IFI is encouraging Christian leaders throughout the state to humbly seek God in prayer, beseech His forgiveness for our national (and state) sins and ask for His healing on our nation, and for a revival of faith. Through the gift of prayer, God has given His people the ability to shape the very future of the nation. As Watchman Nee once said, “Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come.”

If there was ever a time that our nation needed the prayers of faithful followers of Jesus Christ, it is today. No one can intercede for our communities and our culture other than God’s people. Illinois Family Institute invites praying moms, dads, grandmothers and grandfathers to gather together for a special time of prayer which will include praying for our families, the very foundation of our state and nation.

As Christians we have direct access to the Supreme Judge of the Universe. After acknowledging our corporate sins of abortion, sexual immorality, pride, worldliness, envy, apathy, and general unfaithfulness to His calling, we must pray that the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of the lost and for their eyes to be opened to see the glory of God, His blessings, and a strong desire to know Him more.

The need for repentance, corporately and individually, to return to the God of the Bible is urgent. Our country and our leaders need our prayers—and Scripture instructs us to pray for them.

What You Can Do:

• Pray! Starting on September 25th and for 40 days thereafter, urge your church and your Bible study to pray for these weighty matters during their prayer times. Hold regular family prayer meetings. Let your kids know how important this 40-day period is. Gather with friends and spend time praying about the state of our culture.

• Download a Humility and Prayer bulletin insert HERE. Use this as a guide for prayer. Share it with your church leaders and encourage them to print it for distribution.

• Visit (and share the link!) the humilityandprayerillinois.com website to stay up to date on this important effort.

• A friend of IFI has written a prayer booklet entitled Believers: A Light for the Nations; A Prayer Guide for a Nation in Distress. The purpose of the booklet is for us to pray for the upcoming 2024 election. The author lays out a plan to pray daily for our government, church leaders, as well as key influential figures that impact our nation. Let us pray as we approach the election and continue in the days that follow, 1 Timothy 2:1-2. To download an almost free digital copy, CLICK HERE. If you prefer a hard copy with free shipping, you can place an order by CLICKING HERE.

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.
~Oswald Chambers

Here are four vitally important issues that we all should include in our prayers, especially during the next two months:

The Sanctity of Human Life

Abortion “rights” activists are diligently and persistently seeking to challenge pro-life laws in ten states this year by placing the outright legalization of abortion on the ballot. We know that big abortion’s tactics will be dishonest and misleading. First, we must pray for God’s forgiveness for decades of innocent bloodshed in our land. Secondly, we must pray that lies and deception be exposed and thirdly that voters be convicted of the truth that every human life is “fearfully and wonderfully created” from the moment of conception by Almighty God.

Please pray:

• That our nation would finally repent of the evil of abortion.
• That the sanctity of human life would prevail in all of these locations and that every deceptive message of the pro-abortion forces would be exposed and confused in its delivery.
• That Christians would become educated and vote to uphold the right to life at every opportunity.

Transgender Confusion

The transgender agenda is fierce and aggressive, and its messages lurk everywhere seeking to entice children into life-long decisions that lead to pain, regret and suicide. What is being taught to our children is a lifetime of horrific consequences which stem from denying the reality of God’s creation of male and female.

Please pray:

• That citizens would speak out against and reject the radical transgender agenda taking over the public square.
• That the truth about the devastating lifelong effects of so-called gender “transition” on children would be revealed and that the very real harm and anguish caused would be acknowledged and understood – including the stories of those who have “de-transitioned.”
• That parents would become aware and fight back against the immoral sexual content schools are teaching impressionable students.

Parental Rights

In recent years, parents have become more aware of how bureaucrats at various levels of government are pushing harmful agendas on their children. Whether it is transgender indoctrination, critical race theory, “comprehensive” sex education, which includes the normalization of homosexuality and pornographic reading materials, parents must be aware and vigilant when it comes to not only schools and libraries, but also doctors’ offices, social media and the pop culture, among many others who actively seek to push sinful worldviews on unsuspecting and naïve children.

Please pray:

• That parents/grandparents and church leaders will rescue impressionable young children from government schools and prioritize the discipleship of these children in the Christian faith.
• That our children/grandchildren would be better equipped to discern the truth when confronted with harmful, dishonest agendas and then respectfully be allowed to address those agendas with truth.
• Local governing bodies and lawmakers at all levels of government would recognize parental rights and enact provisions to reaffirm the rights of parents in the upbringing of children.

Elections

After three years of radicalism being imposed on citizens, whether it be the taxpayer funding of abortion, attempts to erode religious freedom or the proliferation of transgender mandates throughout the entire federal government, this election has the chance to determine whether or not these dangerous abuses of power will be allowed to continue.

Please pray:

• That Christians dedicate their lives to serving God and serving one another, praying fervently for our elected officials regardless of their party affiliation or religious ideologies.
• That any and all attempts at voter fraud will be exposed.
• That Christians here in Illinois, and throughout the nation, will engage in the election process, and will vote biblically.
• That God-fearing, Bible-believing candidates be elected to the U.S. Congress and the Illinois General Assembly.
• That outside forces and the media will not succeed in influencing the outcome of this election with deceptive narratives.