Australian Prayer Network Office Closure
The Australian Prayer Network office will close this Friday for two weeks to enable our team to attend our final Watchmen School of Intercession being held in Perth, followed by the World Prayer Assembly also being held in Perth. This means that all newsletters will cease publication for that period. This therefore will be the last Prayer Watch bulletin for 3 weeks. The next Prayer Watch bulletin will appear in your inbox on Thursday 12th October.
Blessed by Forgiveness
Why is forgiveness such a blessing? Why is it so important? What difference can it make to us as individuals or us as a nation or a racial group? Watchman Nee described “Unforgiveness as the biggest door we open up to Satan” The Voice requires a change in our constitution, and we need to be careful not to open the door of unforgiveness. 30 years ago, when the South African government was reconstructed, there had been so much conflict that a Truth and Reconciliation Commission was set up to deal with it. Bishop Desmond Tutu, in his book No Future Without Forgiveness, argued that for South Africa to achieve true reconciliation they could not deny the past. It was not going to be easy to be reconciled while remembering past hurts. They knew forgiveness was the way to move forward with honesty and compassion and build a newer and more humane world. The indigenous pastor James Dargin found forgiveness enabled him to move away from a background of 50 years of trauma, pain, and loss. He had hated being black and became racist himself hating the white man. The impact forgiveness makes on an individual can also impact a nation as it did in South Africa.
We are aware that Satan uses every opportunity, when there is unforgiveness, to keep people racially separated. Forgiveness and reconciliation can heal our past and liberate us from bitterness, resentment, anger, and any need for retribution or redress. It can free people from feeling obsessed by those who have hurt them. Forgiveness helps to bring about closer relationships between individuals and between ethnic groups and nations. There will be no future for the relationships between former colonists and First Nation people without forgiveness. This enables good to come out of evil, love out of hate, light out of darkness. To forgive is even the best form of self-interest. It is good for our physical health as well as our spiritual health. When people don’t forgive, they shut tight the channels that would enable them to be forgiven in return. We can’t appropriate God’s forgiveness when we are clogged up with unforgiveness. (Mt 6:12) Peter was challenged by the need for forgiveness when he came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’ (Mat 18:21-22) The referendum shows how we all are involved in helping to establish a unified nation. Although our Australian First nation peoples have not usually sought revenge for past atrocities, many still feel hurt by them. They have felt excluded from the decisions Canberra is making about Indigenous issues. This is why a number have been asking for a voice. It might help to listen to the song by TobyMac ‘Forgiveness’
Let’s Pray:
* That the referendum will result in a greater coming together of people from different ethnic backgrounds to forgive one another and be reconciled.
* Giving thanks that You are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to You. (Ps 86:5) That if we hold anything against anyone, that we forgive them, so that our Father in heaven may forgive us our sins. (Mk 11:25) That we know that people are blessed whose transgressions are forgiven and whose sins are covered.” (Ps 32:1)
* Thanking God for more individuals experiencing the freedom of true forgiveness and a future in which more and more of us will know we are forgiven.
World Prayer Assembly
This is the final week of prayer for the World Prayer Assembly being held in Perth from 3rd-6th October.
Please pray:
* For all delegates as they travel to and from the Assembly, for safety in travel and for an anointing of God’s presence and power during their time in Perth.
* For the numerous breakout groups and other prayer activity associated with the Assembly that each would be meaningful and powerful in God’s hands.
* For the Worship team to be anointed to be able to lead the delegates into the presence of God in every session and release the power of the Holy Spirit over the whole Assembly.
Defending Religious Freedom in our Schools
Around Australia Christians have been working hard to secure important meetings with their local federal MPs to discuss the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) recommendations regarding faith-based schools. The ALCR has recommended that Christian schools be stripped of their right to teach according to their beliefs on sexuality and gender. Some examples of the proposals are:
- Denying them the right to hire staff who share their religious ethos unless their role is specifically “A religious role”.
- Preventing them requiring staff to model the school’s religious beliefs on gender and sexuality.
- Denying them the right to address student behaviour in these areas.
The ALCR’s proposals will entrench progressive ideologies and significantly impact your right to educate your children in accordance with your religious and moral convictions.
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has recently had meetings with at least a dozen MPs and continues to engage with them and others while the ALCR recommendations remain on the table.
Please pray:
“Jesus gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age”. Galatians 1:4 MSG
* Lord, our salvation was won at great cost and the freedom of the gospel is now under threat, as it was when Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians. Help us to spread the good news of freedom with love and courage.
* Pray for the members of the ALCR, that they listen to and act on the objections raised and that they understand the importance of freedom of religion.
* Pray for the ACL and pray for great success as they lobby MPs around our nation. May their voice be always encouraging and uplifting.
Praying for issues in the News
* With The Weather Bureau formally calling the commencement of an El Nino, Australia appears set for a hot and dry summer. This increases the likelihood of bush fires which have had devastating results in recent years in many parts of our nation. Fear is rising across the nation as to what this summer may hold for our country. Please pray asking God for His protection over our nation, over communities and the properties of individuals. Pray for strength to be given to our firefighters and wisdom to those in positions of authority whose role is to direct operations in fire zones. Pray that lives will not be lost to fires this summer and property damage will be kept to a minimum.
* Anger is arising, particularly in country areas as the Federal Government attempts to push through massive changes to achieve net zero targets to which it has committed. Changes are affecting rural properties and affecting the production of prime farming land and the value or rural properties. Please pray for negotiations between the Government and farmers to be productive and for the environment, and living standards of our farmers, to be protected, with solutions found to the problems that are arising daily that will be acceptable to all parties.
Praying for Others
This week let us pray for Sri Lanka. Open Doors are seeking new ways to serve the persecuted church in the face of new challenges. Pray for wisdom, creativity, and discernment.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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