Introduction
Dear Friend in Christ, we are delighted that you will join us in prayer for spiritual revival and national renewal. Our nation is in need of both. Jesus declared that His followers are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). We must become engaged in this battle for our nation’s soul. However, until as Christians we experience revival in our own lives, it will be extremely difficult to restore our nation’s moral foundations.
The battle for our nation’s soul is not just about voting booths. This is first and foremost a spiritual contest. A spiritual battle is being waged across our nation, and it must be met first of all with spiritual weapons. God’s people must pray for a great outpouring of God’s Spirit on them, the churches, and the nation. Then, when God has responded with His outpouring, His people will be empowered and motivated to do the hard work of restoring our nation’s moral foundation.
This Prayer Guide will help you join with thousands of other fellow believers to bring these great needs before God. The Guide provides a page for each day and hour of the 40/40 Prayer Vigil. Each page has everything you need to invest in a time of personal spiritual reflection and petition for yourself, the church, and the nation. Please keep in mind though, that the Guide is just that — a guide. It is designed to give you a starting place for your time of prayer. Here are some suggestions for making your prayer vigil a powerful, personal spiritual time.
How to Get Started
This prayer guide can be used by an individual, a small group, an entire church body, or an even larger group. Here’s how:
• First, decide if you want to use this as a personal guide to 40 days of prayer or ask others to join you.
• Second, decide if you want to pray for forty days or forty hours. The Guide is designed to support either of these options.
• You can pray once each day between September 26 and November 4, for forty days of prayer.
• You can pray for forty hours, between 4:00 p.m. on November 2 and 8:00 a.m. on November 4.
• Third, if you decide to make this a group effort, create a sign-up list and ask others to join you in the prayer time.
• Fourth, register your commitment to pray at the 40/40 Prayer Vigil Web site (4040prayer.com) to let others know that you are joining the national movement to seek God for spiritual revival and national renewal.