Juneteenth Prayer Guide

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On June 19, 1865 Major Gordon Granger landed on the shores of Galveston, TX with the news that the Civil War had ended and all the enslaved were free. Texas was the last state to be made aware of the Emancipation Proclamation President Abraham Lincoln signed 2 years prior, on January 1, 1863, and where he proclaimed, “And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves ... are, and henceforward shall be free.”

This powerful proclamation was made during the American Civil War where our nation was in a time of upheaval. Today, our nation is in an upheaval where protests and advocacy groups are calling national, state and local authorities to acknowledge that racism is still rampant in our society’s laws and practices that continue to devalue, in particular, our black brothers, sisters, friends and neighbors. As long as racism exists, we as the church must continue to rise up in prayer and action to eradicate this evil sin and see one another as God sees us—His sons and daughters who are created in His image. 

Therefore, on June 19, 2020 we challenge you to take a stand against racism by joining together to pray and fast for God to break the stronghold of racism over our nation, city and neighborhoods. We encourage you to set aside at least one meal to pray and follow the guide below so that, united under the banner of Christ and His love for us, we can together stand in the gap for our black brothers, sisters, neighbors and friends.

Prayer Guide

Pause

Rejoice

  • Take time to rejoice in the fact that God knows man’s every detail (Psalm 139:14; Matthew 10:29-30; 

  • Rejoice that God is able to sympathize with man and our weakness (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Ask

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind any offensive way in you (Psalm 139:24)

  • Ask God to stand against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12) that seek to keep our nation, city and neighborhoods bound up in racism. 

  • Ask God to move on the hearts of government officials, law enforcement and individuals to do right, pursue justice, seek peace and defend the oppressed so that our city will prosper (Isaiah 1:16; Jeremiah 29:7; 1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Yield

  • Begin to pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is revealing in your own heart and allow Him to bring healing, wholeness and greater clarity on how to be for, not against, people of color (1 John 3:11-24).

  • Take action on what the Holy Spirit is leading you to take action in (1 John 4:16-21).

zach.daniel