The 40/40 Prayer Vigil is a call to pray for personal spiritual revival and national renewal. The 40/40 Prayer Vigil consists of 40 days of prayer from September 24 to November 2, 2008, culminating in 40 hours of around the clock intercession during the last 3 days of the Vigil. The Vigil focuses first on personal spiritual revival. It then covers an expanding circle of prayer concerns, from the church to the nation.
The 40/40 Prayer Vigil is co-sponsored by the North American Mission Board and the Ethics and Religous Liberty Commission. Both are entities of the Southern Baptist Convention.
I hear many people ask, "I am just one person, how can I make a difference in our nation?" Here is the simple answer, pray. "But how should I pray?" you ask. The Bible tells us how to pray for personal revival and national renewal.
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 I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).
This verse makes it clear that if we are to see national renewal we must first have spiritual revival. God's people, not the unbelieving world, are called to repent of their sin. Repentance is desperately needed in the church today.
So how should we pray? We should humble ourselves before a holy God, earnestly seek His face, and pray for forgiveness. Repentance is not just asking for God's forgiveness. It is God's people turning back to God. Repentance is the condition on which God will hear our prayers and heal our land. And our land is in need of healing.
Would you join with me, my church, and thousands of others in this 40 day prayer vigil for spiritual revival and national renewal. An excellent prayer guide has been produced and can be downloaded in pdf format here. In order to open the files, you will need to Get Adobe Reader.
