Christian Prayers for the World

By Keren Dibbens-Wyatt

A book of Christian prayers for use in intercession at church or home. It covers subjects from natural disasters to everyday concerns. Adaptable, heartfelt prayers written in a style that mixes practical concern with poetic compassion. Prayers in this book may be used freely within Church and Christian settings. Fully revised in December 2018, this little book of useful prayers has been downloaded over 3000 times.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781291835205

Book preview

2018

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the Living God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who inspires me daily to love him more, to know him better and to spend time in his abundant presence. May all honour and glory and praise be his, and may the few or the many who read and use this book be blessed to hunger for more of him in their lives.

Thank you, dear Father, for these your gifts.

Introduction

The prayers in this book began life on a social networking site in 2008.  I would spend time in prayer to request a subject close to the Lord’s heart and then work out a prayer that I and a few friends could all pray once that week.

Sometimes disasters or conflicts in the world needing urgent prayer would make the subject matter obvious, at other times I was surprised by the things that came to mind under the Holy Spirit’s direction.

The group Christian Prayers for the World soon grew and is still praying today, though due to my ill health the prayers are a bit more few and far between. You would be very welcome to join us at Christian Prayers for the World or copy and paste the following into your browser: https://www.facebook.com/groups/240497689314220/

After a while I decided to compile some of the prayers into a small, free ebook, and four years later it has been downloaded over 3,000 times, all over the world. By now, I felt it needed a bit of an overhaul, and so this is the new and, hopefully improved, second edition!

The prayers vary in length and depth, some included here are very specific, some seasonal and some more general. Please use them as you feel led, substituting current events or personal issues where necessary. Many of the prayers were originally written in response to a specific situation or catastrophe, or had certain towns, nations or provinces in mind. Where this was the case, I have either removed those specifics, or placed those names in italics, so that you can easily change them. There are two main sections, World and Spirit followed by a few prayers for the seasons.

All the prayers in this book have been written to be used in both public and private intercession. They may be used singly in print with acknowledgment in any church or Christian setting.  Within vocal intercessory prayer, for example within a church service, they may of course be used without acknowledgment. To republish any prayers singly and non-commercially, please acknowledge me as the author. To republish more than one prayer, please ask permission first by writing to the author at [e-mail] 

I have kept the wording in the book quite traditional. I come from an Anglican background, so that is reflected here. Please do of course feel free to address God in the ways that make sense to your heart. God encompasses and goes beyond all ideas of gender and though I tend to address him as Father, as Jesus did, and end most of the prayers in Jesus’ name, amen praying through the Holy Spirit, but the blessed Trinity can be called many different and wonderfully loving names.

Prayer is always only an attempt to put words to our heart longings, and it is not an exact science. These prayers are therefore merely templates, and there to help, rather than hinder. Feel free then to add or subtract what you want to as you pray.

I have many regrets in my life, but one thing I know, I will never think I prayed too much. Thank you for reading, and God bless you,

Keren.

World

Peace for the Nations

Dear Lord, we pray for the nations suffering political instability and ask that changes being brought about will have a peaceful end. Please let newly appointed leaders and governments help lead their countries to a state of peace that pleases you. We ask that in every country where regime changes are in the pipeline, there will be peaceful handovers of power, so that things change only according to your will and in your timing, with no more bloodshed. In the precious name of your son Jesus, amen.

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Dear Lord, we bring the nations before you today. We lift to you those with fragile governments, and those reeling from violence or terrorist attacks. Lord, the problems in so many places seem insurmountable to us. Thank you, Father, that no problem is too big or difficult for you. You know exactly what to do, and all the while you champion the innocent and the hurting. Please bring your kingdom answers to all nations and bring peace and stability to them, and healing to their wounded peoples.

In Jesus' name, amen.

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Dear Lord, thank you for all people who are committed to bringing about peace. We lift all their efforts to you for your blessing and we ask that you would be present giving wisdom and direction at all government military meetings and at all peace talks and arbitrations.

We ask that you would guide and inspire those attending peace conferences and think tanks.  Let their findings inform and facilitate the progress of peace and the end of war in our world. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Our Lord in heaven, we bring before you the winds of change and discontent stirred up in various countries around the world. We ask for restraint on the part of the military and law enforcement agencies in Egypt, Bahrain and Libya, and wherever protests are being held. We pray for protection for those who protest peacefully and we pray for the bereaved and injured in these places, and that the ripples of violence will be stopped from spreading. We pray against change for change's sake and for your wisdom, stability and peace to prevail in building up new governments, if and when this happens, and that this will not be done in haste but with care and founded upon you.

Above all we ask for patience when it is most needed and hardest to find. A rough-hewn stone is not yet ready for the Master's hammer and chisel, the refining process takes a great deal of time, and yet this is the last thing we want to acknowledge when we are hungry for change. Help those of us with that hunger to take the right path, not the quick path.

In Jesus' name, amen.

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