Praying for Your Neighbors

As you walk through the neighborhood this rest day remember to pray for your community and see God work!

Following is a suggested prayer to use on “neighborhood prayer walks” based on the Lord’s Prayer. It was written by Roy Schulz and is taken from the “Body Life”newsletter from the 120 Fellowship Sunday School Class of Lake Avenue Congregational Church in Pasadena, CA:

Our Father who art in heaven. . .

“Lord, You are a Father to us, Your people. But we want every person in this block to know You as Father, too. We speak Your comfort and peace to them. We want them to know that the God of the Bible is a God of love and the only genuine source of everything they long for now and in eternity.“

Hallowed be thy name. . . 

“Lord, we are here to represent Your kingdom in the midst of darkness. We want Your presence to come to this block in a special way and never leave here. We claim this territory as a part of Your Kingdom and declare, “Every place the soles of our feet tread upon belongs to You.” We want You, Lord, to come back to planet Earth and reclaim all of it, because You made it and because it is also our inheritance in Christ. And we want everyone on this block to share in that inheritance, because they too are made in the image of God and are precious in His sight!”

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. . .

“Lord Jesus, we want You to come back to this earth. We pray that everyone on this block would come to know Your will for their lives and obey that will. We pray they would repent and seek Your will without fear of compromise and that they would rejoice in their obedience, because it glorifies You.“

Give us this day our daily bread. . .

“Lord, people on this block worry about not having enough food or clothing or shelter. We pray they all learn that You are ready and willing to supply all of their physical, emotional and spiritual needs daily, if they would look to You. We pray that they would turn from dishonest or criminal acts inspired by fear and insecurity, and that they would turn to You for their confidence and security.”

And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. . . .

“Lord, teach these precious people about Your forgiveness for them and Your requirements of their forgiveness towards others. Father, these people need to know about Your wonderful Grace and forgiveness in Christ, so that the burdens of guilt they bear can be lifted and that their forgiveness will then relieve the burdens of others. Lord, teach them about forgiveness as a stepping stone into unimaginable freedom and blessings.”

And lead us not into temptation. . . .

“Lord, many of these people are in agonizing difficulties due to mistakes, sins and the traps of Satan. We are asking You to show them the way out of these problems and into Your freedom. Relieve them of all bondage, and feed them in the liberty of Your pasture. Deliver them from despair and fill them with Your hope.”

But deliver us from the evil one. . . .

“Father, bring these special people to a knowledge of the spiritual source of pain and suffering – to realize there is a devil and that he, not other people, is their enemy – so they will stop blaming and fighting each other. Give them an awareness of the spiritual realm and its impact on their daily lives. Grant them a sense of the spiritual battle we are all engaged in. And teach them that Jesus has already won the victory!”

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen...

“Again, Lord, we pray that You would be glorified in this particular block and in the city as a whole. We ask that all the people would learn to praise You spontaneously because they really know who You are – as the true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and that the Scriptures are Your priceless revelation of Yourself to the world and to each individual person. We want these people taken out of the darkness and put into Your wonderful kingdom of light so that together we may worship You in unity and love forever. The chief end of humankind is to glorify You and to enjoy You forever, and we ask that this entire city and the whole world would come to realize this ultimate purpose for their existence. Thy kingdom come – here, beginning today!”

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” 
(Ephesians 3:20-21, NKLV)