PRAYER OF CONSECRATION FOR THE CHURCH OF MALAYSIA

Week 4 (22-28 March)

 

Heavenly Father, we thank You for putting all things under the authority of Christ. You have made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way. Lord, You say in the last days You will once again shake the heavens and the earth, the seas and the dry lands, as well as the nations of the earth. In these perilous times, awaken the Church of Malaysia to pray like never before and to make ready the bride for the coming of the Bridegroom.

 

God’s promise:

Almighty God, You promised in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that if we, the Church of Malaysia, humble ourselves and confess our need for You; if we earnestly seek Your face more than we seek Your hand; if we, the body of Christ turn from all sins, habits and conditions that draw us away from You and pursue ways that please You, then You will hear from heaven. You will forgive our sin and You will heal our land.

 

Our Response:

(Note: This part is divided into 3 sections. If it is too long please pray the section on Repentance on Days 1 and 2, Cleansing on Days 3 and 4 and Consecration on Days 5, 6 and 7.)

 

1. Repentance (Days 1 and 2)

a. Spirit of Independence

Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before You and acknowledge that we greatly need You. We repent of times when we have sought after other things for wisdom and counsel instead of from You, and/or when we have placed our trust in ourselves, people, methods or the government. We repent of following the world’s ways in serving God and doing church. We fervently seek Your face and confess that we have sinned against You wickedly. You have given us the Holy Spirit as our Counsellor to teach us, comfort us and intercede for us. We repent that we have neglected or ignored the ministry of the Spirit by not seeking the face of God. We come before You and confess that what hinders Your kingdom from being established in Malaysia is not the actions of this evil world but the inaction of Your slumbering Church. Our prayerlessness exposes our deep-rooted pride because it implies that we do not need Your involvement in our lives or in our churches. Forgive us Father, for calling ourselves by Your name while living independent of You.

 

b. Spirit of Consumerism

Lord Jesus, like consumers we sadly pick and choose which elements of God we want while discarding the rest. We want Your salvation but not Your sanctification. We want forgiveness in the blood of Jesus without the cross of dying to ourselves (Luke 9:24). We seek to know You based solely upon the power of Your resurrection without sharing in Your sufferings (Philippians 3:10-11). We seek Your hand instead of Your face. We seek Your power instead of intimacy with You. Father, forgive us for accepting You on our terms and not Yours; for seeking Your Holy Spirit while ignoring our sin and focusing our attention on the gift more than the gift-Giver. We repent of serving our own needs instead of serving the community and reaching the lost with Your message of hope.

 

c. Spirit of Pride

Lord Jesus, You said You will build Your church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). But we have become more concerned with our church buildings and building our own kingdom for self-glory than building Your Church. Please forgive us for constructing walls of protection from the very people You died to save (Romans 5:8). We have hoarded the truth of Your Word and failed to share it freely with others (Matthew 10:8). Forgive us for religious and spiritual pride for thinking that we are better than those who do not know You. Instead fill us with Your heart of compassion and grant us the grace to share Your good news with all sensitivity and humility.

 

d. Spirit of Lukewarmness

Lord Jesus, we repent of forsaking You as our first love and the priorities of Your kingdom. We repent of loving the world and the things of the world more than loving You. We confess we do not have true love of the Father in us (1 John 2:15-16). We draw near to You with our mouths, honour You with our lips, but our hearts are far from You (Mark 7:6). Instead, we are indifferent, lukewarm, complacent and careless towards the things that matter to You. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we renounce the desires of the flesh and all sins and bondages that draw us to the world and cause us to serve mammon instead of You.

 

e. Spirit of Disunity

Lord Jesus, it must break Your heart to see Your Church divided and competing against one another. Forgive us for needlessly crucifying You again through divisions and dissensions. Our disunity exposes our deep carnality (1 Corinthians 3:3-4). May we, Your Church, respond to Your prayer to be one, just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one (John 17:20-21).

(Note: The above is not an exhaustive list. So, do repent of other items that God has placed in your heart.)

