Praying for America

Praying for America by John Maempa

A rising tide of concern is sweeping through the body of Christ as America drifts farther and farther away from its moral and biblical moorings. In response, prayer initiatives are budding in an attempt to call people across denominational and parachurch ministry lines to seek God's intervention on behalf of America.

"There is a very real sense that we are facing an unprecedented moral and spiritual decline in our nation," says John Maempa, director of the Office of Prayer and Spiritual Care. "Desperation is building among many within the church to call upon God in these very challenging days. Conditions today are bringing the Church together as never before. We are battling a common enemy, Satan; addressing a common problem, sin; and presenting a common solution, salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord."

With this increase in prayer initiatives, the church is engaging in spiritual battle. "Prayer is a common-denominator discipline within the Church," Maempa adds. "While there may be differences in doctrine and on some issues of faith and practice, the need to pray and the conviction that prayer makes a difference, are points of universal agreement. As we unite in prayer, God's hand moves in powerful ways."

OneCry, a prayer initiative launched under the auspices of Life Action Ministries early this year, is mobilizing thousands of people across the United States to pray daily for a spiritual awakening that will revitalize the Church and transform the culture.

Drafting a "declaration of national spiritual emergency true revival is the only hope to reverse our spiritual recession and enable us once again to display the beauty of Jesus Christ and His gospel throughout the world."

For the past four years, Cry Out America, under the Awakening America Alliance, has urged believers to gather at county courthouses to pray for God's intervention in America.

A call to churches across denominational lines has again been issued for July 14-20, 2012, at First Baptist Church, Lilburn, Georgia. Speakers and prayer leaders include Dan Biser, Richard Owen Roberts, James Pool, Don Miller and Ron Auch.

"We are to do what they did in the book of Acts, what they did in every occurrence of persecution, what they did in times of such evil-- they prayed!" says Biser. "They came together for they knew that there was no power left in their means and methods; there was no power in their organization; there was no power in their education; there was only the power of God."

"Clearly, God is mobilizing His Church to confront and reverse the downward spiral our nation is experiencing morally and spiritually," Maempa says. "Please become involved.

If you cannot become directly engaged, your prayer support for these efforts and for the Church and our nation will help bring God¹s intervention in these critical times.

Thank you for praying. It does make a difference!"