We are about to enter the third decade of this century and millennium. Looking back, Jan. 1, 2001 opened the 21st century and the start of a new millennium, just as the year 1 A.D. marked the beginning of the Christian calendar; January 1, 2011, opened the second decade and January 1, 2021, will open the third decade. The year 2020 is not just a new year, it is a time for the evaluation of the old decade and preparation for the new decade.

The 95 days Call to Personal Renewal connects us through Epiphany – (Jan 6) to the Lenten season (Good Friday – April 10). The year 2020 as a crucial year points to completeness, the end of one decade and opportunity to lay foundation for a new decade. The plan of God for you and me at this point of completeness is a plan of salvation pictured as a river flowing from the threshold of the temple increasing in volume and bringing healing and prosperity to everything it touches (Ezk 47:1-12, Ps 1, Is 65:21-24). For this plan to come to pass, God is calling us to a time of personal renewal from Epiphany through the Lent to pray. 

Never in the history of the world has there been an era of divisions, corruption, war and terrorism. This is a tougher era of fake news, fake theology and leadership, spiritual and physical warfare. More nations, people and even churches are under bondage now, more than in any other period of human history. There are cases of deep bondage, uncommon attacks against the Christianity, family and horrendous occurrences in the lives of individuals. The devil has wreaked a lot of havoc upon humanity and Church. The Bible has described in vivid terms that God is aware of the high spate of demonic hostilities. Hence the Holy Spirit continue to release prophetic revelations on the need for global intercessory prayers in this end times. 

It is important to note that sin, selfishness, pride, and doubt hinders prayer. “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear,” (Ps 66:18, Jam 4:3,6; 1:6). We all sin, but do you have unconfessed and unrepented sin in your life? If so, confess your sin, repent from it as we are commanded in Acts 17:30 and continue in witnessing and prayer.

HEALING OF HOME AND MARRIAGE: A poor husband and wife relationship hinders prayer. A proper relationship with your spouse is very important for spiritual and physical breakthrough and development. If there are problems because of unbelief, selfishness, pride, argument, anger, unforgiveness, or any of the other multitudinous obstacles that can develop in marriage, prayers could be hindered. How are you doing with your spouse? (Matt 5:23-24, 1Pet 3:7). Let us pray for healing of home.

A Call to Epiphany: Epiphany is about changes in our latitudes and attitudes like the 3 Wise men.  A renewed Christmas and active expectation of fresh and future possibilities suggest that we do not need to cling to the familiarity of 2019. The New Leap Year 2020 stretches before us like a blank white piece of paper and clean slate provides opportunity for us to set some goals to work toward. Prayerfully set your personal goals for the new decade before God.

Collectively, let us use the following headings as prayer guide for the next 95 days.         Watch out for additional prayer points.

WORLD EVANGELISM: (1) Let us repent of leaving God’s mission to a few. Let us pray for brothers and sisters who suffer for the faith. Let us rejoice that the Spirit is waking us to see our mission in God’s world.

(2) Thou shall not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day (Ps 91:5) – Let us take authority over anti-gospel activities and agendas in Jesus name.

(3)The Church main goal in 2020 and in the new decade is to advance God’s kingdom including reversing Christmas and other Christian celebrations shaped as “a festival of consumption” that proclaims the material goods we buy and sell. There is need to observe the entire Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season as an ‘antidote to the powerful distractions of the market.’ To overcome the war on Christian traditions, break the yoke of our consumer mentality that makes it very difficult for us to recover the theological riches of Christmas and other Christian celebrations.

(4)Here I am, Lord; send me (Isa. 6:8) – ‘Not for yourself, O church, do you exist, anymore than Christ existed for himself. His glory was that he laid aside his glory; the glory of the church is when she lays aside her respectability and her dignity, and counts it her glory to gather together the outcasts, and her highest honour to seek amidst the foulest mire the precious jewels for which Christ shed his blood’ – Charles Spurgeon.

Let us pray that the church will no longer exist for self honour, glory and respectability.

(5)In a world estranged from God, where millions face confusing choices, God’s mission is central to our being, for we announce the one name – JESUS that saves. Let us pray to God to give us His heart for the nations. O Lord, let us be light to the world; use us to declare your salvation to the people of the earth. May we be moved by compassion, let us know your love for the lost; Lord, use me to lead others to the cross.

(6)Let us pray for more people with desire to witness for Christ (Matt 9:37-38). What is the field? It is the world of sinners. Who are the workers? They are people like you and me. Pray for boldness, for the courage to step out in faith and speak up for Christ. (2 Tim 1:7-8). Let us break the hierarchy of demons seeking to hinder Gospel witness and steal the seeds of the Gospel that is being planted. In Jesus name, we bind Satan and his angels.

Personal: (1) Like Herod there are parts of us that are threatened if we “pay homage” or surrender our lives to God.  The reflection is, what are the parts of yourself that play the role of Herod when you think of complete surrender to God? O Lord deliver me from my Herod. (2) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (Ps 2:1) – Lord, let every rage and every vain imagination of the enemy against me amount to nothing, in Jesus name. (3) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed … (Ps 2:2-3) – O Lord, let every spiritual king and ruler taking counsel against me be dethroned, in Jesus name. (4) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us (Ps 2:3) – Lord break every band of barrenness and destroy every demonic cord tying me down, in Jesus name.

Watch out for more prayer guide, please.