Thursday’s National Day of Prayer Is Enriched by Ascension Day Worldwide

Thursday is America’s annual National Day of Prayer. Tens of thousands of united prayer events are scheduled all across the nation, along with a corporate prayer gathering involving hundreds in the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill.

But Thursday is also when millions of Christians from every nation and every stream of the Church celebrate the hour our Lord Jesus ascended to the Father’s right hand (Acts 1) to take up his reign as Savior of the world and Sovereign of the nations.

What makes this so special is that the Ascension holds profound implications for all intercession arising Thursday from morning to evening, from coast to coast, regarding America’s future.

On Thursday I’ll blog on the Ascension—this cosmic, one-time event, which in many ways is the capstone of everything else we believe about Jesus.

But for now, I have a gift for you, created especially for our National Day of Prayer, based on the Ascension.

I want to hand you an uplifting way to celebrate in the same breath both America’s annual call to seek God’s face and the awesome coronation of God’s victorious Son—using the very same words.  I’ll bet you’ve never prayed anything like this before!

The Inauguration of Jesus Over the Inauguration of George

First, let me tell you what this unique prayer is based upon.

In addition to thousands of other prayer initiatives nationwide, an unprecedented convocation is scheduled Thursday from noon to 1:30 PM on the outside steps of Federal Hall right across from the New York Stock Exchange.

There stands a towering statue of George Washington marking the spot where he took the oath of office as our first President in 1789 (when New York City was our national capital).

Almost to the day nearly 230 years later, on this National Day of Prayer, a cohort of Christians from churches and ministries in New York City will spend 90 minutes interceding for a Christ Awakening nationwide, including in our city, anchored in the greatest of all inaugurations—the crowning of the King of kings.

At one point, the unique prayer below will be proclaimed by those assembled for all to hear (using a flyer handed out to any who stop to participate). As you’ll see, it is specifically focused on the implications of the Ascension for who Christ is and why his reign is the only hope for America.

On Thursday why not pray it yourself. You could do so in private, or with fellow believers at the office or school, with your family around the dinner table, or during a community prayer rally.

Before you do, however, there’s one more thing you need to know.

The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer is WAKE UP AMERICA!  But one reasonably might ask: Wake up to what?

The answer: The Church must wake up to fresh fervency for the full supremacy of God’s Son. Because WHO he is and ALL he is, taking action from the throne of heaven right now, is the only hope for America in our desperate hour.

Prayer for a Nationwide Christ Awakening
On America’s National Day of Prayer, May 5, 2016

All (Unison):  Lord Jesus, wake us up to how you are the All-Sufficient One!

Reader A — You require no outsourcing. Your blood will never lose its power. Nothing can ever exhaust your abilities or your resources. You always prove yourself to be inexhaustibly adequate for all our longings, for all our fears, for all our battles, for all the cries of our hearts. You keep filling us up to overflowing. You have become the glorious inheritance of God’s family. Therefore, you are all we need. You are all we want. You are all we have. Awaken us as a nation to how our only hope is in you alone.

All (Unison):  Lord Jesus, wake us up to how you are the Incomparable One!

Reader B — Continuously you defy and surpass all human categories. You will forever remain in a class by yourself—no duplicates, no counterparts, no clones. Your unequivocal magnificence will continue to eclipse the pretentious boastings of all other creatures, outranking and outshining every being in heaven, earth, or hell. Across the ages you will never cease dazzling all who belong to you, world without end. Awaken us as a nation to how our only hope is in you alone.

All (Unison):  Lord Jesus, wake us up to how you are the Preeminent One!

Reader C — In time, in space, in history, and throughout eternity to you alone belongs the right to be the dominant force and focus for the universe and everything in it.  Just as you held the primacy at the beginning, as the firstborn of all creation, so you will hold the primacy at the Consummation, as the “firstborn from among the dead” (Colossians 1). All things visible and invisible must give you free rein to do with us as the Father pleases. Awaken us as a nation to how our only hope is in you alone.

All (Unison):  Lord Jesus, wake us up to how you are the Triumphant One!

Reader D — Your enemies will never prevail. You will defeat all foes—both human and demonic—bringing about unconditional surrender. Just as you emerged from the tomb unthreatened, unhindered, unimpeded—so you remain permanently victorious over all opposition. You are the overwhelming Overcomer, who now is putting all things under your feet as Lord—conquered, redeemed, transformed, and vibrating in perfect harmony with your irrevocable decrees and your indestructible might. Awaken us as a nation to how our only hope is in you alone.

All (Unison):  Lord Jesus, wake us up to how you are the Exalted One!

Reader E — You inspire unquenchable joy in all the saints. You ignite decisive devotion from earth and heaven. You deserve every ounce of praise ever proclaimed by every power and dominion. For all the ages you will be the all-consuming passion of our adoration—from your position of unimpeachable splendor, and stunning superiority, and unmatchable majesty in the universe. All glory, laud and honor to you, Redeemer King. Awaken us as a nation to how our only hope is in you alone.

All (Unison):  Lord Jesus, wake us up to how you are the Sacrificial One!

Reader F — Scripture declares that “through you God has reconciled to himself all things on earth or in heaven, by making peace through your blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1).  Because you paid the price—because you gave your life for the life of the world—all of God’s promises and purposes for our fallen, rebellious race will be fulfilled beyond measure. Your cross is the power of God unto salvation for all of us. Therefore, we pray that you would bring our nation into a fuller knowledge of who you are and all you’ve done for us, that multitudes might find cleansing from sin and new life in you, and that therefore your righteousness might dominate our city and land. Awaken us as a nation to how our only hope is in you alone.

ALL (UNISON):  AND SO DEAR FATHER: Here today, together, on this National Day of Prayer, we celebrate before your throne that for your people, for this city, and for this nation your Son truly is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the sin of our land.  He is exalted, incomparable, superlative, preeminent, sufficient, triumphant! Now and forever, therefore, our only hope is in him alone!  Thanks be to God!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David Bryant

Known as a proclaimer of Christ and Messenger of Hope, David Bryant is the founder and president of Proclaim Hope!, a ministry whose goal is to serve a nationwide Christ Awakening. David is the author of five books, including Christ Is ALL! Join in the Joyful Awakening to the Supremacy of God’s Son.