 

2. Cleansing (Days 3 and 4)

a. Through the Word

Almighty God, make us holy, cleansing us by the washing with water through the word (Ephesians 5:26). Jesus, You prayed that You sanctify us by Your truth and Your word is truth (John 17:17). Lord, purge Your Church of the passions and desires of this fallen world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Let the word of God which is alive and powerful, sharper than any double-edged sword, expose our innermost thoughts, motives, attitudes and desires bringing conviction, cleansing and transformation in our church (Hebrews 4:12).

 

b. Through Humility

Father, purify our local congregations of petty squabbles and disagreements. Cleanse us of backbiting, criticism, judgementalism, murmurings and other sins that hinder unity and Your presence. We need Your humility so that we would submit to one another in the unity of the Spirit. Help us to emulate Your humility Lord, that we do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than ourselves. Let each of us not look only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4).

 

c. Through Unity in Christ

Jesus, You are our peace (Ephesians 2:14). You have made us one with the Father, now make us one with each other. Break down the walls of prejudice that prevail according to race, skin colour, income, disability, gender and doctrinal differences because in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female but we are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). Let the Malaysian Church make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:3-6).

 

d. Through the Holy Spirit

Lord, we thank You for the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit who helps us to walk in obedience to Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:2). May You present to the Father a glorious Church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish (Ephesians 5:25-27). Cleanse Your church so that nothing impedes the flow of Your Spirit in us, among us and through us. Shake our foundations of hay and stubble. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify us through and through. May our whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Dear God, do whatever it takes to purify Your people – beginning with me and my church.

 

3. Consecration (Days 5, 6 and 7)

a. Return to Holiness

Father God, You are holy and You want us to be holy (1 Peter 1:16). We thank You that we are Your chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to You, that we may declare Your praises. You have called us out of darkness into Your wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). We desire to consecrate our Church to You and return to walking in alignment with Your ways. Guide by Your Spirit, the pastors and leaders who lead Your Church. Guard their purity so that after preaching to others of Your transforming power, they themselves would not be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27). Jesus, You said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Stir within Your people a hunger and thirst for righteousness so that we would be filled to walk in godliness.

 

b. Return to Fear of God

Lord, let Your church not compromise Your standards but preach boldly Your words of truth to convict hearts and transform lives rather than to please men. Instil within us a deep fear of God and fervent hatred of sin. Anoint our pastors and leaders with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Give them words to teach, preach and explain the mystery of the gospel with all boldness and without fear of reprisal (Ephesians 6:19). Let God’s Word that is preached and taught train Your church in righteousness so that Your people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Raise up leaders who count it more important to build Your kingdom than serve themselves. Use them to raise up an army of believers released into the world held captive by sin, that they would embark on missions of mercy and evangelism. When the church shines its light before all men, the world will see the power of the gospel, they will believe, and give praise and glory to God! May we ache for the salvation of this world because You ache for them to be reconciled with You.

 

c. Return to Loving God’s Word

As we consecrate our church to You, rekindle our hunger for God’s Word, empower us to live out divine virtues and release Kingdom values in us. Let the reading and hearing of Your word increase our faith. Help us to be obedient to Your commands, to grow increasingly more in love with You that we willingly deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow Jesus. So, grant our church a renewed desire to know, study and live out Your Word so that we are active doers and not passive hearers of Your Word, so that we will be set free from bondages and be blessed indeed (James 1:22-25).

 

d. Return to Zeal for God

Lord, awaken the church from its slumber! May the fire that consumes our impurities also light the flame of revival. Let there be a 24-7 prayer revival that will sweep across this nation as we consecrate the Church of Malaysia and rebuild the National Altar for the Lord. When the Church of Malaysia returns to be the House of Prayer and Worship we will see the great outpouring of Your Spirit (Joel 2:28). We ask of You, by Your grace and mercy – grant us a visitation from heaven (Isaiah 44:3). We want anything and everything You have for us – even if it strays outside our preconceived ideas of how You work (Ephesians 3:20). Shake us from our cold formalism and empower us to live lives of worship in spirit and truth as we set ourselves apart for You (John 4:23-24). Restore fervent love for You and passion for Your purpose. Let the zeal for Your church consume us so that our prayers will draw the habitation and glory of God, that You Yourself will be the firewall of our protection and that Your presence will dwell among us. May Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).