Today, we are turning our attention toward the church at large which extends around the world. We should be encouraged by the growth of the community of believers, but we should also lift them up in prayer. For our love for one another as the church of Jesus is an example to the world of how much He loves. Here are some specific focuses we can have as we pray for the church:

Pray for unity:

A key prayer that Jesus prayed for the Church and all the believers before He ascended was that we as a church “would all be one.” Unity pleases God (Psalm 133:1). So we must pray for unity in the local church and the Church world wide. We should pray against division or competition in the church or between churches (1 Corinthians 1:10), and we should pray that there would be great celebration, honor, patience, and forgiveness in our differences (Eph 4:11-13, Col 3:13-14).

Pray for endurance:

More than asking God to deliver the Church from persecution and hardship, we need to pray for the endurance and purity of the Church in the trials.

Pray for boldness:

Pray for boldness as the Church proclaims the good news of Jesus, that it would fearlessly stand firm in the face of persecution, and that people and communities would speak boldly, as Paul says in Ephesians 3:19-20.

Pray for peace:

The Hebrew word for peace is “shalom.” Shalom is not just an emotional state of peace, but a wholeness of our entire being. Pray for wholeness – physical, spiritual and emotional peace for the Church world wide! Jesus is the Prince of Peace. 3 John 1:2 says, “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”