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Praying & Fasting for Thurrock
A Prayer Guide
This can be used as a liturgy to be worked through, or as a means to ignite your imagination.
The contents are based on scriptures, words and pictures that have been spoken over the borough in recent years. Scriptures quoted are NIV unless otherwise stated.
1. THURROCK’S POSITION
Declaration:
Psalm 24:7-10
Lift up your heads, O you gates; ?
be lifted up, you ancient doors, ?
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory? ?
The LORD strong and mighty, ?
the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates; ?
lift them up, you ancient doors, ?
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is he, this King of glory? ?
The LORD Almighty— ?
he is the King of glory.
Thurrock’s Importance & Identity:
- Geographically - where we are
- Historically - why we are what we are
- Spiritually - who we are
Strategic significance regarding:
- Thames Gateway region - we are gatekeepers
- London - we are watchmen & guardians on the tower
- UK - we are lighthouse keepers
- Europe & the world - we are newscasters & message-bearers (Thurrock motto: ‘From the Thames to the peoples of the world’)
Declaration:
Isaiah 28:5-6
In that day the LORD Almighty ?will be a glorious crown, ?
a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people.
He will be a spirit of justice ?to him who sits in judgment, ?
a source of strength ?to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
Invite the King of Glory through the gates of Thurrock ... into its citizens / church / politics (Council & Parliament) / commerce / industry / health service / emergency services / law & order / justice system / education / social services / voluntary sector / culture & entertainment / religions & ethnicities / etc.
Declaration:
Isaiah 62:10
Pass through, pass through the gates! ?
Prepare the way for the people. ?
Build up, build up the highway! ?
Remove the stones. ?
Raise a banner for the nations.
2. THURROCK’S COMMUNITY
Declaration:
Judges 6:11-12
The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
6:12 KJV
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
6:12 Amplified Bible
And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage.
Exchange...
- ‘Gideon syndrome’ (man-negative) for ‘Mighty Man’ identity (Jesus-positive)
- Low self-esteem & self-worth for God-given approval & validation
- Ignorance of God & scepticism for knowledge of & faith in God thru word & action brought by Believers
- A spirit of abandonment (& divorce) for the security of adoption (& marriage to the Father heart of God)
- A ‘winepress mentality’ (trying to do the big thing in the small place) for destiny-fulfilling envisionment, equipping & empowerment, seizing the day
- ‘A place where filthy water collects’ for ‘the place where the fresh water of the life-giving, life-cleansing, life-transforming & life-redeeming Holy Spirit flows’
Declaration:
Isaiah 62:4-5
No longer will they call you Deserted, ?
or name your land Desolate. ?
But you will be called Hephzibah,?
and your land Beulah; ?
for the LORD will take delight in you, ?
and your land will be married.
As a young man marries a maiden, ?
so will your sons marry you; ?
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, ?
so will your God rejoice over you.
62:12
They will be called the Holy People, ?
the Redeemed of the LORD; ?
and you will be called Sought After, ?
the City No Longer Deserted.
3. THURROCK’S CHURCH
Declaration:
Isaiah 41:17-20
"The poor and needy search for water, ?
but there is none; ?
their tongues are parched with thirst. ?
But I the LORD will answer them; ?
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will make rivers flow on barren heights, ?
and springs within the valleys. ?
I will turn the desert into pools of water, ?
and the parched ground into springs.
I will put in the desert ?
the cedar and the acacia,
the myrtle and the olive. ?
I will set pines in the wasteland, ?
the fir and the cypress together,
so that people may see and know, ?
may consider and understand, ?
that the hand of the LORD has done this, ?
that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Becoming an Oasis of Hope for the people:
- Diversity of trees, placed in one location
- Diversity of God-created expressions, rooted in & fed by one river of life
- Diversity of churches, united by & in one Spirit of Christ Diversity of culture, being one witness of Jesus’ love
United prayer & united mission = transformation:
Building relationships, knocking down divisions / Dreaming together / Sharing information / Talking to one another / Pooling resources / Praying with & for each other / Joining in mission & outreach projects / Celebrating & mixing the historical and the new
Cross/non-denominational missional activity & redemptive agencies (to name a few):
- Besom (poverty alleviation)
- Bar’N’Bus (outreach to young people on the streets)
- Streetlife (youth dance troupe)
- Faith & Freedom (domestic abuse awareness)
- Oasis (counselling & education re. drugs & alcohol)
- Celebrate Recovery (freedom from addictive behaviours)
- Access (interchurch young adults’ gathering)
- A World of Opportunities (prayer network)
- Pray4Thurrock (prayer meetings)
- Inspirational Youth Call (clubs & mentoring)
- Transformation Thurrock (prayer, mission & unity)
- others with Christian input & influence e.g. Scouts
Declaration:
Isaiah 58:11-12
The LORD will guide you always; ?he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land ?and will strengthen your frame. ?You will be like a well-watered garden, ?like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins ?and will raise up the age-old foundations; ?you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, ?Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Exchange...
- Empire for Kingdom
- Division for unity
- Isolation for fellowship
- Control for freedom
- Duty for love
- Pride for humility
- Competition for collaboration
- Self promotion for Christ-at-the-centre
- Manmade for God-created
- Bricks for rocks
Declaration:
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 their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
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Tim Harrold, 07/02/2010 |
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