By Joseph Ametepe
Generous and Good Father, we adore and appreciate You for Your generosity and goodness toward us. You have brought us into the new month of March 2024. Truly, we acknowledge that You have been so generous and so good to us in February 2024. Many trials and tests came our way in February 2024, but You stood by us and sustained and strengthened us. You hadn’t failed us nor forsaken us in the midst of the trials that came our way. Had it not been Your sustaining help, we would have gone under.
Indeed, to You, O LORD, be the glory
Indeed, to You, O LORD, “be the glory forever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:18b). You are great and greatly to be praised (see Psalm 48:1). “Lord, You have been our dwelling place” (Psalm 90:1) and our defender and deliverer in these uncertain times. If You had not been our dwelling place and defender, we would have been defeated by our enemies. For our enemies in the spiritual and physical realms, seek to harm us. We thank You for Your commitment to defend and deliver us from all evil. As David declared, so also we declare. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4a).
Generous and Good Father, we cherish Your presence with us
Truly, Generous and Good Father, we cherish Your presence with us. Because Your presence with us assures us of Your peace, power, preservation and protection of us from all evil. It also affirms to us that You are our Provider and Personal Guide in life. Indeed, the benefits and blessings of Your presence with us, are many.
Jacob testified of the blessings of God's presence with him
Jacob testified of the blessings of God’s presence with him during a difficult time in his life. “I see that your father does not regard me with favor as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me” (Genesis 31:5b; ESV). Your presence preserved and protected Jacob in all his sojourn on earth. It also assured him of Your provision and personal guidance in his time of need.
You promised that Your presence will be with us
Indeed, Lord, You promised that Your presence will be with us to even the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20). May Your Holy Spirit enable us to live in the awareness of Your presence with us in such a time as this! May the Spirit also empower us to be assured of the many benefits and blessings of Your presence with us. Also, may the Spirit excite us to desire Your presence to go with us even as Moses the man of God desired it (see Exodus 33:15-16)!
We are grateful that You are our God
Generous and Good Father, we are grateful that You are our God. You have not failed us nor forsaken us. This is a great comfort to us in such a time as this. Indeed, Your word assures of this comforting truth. “The LORD your God is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8; NASB).
You will never fail us or forsake us
Because You will never fail us or forsake us, we can confidently commit our cause to You. We strongly believe that You have our best interest at heart. Not only that, You want Your very best for us in this life and in the life soon to come. Moreover, we know that You are working behind the scenes on our behalf. Furthermore, we are assured that You are working all things for the good of those who love You (see Romans 8:28). Indeed, Good Father, we can count on You to maintain our cause in March 2024.
We heartily and humbly dedicate the month of March 2024 to You
Therefore, we heartily and humbly dedicate the month of March 2024 to You! Please, Generous and Good Father, accomplish what concerns our families, friends, fellow believers and us. O “LORD, the King of Israel” (Isaiah 44:6), perform Your good purposes for Israel – Your chosen and cherished people. Also, Lord and Lover of the Church, carry out Your plans for Your Church – Your called out and consecrated believers. Furthermore, “Lord of all the earth,” (Joshua 3:11), in this month of March 2024, bring about all You desire to do for Your world! Made up all the nations and lands You created under the heavens.
You are the Creator...of the universe
Because You are the Creator, Controller, and Caretaker of the universe, we know You are directing the affairs of all the nations. In fact, Your word affirms this. “The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it upon whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Daniel 4:17b; NASB). Yes, Lord, You are the Ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand (see 2 Chronicles 20:6b). Therefore, we acknowledge that You are in control of the affairs of all nations. As such, today, we bring the affairs of the nations of the world to You.
Your desire for the nations is that they know and believe in You
Lord of all the earth, Your desire for the nations is that they know and believe in You. Your word says: “Let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:24; NASB). Although, You are knowable, today, many in the nations, do not have the true knowledge of You. The nations have forsaken You. They have forgotten You. They have followed gods that are no gods and take pride in them.
We pray for the people of the nations
Therefore, we pray for the people of the nations that You will open their hearts to come to know You personally. Give them a longing to know You “the true God” (2 Chronicles 15:3). We earnestly pray that You will open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to You (see Acts 26:18). O Ruler over all the earth, turn them from following futile things and becoming futile.
We pray for the leaders and rulers of the nations
Also, we pray for the leaders and rulers of the nations. You, Lord, raise up leaders and remove them. You also, direct their hearts to wherever You wish to accomplish Your purpose (see Proverbs 21:1). Indeed, our world is desperately in need of leaders whose hearts are yielded to You. But we also know that You can work through leaders who don’t even know You (see Isaiah 45:1-4).
Lord of the nations, change the hearts of the leaders
Please, Lord of the nations, change the hearts of the leaders and rulers of the nations. Grant that they will humble themselves before You and seek You. Help them to do what's right in Your sight (see 2 Chronicles 24:2; 25:2; 26:4). Grant also that, they will desire to hold in high esteem, Your word – the Bible and not disregard it. Please, do not let them lead the nations astray even as Jehoram, king of Judah, did in his reign (see 2 Chronicles 21:11)! Deliver them from doing what's evil in Your sight (see 2 Chronicles 22:4) and becoming proud of heart when they have become strong and successful (see 2 Chronicles 26:16-21).
We now pray for the nation of Israel
Specifically, God of Israel, we now pray for the nation of Israel – Your chosen and cherished people. You have chosen them to be a people for Your own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth (see Deuteronomy 7:6). You chose and loved them not because they were more numerous than any of the peoples. In fact, they were the fewest of all peoples. You chose them simply because You loved them and kept the oath which You swore to their forefathers (see Deuteronomy 7:7).
Lord, raise up a godly leader like Jehoiada the priest
Lord, raise up a godly leader like Jehoiada the priest, who led a reform to bring Judah back to You and to Your word (see 2 Chronicles 23). Remind them of Your unceasing and unconditional love for them. Reveal Yourself to them again that they will know that You are their God and redeemer. Grant that they will return to You with all their hearts and with all their souls. Grant also that they will bear fruit in keeping with their repentance (see Matthew 3:8).
LORD of hosts, fight for Israel in their current war
Also, “LORD of hosts” (Psalm 24:10), fight for Israel in their current war with Hamas, as it is according to Your will. Accomplish Your divine purpose for Israel through this war. And quickly bring this war to an end after accomplishing Your divine purpose for permitting it. For Your Word tells us that “[You make] wars to cease to the end of the earth” (Psalm 46:9a).
We pray for Your Church
And now, Generous and Good Father, we pray for Your Church in such a time as this. We confess that we desperately need You, for apart from You we can do nothing (see John 15:5a)! Therefore, we earnestly beseech You. O Lord, please awaken Your Church from our sleep to gather in souls for Your kingdom! Arouse us from our spiritual apathy to be about our Father’s business!
Anoint us afresh
Anoint us afresh to fulfill the Great Commission Charge which You’ve given to us (see Matthew 28:18-20)! Add to our number those who are being genuinely saved through our witness of Christ! Even as You did in the days of the apostles (see Acts 2:47b)! Assure us afresh that in the Lord our labor is not in vain (see 1 Corinthians 15:58)!
Renew our love for You
Also, Father, as we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (March 29-31, 2024), renew our love for You! Reveal more of Yourself to us! Revive our passion for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. For soon He will return to judge the world in righteousness (see Acts 17:31)! We pray all this in the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen!