24-Hour Prayer for Justice: Prayer Guide

Thank you for signing up to pray for a shift during our remote 24-hour prayer event! Haven’t signed up yet? Click Choose a shift below. Choose a Shift Pete Greig, founder of the 24-7 prayer movement writes, “99% of prayer is just showing up; making the effort to become consciously present to the God who is constantly present to us.”  We believe in a God who hears our prayers and acts on what he hears. It can be difficult to prioritize prayer, but this is one way we can put our money where our mouth is, even if we’re lacking faith or motivation. We’re the salt and light of this world. Let’s show up in prayer on behalf of our church, our city, and our world – praying for healing, racial reconciliation, and real systemic change. We encourage you to pray with your housemates, family, GC, or a friend (when possible), but you’re also welcome to spend this time alone with God.

How can I pray for 30 or 60 minutes?

It may be intimidating to think of praying for a half hour or entire hour; many of us struggle to pray for five consecutive minutes. Below are a number of suggestions on how you might spend your time with God. Further down are two optional minute-by-minute guides, if that’s your style. Here are a number of suggestions for types of prayer you might engage in:

• Time in silence. Sit before God in a posture of reverence and love.
• Pray through Psalm 101. You might take one line at a time, praying anything and everything it brings to mind. David is honest, and we can be too – even with our emotions, struggles, and shortcomings. Pray for holiness, healing, and righteousness in our world.
• Lament. Spend time in sorrowful reflection over the brokenness in our hearts and world. It’s okay to sit in pain over the centuries of racial oppression, and also over recent events in particular, longing for God to move and heal our world.
• Confession & repentance. Humble yourself before God, confessing ways you’ve wandered from His good & holy ways. Receive His forgiveness (and in doing so, forgive yourself!).
• Reflect and rejoice. Thank God for His provision, goodness, justice, mercy and love. Reflect on your life and your salvation. Praise God with words or with a song!
• Petition and intercession. Ask God for specific movement or provision. Ask for His Kingdom and Spirit to come in power to our city and world. Ask for specific needs to be met among family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Bring anything and everything before him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
• Breath prayers. Spend a few minutes repeating the same prayer as you breathe in and out. A few examples: “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner,” “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done” or “Abba, I belong to you.”
• Listening Prayer. Spend time in silence, asking God to speak to you. Pay attention to where your mind goes – it may need to be redirected toward the presence of God, or it may start wandering toward something God is stirring.
• Prayer Walk. Get out of your home and go for a walk in the neighborhood. As you notice people, places, landmarks, homes, and nature, turn to God in prayer. Ask for righteousness in your neighborhood, salvation for neighbors, healing for the community, etc.!

We’d love to hear your stories, prayers, encouragement, or struggles during your time in prayer. Please share by emailing John@parkchurchdenver.org.

Hour of Prayer Minute-by-Minute Guide (optional):

Right Beforehand: Find a quiet space and remove distractions. Turn off your phone if possible. 0-5 minutes: Settle in a comfortable position but with good posture. Remember Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.” Spend a few minutes in complete silence and stillness, remembering and enjoying His presence with you. 5-15 minutes: Read Psalm 101:1 – “I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.” If possible, sing a song about God’s love. You may use a song like “King of My Heart” or “Steadfast” by Sandra McCracken, played on an instrument, on YouTube, or singing a capella. If you don’t want to use music, spend these minutes thanking God for his steadfast and personal love toward you and toward those you know. Thank Him for His justice and His mercy. 15-40 minutes: Read through the rest of Psalm 101 slowly. Ask God to illuminate specific phrases or concepts. Re-read it again, slowly. Spend time praying for things that are stirred up because of the passage. Here are some prayer points you might use: 

• Confess ways that your heart has not always been full of integrity, that you’ve actively participated in injustice, slander, pride, lust, or greed. Ask your Father for forgiveness, knowing He offers it freely through Jesus.
• Pray for the Church. Ask God for an increase in His Global Church. Pray that Park Church would do justice, and to love kindness, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). Pray that we’d be known for our love (John 13:35). Pray that we’d be a generation that seeks His face, etc.
• Pray for the city of Denver. Pray that God would bring about healing and justice, especially for those who have been oppressed, overlooked, and marginalized. They are near to God’s heart. Ask God to heal wounds and bring about racial reconciliation, beginning in your own heart. Pray that the Church would shine brightly in this city.
• Pray for our world. Pray for our world leaders to walk humbly and submit to Jesus’ reign. Pray that this season would bear Gospel fruit throughout the world. Ask the Lord to send out laborers to see many come to find joy in Jesus soon (Matthew 9:38).

