Prayer for Reconstruction of Iraq
We give You thanks, O Lord, that You have caused the light of liberty to shine upon Iraq. We thank You for the anointing resting upon the coalition that has removed the yokes of bondage from the shoulders of the Iraqi people and destroyed the rod of the oppressors. God of Breakthroughs, You have broken through Your enemies! According to the word You spoke to Moses, by signs, wonders, war, by Your mighty hand and outstretched arm and by great terrors, You took a nation from the midst of another nation. As You did for Israel when they were free from Egypt, guide the nation of Iraq with Your cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.
Cornerstone, we thank You that the foundations, whose builder and maker is God, have been laid in Iraq. We thank You, Lord, that by Your grace the people will live under elected governments, and we pray that You will raise up those leaders who will hear and obey Your voice! Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, all authority comes from You. Cause the new government to rest on Your shoulders that peace will increase in Iraq and spread to the entire Middle East. Lord Jesus Christ, loose Your zeal to order and establish leaders in every city and village to lead with judgment and justice. Let them not judge by their eyes or decide by their hearing, but with righteousness cause the new leadership to judge for the poor and decide with equity for the meek. Gird each one with righteousness and faithfulness for the sake of Your purposes. Cause the Spirit of the LORD to rest upon the new government that there will be liberty according to Your Word. Give wisdom, understanding, counsel and might; give the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD to reconstruct the nation. We thank You, Lord, for the spirit of courage resting on those either in office or running for office and ask for Your divine protection for them and their families against all attacks or assassination attempts. Be their shield and buckler. Loose a spirit of unity among them and break down the walls of tribal or religious separation from the past. By Your mighty hand and outstretched arm, establish Iraq’s government under Your authority!
Lord God, give to those who are rebuilding the infrastructure, schools, utilities and roads the wisdom of Joseph, David, and Daniel whose excellent spirit of knowledge, understanding and problem solving brought deliverance to Babylon in their day. Loose warring angels to protect the builders, entrepreneurs, truckers, corporations, educators, other civilians and coalition troops from insurgents and terrorists who hope to stop the spread of freedom and peace. Protect and stabilize the infrastructure, oil industry and other sources of revenue. Jehovah Jireh, establish a thriving economy in Iraq that the people may be productive and live in prosperity. Restore safe streets and neighborhoods to dwell in and lift up the tabernacle of David that You may possess the remnant of Iraq and establish Your covenant with its people.
Cornerstone, from Whom the whole building is fitted together, cause the builders to finish the work that You have begun. Bring the Iraqi people near that those who were not Your people may receive mercy and call You their God. Make peace with them through Your blood and break down the wall of separation. May the scepter of wickedness never again rest in Iraq! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Scripture References: Is. 28:29, 9:6-7, Isaiah 11:2-5, Lk. 4:18, Heb 11:10, Deut. 4:34, Matt. 10:16, Dan. 5:12, Is. 58:12, Amos 9:11-12, Acts 15:16-17 Is. 28:16-21, Eph. 2:13-14, Psalm 125:3
Prayer for Afghanistan
Lord Jesus, we give You all glory and honor and praise, for You have healed the brokenhearted, proclaimed liberty to the captives and set free those who were oppressed in Afghanistan! We thank You for the American and coalition forces who have been the instruments in Your hand to bring freedom and peace to the Afghan people, and we ask You to pour out a double portion of grace upon the families of those in the military or civilian population who lost their lives or suffered injuries in the process. Now we ask, Lord, that you be Afghanistan’s rock and fortress; and for Your name’s sake, lead the Afghan people and guide them to establish You as the foundation upon which to build their new nation.
People of Afghanistan, arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. We thank You, Lord, that You have released a spirit of unity among the many ethnic groups in Afghanistan, and the people have come together under one government and one president. We bind the spirits of division and religion and say that you shall no longer cause war, oppression, or strife in this nation! We pray for the spirit of wisdom and revelation to rest upon President Hamid Karzai and Vice President Ahmed Zia Masood and all the elected leaders of the new government. Captain of Hosts, place a hedge of protection around them and their families, and cause any plots against them to fall to the ground. Lord, fill those in authority with Your righteousness that the people may rejoice. Cause the government leaders to take up the whole armor of God. Stir up the citizens to pray for those in authority that they may lead quiet and peaceable lives. We thank You for granting freedom to the Afghan women, including the right to vote and go to school, and we pray for Your continued healing and favor upon Your precious daughters, for there is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus.
Lord, Your people humble themselves and pray that You will forgive the sins of the Afghan people and heal their land. As the nation obeys Your voice, Oh Lord, bless the produce of their ground, increase their herds and cattle and flocks. Bless their basket and kneading bowl, their storehouses and all to which they set their hand. Grant the Afghan people plenty of goods, and open the heavens to give rain to the land in its season. Heal the effects of years of war, and restore the land to the lushness You first created. Bring commerce, industry, entrepreneurship and agriculture to the nation and replace the production of opium with righteous and bountiful sources of income. Jehovah Jireh, establish a sound, stable and prosperous economy, and cause it to expand to the surrounding nations. Grant Your shalom in all its fullness to the people of Afghanistan! Amen.
Scripture References: Luke 4:18, Psalm 31:3, Isaiah 60:1, Hebrews 11:10, Psalm 133, Ephesians 1:17, Proverbs 29:2, Ephesians 6:13, 1 Timothy 2:2, Galatians 3:28, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Deuteronomy 28
Prayer for Citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan
O Lord God of mercy and grace, You who are long-suffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, but by no means clearing the guilty, hear our cry for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. Do not hide Your face from them. Do not turn Your back when they need You so. Comfort all who mourn, and give them beauty for ashes. For the millions who have suffered these many years under the regimes of Saddam Hussein and the Taliban, and for those who have lost loved ones or suffered injuries in the liberation and reconstruction efforts, pour out Your Spirit of grace and supplication.
Consolation of Israel, have mercy on these poor! Fill their broken places with streams of living water. Pour out Your oil and bind up their wounds. Release Your healing presence upon those who mourn the victims of insurgents, and loose armies of angels to protect innocent civilians and children from bombings, kidnappings and other evil acts. Do not allow any new oppressor to establish a foothold in the lands You have taken for Your own. We bind the spirits of ethnic division and religion that held the people of Iraq and Afghanistan in bondage, chaos and poverty in the past. Oh Lord, bring a spirit of cooperation to the people, and cause them to know how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity.
Lord Jesus, You came to the nations of Iraq and Afghanistan that the people may have life and have it more abundantly. Release now the spirit of victory over the people, and give them the eyes of Joshua and Caleb so they may see that they are well able to overcome the terrorists and possess the lands You have given into their hands. We take authority over any murmuring and complaining spirit that attempts to demoralize the people and pray that You would show them the plans You have for them, plans for peace and not evil, to give them a future and a hope. We say to the Iraqi and Afghan people, “Be strong and very courageous; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!”
O Lord, we pray that You remove from the Iraqis and Afghans any heart of stone towards You and Your laws. Give a heart of flesh whereupon You may write Your decrees. God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, forgive those who have hated Your people without a cause. Turn now the hearts of the nations’ leaders toward peace with Israel. Cause them to support and look with favor on Your chosen people and to be brokers of peace between their Arab neighbors and Israel. Bless them as they bless Israel, and bring them into the covenant blessings of Abraham. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. Amen.
Scripture References: Exodus 34:6-7, Psalm 102, Psalm 133, John 10:10, Numbers 13:30, Jeremiah 29:11, Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 28, Ezek. 11:19-20, Deuteronomy 12:3