CONTINUING IN THE 40 DAY PRAYER ADVENTURE!
WEEK 5 – OUR TOWN OF IPSWICH
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FORTY DAYS OF PRAYER
“Lord, teach us to pray”
Luke 11 v1
This week our focus for prayer is Ipswich. If you live somewhere else, you
might also like to pray for your own town or village. The bible has several
accounts of people who took responsibility to pray for and defend their
city or town. Nehemiah, a leader of Jerusalem, was devastated when the
city walls were broken down and the gates were destroyed. He prayed
and looked to God to restore Jerusalem, rededicating the city to him.
CITY GATES & WATCHMEN
In ancient times, the walls and gates of a city were vital. Watchmen were
stationed on the walls to see what was happening around them, to look
out for any danger and to warn the people. As a church praying for our
town, we take on the role of watchmen at our posts, like soldiers
armoured to battle in prayer for the town in which God has placed us.
(Read more about the armour of God in Ephesians 6:10-17).
Gates of a town were places of power and authority. Business was carried
out there and justice administered. The security of the city relied heavily
on the strength of its main gate. Controlling the city gate meant control
over the city itself.
Today, in our towns and cities there are spiritual gates; key positions of
authority and influence. This includes positions of responsibility in
government, business, media, entertainment, the justice system,
education, health and social care. We are encouraged to pray for people
in these positions of authority and influence so that the right decisions are
made for our town and for Suffolk.
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FORTY DAYS OF PRAYER
Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the
King of glory may come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong
and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
Psalm 24: 7-8 NIV
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In a sense we too are ‘gates’. We have been given authority to pray in
the name of Jesus and have access to all the resources of heaven. We
have been given the keys of the kingdom and can pray with assurance
and in faith ‘your kingdom come, your will be done’ in Ipswich.
As we pray, we should also remember that the battle has already been
won by Jesus. We can claim and proclaim his victory over the town. In
battle flags or banners are raised to mark victory and to show that the
ground has been won. God revealed himself as Jehova Nissi, ‘God is our
banner’ (Exodus 17: 8-16) and can speak the name of Jesus as a banner
over the town.
CATCHING GOD’S HEART FOR OUR TOWN
God wants to break our hearts for our town. Spend time in God’s
presence and ask him to show you his love and compassion for the people
of this town and to fill your own heart with that same love and
compassion. See what God see, love what God loves.
Heal my heart and make it clean, Open up my eyes to the things unseen,
Show me how to love like you have loved me.
Break my heart for what breaks yours.
Everything I am for your kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity, Hosanna in the highest.
From the worship song, Hosanna in the highest (Hillsong)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjXbx_4oIn4
OUR TOWN
Over this week you could spend time praying for each area or focus on
one or two that you know well and can pray for more specifically. Thank
him for the people that serve the town.
Pray for those in authority and influence over the town and for kingdom
values to be reflected in the decisions that are made in:
Local government - Ipswich Borough Council, Suffolk County Council,
for policies and decisions made, particularly in this election year…
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FORTY DAYS OF PRAYER
Businesses in the town - small businesses based just in this area;
national or international companies where decisions made at a distance
affect lives locally…
Justice and order - the police, the courts, support groups providing
services for victims and offenders of crime…
Arts, culture and media – local newspapers and radio, entertainment
venues (especially where alcohol is involved), museums and libraries…
Health and social services – hospitals, surgeries and medical centres,
hospices, nursing and residential homes for the elderly, children’s
nurseries, social services and community care…
Education – schools, colleges, the university, school support services…
This is not a complete list! Pray for any other aspect of town life that God
has prompted you to think about.
Remember each day to pray for your 3 friends, your own big issue and for
more of God’s presence!
PRAYING FROM THE BIBLE
Day 29
6O
Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day
and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. 7 Give
the Lord no rest until he completes his work, until he makes Jerusalem
the pride of the earth.
Isaiah 62:6-7 NLT
Day 30
1I
urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them;
intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2Pray this way for
kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet
lives marked by godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2: 1-2 NLT
Day 31
Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried
you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will
prosper.”
Jeremiah 29:7 NIV
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Day 32
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my
people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their
heart.
Jeremiah 24:7 NIV
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Day 33
“And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.”
Ezekiel 48:35 NIV
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FORTY DAYS OF PRAYER
Day 34
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind
on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16: 19 NIV
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Day 35
Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how
thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship,
deeply reverent before God.
Hebrews 12: 28 MSG
A PRAYER OF BLESSING FROM FFALD–Y-BRENIN
www.ffald-y-brenin.org.
We stand in the mighty name of Jesus and bless you Ipswich that you
might prosper under the mighty hand of God. We bless you that justice
and righteousness might take their proper place within your boundaries.
We bless you that the favour of the Lord might rest upon you and give
you peace. We bless you that the Father’s compassion might fall upon
your people. We bless your poor that they might be lifted up. We bless
you that the knowledge of Jesus might come in amongst you like a flood.
We bless the people of God in Ipswich that they might rise up with
servant authority and become a people of blessing. We bless you that the
joy of the Lord might be your strength. Amen.
PRAYER AS SPIRITUAL WARFARE
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the
contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:4 NIV
‘The word of God is a shield. Whenever we feel vulnerable, exposed or
insecure, the Word can be used as a shield that protects us. Literally, His
word in our lives becomes our defence tool that creates a barrier of
protection against all opposition and provides a safe place of refuge for
us.’
(Rachel Hickson, Eat the Word, Speak the Word)
‘As we wait upon the Lord, He will show us which strategy or method of
warfare to use. God is a God of relationship. He is a father who is
passionately in love with His family and He prioritises love over labour. It
is our relational aspect of our walk with Christ that prepares us for the
warring aspect’.
(Dutch Sheets, Intercessory Prayer)
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