Labor Day is approaching, and summer will soon give way to autumn. Many of us look forward to the change of seasons, watching the leaves change color, breathing in the crisp morning air, and picking apples with our kids or grandkids.

We surmise too that many, like the IFI staff, look forward to a strong pendulum swing in the election on November 8th. Political pundits admit that their predictions of the overall outcome are imprecise this far out. We know that over the next two months attitudes and interest levels could change. For those reasons, there is no doubt that Christians should be praying fervently for God’s mercy on our state and nation now and through the election, especially for God-fearing, pro-life candidates to prevail.

The national sin of abortion is front-and-center once again. While we praise God for the Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, striking down the federal so-called “right to abortion,” we see the enemies of life working diligently to open new abortuaries in blue states as close as possible to red states with significant restrictions and/or abortion bans in order to “serve” the surge of patients already traveling across state borders to terminate the lives of unborn babies.

For example, CHOICES, based in Memphis, Tennessee, is opening a clinic in the college town of Carbondale. On the Wisconsin-Illinois Border, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is teaming up with Planned Parenthood of Illinois for an abortion mill in Waukegan. And according to a July 11th article by MyStateLine.com, a death clinic is in the works for Rockford.

These three facilities are in addition to the recently established clinics in Fairview Heights, Flossmoor, and Skokie, which have opened up over the past 5-6 years.

Nationally, we see a similar trend. Red River Women’s Clinic, which was North Dakota’s sole abortion clinic, is planning to relocate across the river to Minnesota. Planned Parenthood is working to open a new clinic in Ontario, Oregon, to serve the women expected to leave neighboring Idaho in search of abortions. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Mississippi clinic at the center of the Dobbs case overturning Roe v. Wade, is moving to Las Cruces, New Mexico just 20 minutes from the Texas border.

Our prayers must include an acknowledgement of the wickedness of innocent blood being shed in our state/nation and an earnest appeal for God’s forgiveness and mercy. We need to pray for women in crisis pregnancies and for sidewalk counselors and prayer warriors who stand vigil in front of these facilities. May their faithful witness turn hearts away from death to the Author of abundant life! (John 10:10)

We must recognize that prayer is where we start. We must lend our voice and actions to the pro-life goal of turning Illinois into a state that values human life at all stages of development. We must pray that God would soften the hearts of our friends, neighbors and family members while we work to lovingly persuade those same people with the truth of what abortion is and does. We all must engage in educating, equipping and exhorting the culture around us. We must shine the light of truth to those who hear only the lies of Big Abortion, Inc. and their allies in the media.

God is infuriated with the shedding of innocent blood (Psalm 106:38; Proverbs 6:16-17) and the apathy of so many Christians who remain on the sidelines in the face of evil (Ezekiel 12:2; James 1:22-25). Make no mistake, He sees what is going on in Illinois. But God gives us insight into why it appears He may have overlooked this grave evil.

The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. ~2 Peter 3:9

God wants us to repent, and He is sovereign. He wants to work through us to change everything–even the hearts of those who work inside these clinics. Let’s not forget that God specializes in hard cases. (Jeremiah 32:37; Luke 1:37; Ephesians 3:20; Luke 18:27)

We are to pray for one another too (Ephesians 6:18; James 5:16), because we tend to grow weary and discouraged. Therefore, we should be praying for the strength and resolve of those who are on the frontlines of this battle as we also pray that God would remove all fear and timidity from Christians who have not yet engaged in the battle for truth, righteousness, and the sanctity of human life.

Here are some additional prayers to lift up before our holy God through the name of Jesus over the next several weeks:

Thank God

• Praise the Son of the Living God, our Creator and our Guide. Praise Him for His great faithfulness, day in and day out. Praise Him for encouraging us to approach Him in prayer and for being our Helper. Thank Him for being Jehovah Jireh, the One who provides for all our needs. We serve and worship the King of kings, and Lord of lords, Jesus, the Name above all names.

