Australia Prays for America

One of my many hats is as a coordinator for Australia’s National Day of Prayer and Fasting. The NDOPF team  together with other National leaders, is calling the nations of the world to pray and fast for the USA for seven days from 30 April – 6 May 2015.

We in Australia believe it is our turn to bless the nation of America and pray for healing for the USA through prayer and fasting according to 2 Chronicles 7:14. We are grateful for the protection that America gave Australia and the nations of the free world during World War II. The Battle of the Coral Sea fought by the USA in 1942, was the turning point in the Second World War for Australia. Thank God for America!

Without the intervention of America’s armed forces, Hitler and his evil forces, would have beaten the Allies in World War II. Without America’s active resistance, Communism would have triumphed in the twentieth century. Those two Godless ideologies were responsible for over 120 million deaths in the Twentieth Century. How many more lives were spared because of America’s stand against evil? Thank God for America!

Each year it is estimated that America gives over $70 billion per year in foreign aid to the world from Governmental, private and faith based institutions. People in almost all of the 206 nation states in the world benefit each year in some way from America’s generosity and kindness. Thank God for America.

The National Day of Repentance which is held on 30 April 2015, is the 226th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration as a devout Christian president. The National Day of Repentance takes its inspiration from Abraham Lincoln’s Day of ‘Humiliation, Prayer and Fasting’ held during the devastating times of the Civil War. This day of Repentance begins this 7 day period of prayer and fasting and concludes on 6 May, the eve of the USA National Day of Prayer. God answered Abrahams Lincoln’s prayer and fasting in times of national crisis then and he can do the same today.

Families are in Crisis and So are our Respective Nations

Let me tell you a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Today our respective national houses are on fire, the alarm bells are ringing and Everybody believes that Somebody should do something to put the fire out. In Australia and America between a third and a half of all marriages fail. We have collectively rejected biblical morality which means more and more people do not even bother getting married and cohabiting couples suffer family breakdown at five times the rate of married couples. Marriage is in crisis!

No fault divorce with ever increasing levels of adultery are also undermining marriage and leading to an epidemic of fatherlessness which is crippling the next generation and leading to higher levels of incarceration for crime, higher levels of criminal behavior, drug addiction, domestic violence, increasing levels of abortion and other forms of homicide, poverty, psychological problems, a pandemic of pornography, increasing levels of child sexual abuse, increasing problems in public health and a myriad of problems in education and in government.

Even worse, there are forces within our respective nations that want to redefine marriage. The redefinition of marriage will totally destroy marriage and lead to even greater levels of fatherlessness, family breakdown and gender confusion. Everybody agrees that our respective nations are in crisis and Somebody should do something.

Prayer is the Answer

That something is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from there wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land”.

The Hebrew word for humble is KANA and it also used in scripture to refer to times of fasting. Our respective nations need a good dose of prayer, fasting and repentance from the fire hydrant of the water of life. Only a concerted and united campaign of prayer, fasting and repentance can restore the church and then the nation to spiritual health. We need revival and reformation.

America is in crisis because it has forgotten the rock from which it has been hewn and it is falling into moral and spiritual bankruptcy. Moral and spiritual bankruptcy leads to financial and governmental bankruptcy. America is in great danger from within and without. Lana Vawser from Australia said, “There is a fight for the destiny of the USA right now. The destiny of America hangs in the balance. The Lord is calling his people to arise and pray for the United States of America. It is time to contend.”

We are calling the nations of the world to join in prayer and fasting with our brothers and sisters in Christ for revival and reformation in the USA. Last year we had people from over 40 nations join with us. This year we are believing for over 100 nations to join us in prayer and fasting for the USA.

People have asked us why are you doing this? I wish I could say it was Australia’s idea but it was Ps Jeff Daly, coordinator of America’s National Day of Repentance, who first called for prayer for Australia on our National Day of Prayer and Fasting, February 2013. He asked us for prayer on America’s National Day of Repentance held later that year on 30 April 2013. How could we say no?

Thanks and Tears from America

This process of helping lead prayer and fasting for the USA has been profoundly humbling . When the Steve Shultz and the Elijah list first published news of Australia’s call to Pray and Fast for America they received 1.2 million hits in a 24 hour period which was something of an all time record. The video we put together called Australia’s Prayer for America has also gone viral receiving over 20,000 hits in a two week period.

What has been really humbling has been the comments and the tears of thanks. Kim Marble from Richmond Virgina said, “I wept with thanksgiving that you will be praying for us… The announcement of your call to prayer and fasting on behalf of America was a great encouragement to me. I am a prayer warrior but I have been weary and, at times, discouraged… I pray for Christ to be the true Cornerstone of our nation… I pray for our nation to come into its God ordained destiny.”

Laura Mallory from Texas said, “I just wanted to say thank you very, very much… Hearing people from other nations pray for mine touched a hurt spot in my heart that I hadn’t even realized was there which had been caused by knowing that many people hate my nation. It was healing today for that wound to hear so much true love for the USA and I will never forget it!”

Doug Stringer the facilitator of the Response USA fighting back the tears said, “I’m absolutely moved in the depths of my heart and spirit! It’s a cup of cool water from across the seas to know our brothers and sisters are praying for us. Thank you to all our Aussie brothers and sisters!!!!

The scripture says in Job 42:10, “God restored the captivity of Job after he prayed for his friends”. America is a long time friend of Australia. Both nations fought together in the first and second world wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf, Afghanistan, and now we fight side by side in a spiritual battle for our respective nations. There is a restoration that comes as we lift each other up before the throne of Grace.

This process of giving in prayer is patterned on our Father in Heaven who is known as the giving God. The scripture says in James 1:5, ” If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.” We should continue to follow in our Father’s footsteps and be generous in our prayers for each other.

God bless America!

Father in Heaven
Thank you for America home of the brave and the land of the free.
This nation has been a great blessing to the nations of the world.
She has financed the preaching of the gospel to the four corners of the earth; sent missionaries to almost all the nations of the world.
We thank you for the enormous aid given to the poor around the globe.
We thank you for the protection that the American Armed Forces has given freely to the peoples of the earth.
Today we stand in the gap on behalf of the nation of America and cry out for mercy.
Yes, this nation has turned its back on you but so has our nation of Australia.
We thank you that “mercy triumphs over judgment”.
We thank you that you are looking for the merest excuse to bless us and heal us.
Jesus has made a way at the cross and His blood cries out grace and more grace.
Lord forgive us, Lord cleanse us, Lord heal us.
In Jesus name we pray. AMEN.

Warwick Marsh
www.nationaldayofprayer.com.au