A Resurrection Day Prayer for the Church
Our Father and our God –
Today we celebrate the most powerful act that has ever happened – the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from death.
We serve a risen Savior! He’s in the world today!
We know that he is living no matter what others say!
Worship is rising from every nation and language and culture and style around the world – from diverse peoples who are all created in your image – celebrating the truth of your resurrection especially on this day.
The church of the Living God – the Body of Christ – the Kingdom of God – is growing and expanding by the power of your resurrection and the presence of your Holy Spirit.
But we have not been – and are not – a faithful people. We have a great need to repent of sin and be revived in our spiritual life.
We know that genuine repentance needs to spread through your church and demolish strongholds of sin in our lives – tear down idols in our lives – bring new life and revival to your church.
We know that our love for you has grown cold, and that we need to grow in love for you. We want love for you to consume us.
We know that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to flood your church – fill us to overflowing – and flow through us to a needy world
On this glorious Resurrection day, we pray for your church and for the spread of the Gospel around the world.
On this glorious Resurrection day, the message our risen Lord is tainted by false teaching and hypocritical living. The Gospel – the “good news” – of our Lord Jesus Christ is compromised by heresies.
Some are being deceived by a false gospel that following you guarantees financial wealth and an easy life.
Some are being deceived by a false gospel of good works earning them a place in Heaven.
Some even go so far as to say that confession and repentance of sin – and a life of growing faithfulness – is unnecessary.
Some see no problem in thinking and living just like the world around us.
Perhaps this is because many people doubt the truthfulness of your Word, and even those who say they believe it spend so little time reading it and letting it change their lives.
And sadly, so many are in worship gatherings today with unbelieving and uncommitted hearts – passive and indifferent to the truths we are celebrating today.
Loving Lord, forgive us for the insult on your name and grace that our sin brings.
Change our hearts, O Lord!
You are the Potter – we are just your clay . . .
Mold us and remake us, we pray!
May a new and powerful move of your Holy Spirit come upon us and make us a people of great faith who expect you to do great things.
May your Spirit give us an insatiable hunger for your Word – for the spiritual nourishment we need to grow into the people you have created us to be.
May this hunger for your word lead us to be true and genuine disciples who are growing in our new life and casting off our old lives.
May we stop at nothing less than total surrender to filling our place in answer to your call to advance your Kingdom around the world.
What a wonderful salvation we have! Help us to truly grasp – and accept – and rejoice in – your amazing grace! We celebrate today because our salvation is guaranteed by a wonderful cross and an empty tomb.
Man of sorrows! What a name for the Son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
And when you come as our glorious king – and all of your ransomed host you bring – and we receive new bodies fit for eternity with you – then anew this song we will sing - Hallelujah, what a Savior!
Amen!