• Praise and thank our holy and righteous God for the religious and civil freedoms that we still enjoy today in the United States. Pray that future generations uphold these freedoms and defend them. (Luke12:42-48)

• Thank God for His countless blessings in our lives, families, communities, and nation. Thank Him for the trials and challenges that draw us closer to Him. Thank God for the patience, strength, and faith to wait out the storm. (Psalm 92:1-2)

• PRAY for revival. (Psalm 85:6; John 8:32; James 5:16)

Please Pray:

• That God will open the eyes of policymakers and candidates running for office to the sanctity of life. Pray that they will become defenders of innocent human life and not enablers of sexual immorality and death.

• That in the 2022 election season, pro-life candidates will have the time, energy, and funding needed to saturate their districts with their campaign messages and materials.

• That God will work in the hearts and minds of our state lawmakers and governor and that He will draw them to Him and His truth. (Proverbs 21:1-8)

• That efforts to indoctrinate children in government schools will fail and that local school boards will reject the left-wing agenda for their students in kindergarten through 12th grade that include false and destructive critical race theory, sex-education, and LGBTQ advocacy.

• That God will stir up Christian parents, grandparents, and church leaders about exiting public schools and to instead consider what they can do to pass on the Christian faith through discipleship and biblical character training.

Pray for the Sanctity of Life:

• Lift up all pregnancy resource centers and those diligently reaching out to vulnerable mothers who feel as if abortion is their only option. Please pray for God’s hand of protection on those who work at these ministries and that any planned attacks would be thwarted.

• Pray for a cultural awakening about abortion. Scripture teaches us that the image of God dwells equally in all people [Gen. 9:6], yet far too many in our culture believe that killing pre-born human beings is a legitimate choice. Many so-called “progressives” advocate for this under the banner of “reproductive rights” for women. Yet these narratives deny God’s truth about the sanctity of life and when it begins.

• Please pray for God’s forgiveness for our culture’s wickedness and complicity in the destruction of human life. Though God commands, “You Shall Not Murder,” we have instead legalized it and subsidized it with our tax dollars and have failed to treat all human life as sacred to the Lord. We deserve God’s judgment, but please cry out to God for his MERCY on our state and nation. Thankfully, God’s mercies are new every day. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

• Pray for a softening of hearts and minds. May God give us opportunities to minister to those who are hurting and may our conversations be filled with His grace and love.

• Pray that the church steps up to teach and defend God’s truth regarding the sanctity of life. We are already seeing an increase in abortion traffic into our state as people come to abortion facilities in Illinois. The opportunities to be salt and light at prayer vigils, as sidewalk counselors, as friends and neighbors, are increasing. Pray that we recognize these opportunities and ask God to work through us to help would-be mothers and fathers avoid the sin of abortion.

Pray for Families:

• PARENTS: Pray that God will give us wisdom and the strength to raise godly children. Help us see the challenges we face as opportunities to train our children toward right thinking and right actions. May God help us to focus on teaching our children the Christian faith, to love the Word of God and to seek to obey His instructions. Help us to disciple our children.

• GRANDPARENTS: Pray that God would use grandparents to fearlessly proclaim the Word of God regarding sin and God’s love. Pray for their role in the training of their grandchildren and wisdom on how to instill a biblical worldview.

• FAMILIES AS SALT AND LIGHT: Pray that God would help your family to be faithful in family worship, in fostering sweet unity and cooperation, and in using your family to spread the truth and light of the Gospel.

Pray, Pray, and Pray Some More

• FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY:  Pray that God will work in the hearts of key federal officials, including President Joe Biden, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and U.S. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

• For the next several weeks, please pray for the political leaders listed below. Of course, this includes praying for Governor J.B. Pritzker and Juliana Stratton and those who serve in their administration.
  • U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Senator Patty Murry (D-Washington)
  • U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York)
  • U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson (R-Georgia)
  • U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-Illinois)
  • U.S. Representative Mike Bost (R-Illinois)
  • State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Highland)
  • State Senator Brian Stewart (R-Freeport)
  • State Representative Lance Yednock (D-Ottawa)
  • State Representative Keith Wheeler (R-North Aurora)
  • YOUR local County Board Members

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short
That it cannot save;
Nor is His ear so dull
That it cannot hear.
~Isaiah 59:1