2023 Retreat Preparatory Prayers - Day 15: Defending the Gates of Our Cities

“ But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.” 
— Ezekiel 33:6

As intercessors, we are expected to have clear spiritual senses and eyes to perceive or see the sword of destruction and blow our trumpets at the holy mountain, and stand in the place of prayer. God will hold us accountable for certain happenings in our cities. We have to wake up from sleep, laziness, and slumber and stand at the gates, declaring that God’s Glory must be established in our cities.

Isaiah 62:6 “ I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence”.   God has positioned us on the walls of our cities, ask God for the grace to intercede until peace, holiness, righteousness, and salvation of the soul are seen in our cities.

Isaiah 52:8-9 “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye when the LORD shall bring again Zion.9 Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.” It’s not a choice but an expectation for intercessors to lift up their voices in the place of prayer until we see his light shine in our cities and the people bring him all the glory.

Psalm 29:9 “Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” Pray that the power of the enemy holding the gates of our city must give way so the King of. glory may come.

Ephesians 6:12 “ For our fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Stand on the revelation and understanding of this verse to challenge all sorts of principalities, powers, rulers, spiritual forces evil that fighting the beauty of God in our cities.

Jeremiah 29:7 “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”

Pray that God, in his mercies, will use you to establish peace in the city.

Psalm 55:9-11 “9 Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. 11 Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.” Stand by this word to declare that evil must be destroyed.

1 Corinthians 1: 10 “ I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” Pray for the unity of the church in our cities. Pray that God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will encourage the church to build a prayer movement.

2023 Retreat Preparatory Prayers - Day 14: Salvation

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.”
— Acts 16:31

God desires that everyone receives salvation according to Ezekiel 18:23 “Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” As intercessors we must stand before God to plead the case of those in need of salvation. The devil does not want to let go those he is holding captive but we have the power in the word of God to declare their freedom in Jesus name. The love of God for mankind is everlasting far beyond anything we could ever imagine according to Jeremiah 31:3 “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion”

Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Stand on this word and declare that in every home where salvation is needed, the grace of God for repentance will fall over them and they will ask God for forgiveness.

Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Some may trust in family names, fashion, money, homes, and cars. None of these names can bring salvation. There is only one name and is the name-JESUS. Pray for a revelation of the name of Jesus in the hearts of those who need salvation. For there is only one way to God according to John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Romans 10:9-10 “9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Pray that God will break every stony heart and create an atmosphere of believing Jesus in their heart and confusing that Jesus is Lord.

Jeremiah 31:19 “After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.” Pray that everyone in need of salvation will come to the place of self-reflection and cry out to God for salvation.

John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” Pray that God will draw those needing salvation to Jesus- a place of repentance.

Zechariah 1:3 “Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.” Pray for a heart to return to God so that God may return to them.

Hebrew 9:14 “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Pray that the blood of Jesus will flow through the heart, mind, soul, and spirit of all those needing salvation.