40-50 minutes: Engage in “listening prayer.” Prayer should be more than a list of demands we lay at God’s feet – it can also be a two-way conversation. Ask God if there’s anything He’d like to speak to you or remind you of. Then sit in silence for at least 5 straight minutes. If your mind wanders, sometimes you’ll need to reign in your thoughts. Other times, you may want to invite God into your thoughts, asking if He wants to say something. Pray about whatever He brings to mind. If you don’t “hear” anything, that’s okay! Time in silence before God is always time well spent. 50-55 minutes: Reflect on what God may have stirred in you in the last hour. Is there something you’d like to do or change because of this time? Is there someone who may need a word of love or encouragement? Invite God into this thought process. Make a mental note (or a real note!) of what the next step may be (if there are any). 55-60 minutes: “Breath Prayer.” Choose a word, phrase, or sentence prayer from this hour and spend 2 minutes breathing slowly in and out, repeating that prayer. You may choose to use this: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.” Thank Jesus for His attentiveness to you, this hour, and always. Afterward: If anything stood out from your hour, we’d love to hear your words of encouragement, prayer, or struggle. Send your thoughts to John@parkchurchdenver.org

30 Minutes of Prayer Minute-by-Minute Guide (optional):

Right Beforehand: Find a quiet space and remove distractions. Turn off your phone if possible. 0-5 minutes: Settle in a comfortable position but with good posture. Remember Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.” Spend a few minutes in complete silence and stillness, remembering and enjoying His presence with you. 5-10 minutes: Read Psalm 101:1 – “I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will make music.” If possible, sing a song about God’s love. You may use a song like “King of My Heart” by Sarah McMillan or “Steadfast” by Sandra McCracken, played on an instrument, on YouTube, or singing a capella. If you don’t want to use music, spend these minutes thanking God for his steadfast and personal love toward you and toward those you know. Thank Him for His justice and His mercy. 10-25 minutes: Read through the rest of Psalm 101 slowly. Ask God to illuminate specific phrases or concepts. Spend time praying for things that are stirred up because of the passage. Here are some prayer points you might use: 

• Confess ways that your heart has not always been full of integrity, that you’ve actively participated in injustice, slander, pride, lust, or greed. Ask your Father for forgiveness, knowing He offers it freely through Jesus.
• Pray for the Church. Ask God for an increase in His Global Church. Pray that Park Church would do justice, and to love kindness, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). Pray that we’d be known for our love (John 13:35). Pray that we’d be a generation that seeks His face, etc.
• Pray for the city of Denver. Pray that God would bring about healing and justice, especially for those who have been oppressed, overlooked, and marginalized. They are near to God’s heart. Ask God to heal wounds and bring about racial reconciliation, beginning in your own heart. Pray that the Church would shine brightly in this city.
• Pray for our world. Pray for our world leaders to walk humbly and submit to Jesus’ reign. Pray that this season would bear Gospel fruit throughout the world. Ask the Lord to send out laborers to see many come to find joy in Jesus soon (Matthew 9:38).

25-30 minutes: Reflect on what God may have stirred in you in the last hour. Is there something you’d like to do or change because of this time? Is there someone who may need a word of encouragement? Spend another minute in silence, inviting God to speak to you. Make a mental note (or a real note!) of what a next step may be (if there are any). Thank Jesus for His attentiveness to you, this hour, and always. Afterward: If anything stood out from your hour, we’d love to hear words of encouragement, prayer, or struggle. Send your thoughts to john@parkchurchdenver.org