to care for them, to protect them and to allow them to stay amongst us. Thank Him for a police force that was operating very successfully during the world cup.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to protect the soul (mind, emotions) of South Africans from post-soccer depression. Pray for peace in the hearts of all South Africans and citizens of other nations staying with us in South Africa. Pray for the God of peace to rule in our hearts and minds and to protect us from any attack that the enemy may unleash through the stirring of racial hatred, thoughts and acts of revenge and bloodshed, and through inciting strikes, riots and destructive behaviour, and unrealistic demands. Pray that no unwise decisions will be made by the government because of fear or pressure groups and trade unions.
3. Resist the work of the Evil One in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and pray that any xenophobic attacks, violence, bloodshed, murders and anarchy will be thwarted.
4. Pray that God will not allow the plans of the enemy to destabilize South Africa’s social structure, economic stability, political and judicial integrity or defence structures.
5. Resist any intimidation or urge to submit to a spirit of fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear but He asks us to believe in Him and to trust Him that He has everything under control. We must even trust Him with our lives. We cannot afford to give in to a mindset of doubt, self-preservation or anxiousness. Now is the time to deny ourselves, to follow Jesus and His way of life, whatever the outcome. He said: We are to LOVE our enemies, to WALK another mile, and to, if necessary, LAY DOWN OUR LIVES for His glory and His honour.
6. Pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on the peoples of South Africa to bring them to an understanding of Who He is and what His plans and purposes for our nation are. Pray that the Church in South Africa will finally understand her role as the instrument of reconciliation (2 Cor.5:18) in this nation, in the continent of Africa and in the nations of the world.
7. Pray for the president and ministers of the Cabinet, to allow the Holy Spirit to guide and lead them to bring this nation to a place of righteousness and justice (Prov.14:34). Pray for everyone in authority (1 Tim.1:1-2) so that the Word of the Gospel can spread in and through our nation.
8. Pray for a national genuine spiritual revival in the church and also for effective evangelism of the nation.
9. Ask God to pour out a spirit of prayer and intercession on the Church.
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Afrikaans
‘n Oproep vir alle Christene om te bid vir Suid Afrika na die Sokker Wêreldbeker.
Na al die opwinding oor die besoek van die nasies aan Suid Afrika, die drama, die emosionele wipplank van wen en verloor en die gevoel van welbehae omdat Suid Afrika so suksesvol aan die nasies uitgebeeld is, moet die inwoners van Suid Afrika nou terugkeer na ‘n normale lewe met normale uitdagings.
Ons staar nog steeds werkloosheid, armoede, stygende lewenskostes, VIGS, rasse-spanning en diskriminasie, korrupsie, geweld, misdaad, ens. Ons kan nie bekostig om vir een oomblik ons skild van geloof te laat sak nie. Die vyand sal juis op so ‘n oomblik aanval – aan die einde van ‘n emosionele en openbare geleentheid. Laat ons nie ons wagpos verlaat nie. Laat ons voortgaan om God se aangesig te soek en te pleit vir Sy genade en guns oor ons land.
Hier is ‘n paar gebedspunte wat kan help om vir die volgende weke te bid.
1. Dank die Here vir Sy beskerming oor Suid-Afrika gedurende die afgelope ses weke. Dank Hom dat daar geen erge bloedvergieting, onrus of terroriste aanvalle was gedurende die besoek van die nasies aan Suid-Afrika nie. Eer en verheerlik Hom omdat Hy Suid-Afrika toegelaat en vertrou het met die mense van soveel verskillende volkere. Eer Hom dat Hy Suid-Afrika vertrou het met so ‘n groot geleentheid. Danksegging bring eer aan Hom (Ps.50:23/24).Bid dat Suid-Afrikaners hierdie vertroue waardig sal wees deur verantwoordelikheid te aanvaar vir die sorg en beskerming van ander nasies wat tussen ons woon en hulle sal toelaat om hier te bly. Dank Hom ook vir ‘n polisiemag wat baie suksesvol was tydens die Wêreldbeker.
2. Vra die Heilige Gees om Suid-Afrikaners se siel (emosies en verstand) teen na-sokker depressie te beskerm. Bid vir vrede in die harte van alle Suid-Afrikaners en ander volkere wat saam met ons in Suid-Afrika woon. Bid dat die God van vrede oor ons harte en gedagtes wag sal hou en dat Hy ons sal beskerm teen enige aanvalle van die vyand in die vorm van rassehaat, gedagtes en handelinge van weerwraak en bloedvergieting, of aanhitsing tot stakings, oproerigheid, vernietigende verdrag en onrealistiese eise. Bid dat die regering geen onwyse besluite sal neem as gevolg van vrees of druk van vakbonde of ander groepe nie.
3. Weerstaan die werk van die Bose in die Naam van Jesus Christus en bid dat enige planne vir xenofobiese aanvalle, geweld, bloedvergieting, moord en anargie tot niks sal kom nie.
4. Bid dat God nie enige planne van die vyand om Suid Afrika se sosiale stelsels, ekonomiese stabiliteit, politieke en regs integriteit of verdedigingstelsels sal toelaat nie.
5. Weerstaan enige intimidasie of drang om toe te gee aan ‘n gees van vrees. God het ons nie ‘n gees van vrees gegee nie, maar vra dat ons Hom sal glo en vertrou dat Hy alles onder beheer het. Ons moet Hom selfs met ons lewens vertrou. Ons kan nie bekostig om toe te gee aan twyfel, selfbehoud en angstigheid nie. Nou is die tyd om onsself te verloën, Jesus en Sy manier van lewe na te volg, wat ookal die uiteinde mag wees. Hy het gesê: Ons moet ons vyande LIEFHÊ, nog ‘n myl moet STAP, en, indien nodig, ons LEWENS moet AFLÊ vir mekaar en vir Sy eer en verheerliking.
6. Bid vir ‘n uitstorting van die Heilige Gees op die inwoners van Suid-Afrika en dat hulle tot ‘n besef sal kom Wie God is en wat Sy planne vir ons land is. Bid dat die Kerk in Suid-Afrika uiteindelik haar roeping sal verstaan om werktuie van versoening (2 Kor.5:18) in ons eie land, in Afrika en in die wêreld te wees.
7. Bid vir die president en vir ministers in die Kabinet, om die Heilige Gees toe te laat om hulle te rig en te lei sodat hulle hierdie land kan bring tot ‘n plek van reg en geregtigheid (Spr.14:34). Bid vir almal wat in posisies van outoriteit is (1 Tim.1:1-2) sodat die Woord van die Evangelie vryelik in en deur ons land verkondig kan word.
8. Bid vir ‘n nasionale, ware, geestelike herlewing in die Kerk en vir die effektiewe evangelisering van ons land.
9. Vra dat God ‘n gees van gebed en smeking op die Kerk sal uitstort.
...He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hosea 6:3)
Jericho Walls International
Jericho Walls International Prayer Network
Private Bag X22
Lynnwood Ridge
0040
South Africa
Tel: +27-12-365 3213
