Collegiate Day of Prayer Global: 40-Day Prayer GuideSample

Day 10: Repentance Makes Way for the Spirit

By Connie Anderson (Connie is the national director of intercessory prayer for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Married for 32 years, she and her husband live near her children and grandchild in Colorado.)

“We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you.”

– Jeremiah 14:20

We know that our sin can be a block to the Holy Spirit. Confession and repentance are freeing because as the sin gets cleansed by Jesus, there is more room for the Spirit to overflow. This is true both individually and corporately.

Like Jeremiah, Moses, Daniel, Nehemiah, and others, in prayer we can own the corporate responsibility of our nations and communities. This is the principle of identification in intercession and is an important part of praying for revival. The prophets lamented the sins of the nation as they cried out to God—think of Habakkuk praying on the wall of Jerusalem.

What historical and contemporary sins are blocking us from receiving God’s favor in greater measure? Can you identify them? Often there are glaring and obvious patterns that reflect the enemy’s work, such as greed, corruption, and injustice. But ask the Lord if there are even more subtle ways so familiar to us that we can hardly identify them.

Sometimes our church communities take part in these more subtle sin patterns without even recognizing it. Modern and historical revivals are always preceded by seasons of repentance. Repentance is preceded by greater awareness and revelation from the Lord as to how to pray.

There is real spiritual power in acknowledging wickedness, injustice, and sin. Evil loves to remain hidden in darkness. Bringing our collective sin out into the open lets the healing light of Christ into those people, patterns, and strongholds. God loves humility, and the enemy cannot work with it. Upon our confession, we begin to be made well. Malachi 4:6 and 2 Chronicles 7:14 suggest that a posture of humility will lead to healing the land. The humility to repent on behalf of ourselves, our local community, and our country can bring great freedom and welcome the Holy Spirit!

Prayer Points:

• Draw near to the Lord. Ask Him how to repent as a citizen of your country.
• Actively repent in response to God’s leading.
• Pray for God to pour out His Holy Spirit and grace us with Christ-like character.