31 Days of Prayer for Citywide Transformation
Dear Redeemer Family,
If you have mourned the increasing polarization and division of these past few years…
If you have wondered why the church, rather than displaying the wondrous, transformative, unifying glory of the gospel of grace, has too often sadly been more divisive than the surrounding culture…
Or if you have longed for the Lord to heal and transform, to unify His body and glorify His great name in our family unity here in Birmingham and beyond…
We invite you to join us in prayerful partnership with churches throughout this beloved city.
A few years ago, several pastors and leaders across denominational and relational lines began meeting regularly to discuss oneness in Christ and its implications in Birmingham. Led initially by our partner Tracy Hipps at Christian Service Mission, these men have spearheaded efforts for church leaders throughout the city to dream and pray together for “One New Birmingham,” a Birmingham where churches are united together for the glory of God and the good of our city.
Alongside our brothers and sisters throughout the city, we want to ask you to join us for a season of unified prayer and fasting.
Here’s the ask: during the month of January, we would love for you to spend five minutes each day in God’s Word and prayer over the specific prayer points outlined below, asking God to transform our hearts and our city, as we go before Him together on our knees.
In Christ,
The Pastors of Redeemer
10 Days of Preparation and Prayer: Remove the Spiritual Blindness
Day 1: Read Genesis 3
Take particular note that the enemy has a voice to bring deception into our life. Ask God to show you any lies or deception that has been brought into your life.
Day 2: Read John 8 (emphasis on verse 44)
We are given insight to the father of lies and how the enemy can only work with any resource that we give him. Ask God to empower you to cut ties with anything in your soulish nature that is holding you back from experiencing freedom.
Day 3: Read 1 John 2:3
Love is God’s great power over the enemy. Ask the Lord to fill you with His love so that you can break any sin strategy in your life and destroy the devil’s work.
Day 4: Read Luke 4
Jesus lived submitted to God. Notice how Jesus resisted the voice of the enemies lies and deception. Ask the Lord to fill you with His spirit in the midst of any spiritual wilderness so you can resist the enemy plans and receive fresh strength to stand.
Day 5: Read I Samuel 30
Trust totally in the Lord to connect you with people who can help you pursue and overtake the enemy in your life. Break free of discouragement by developing a strategy of pursuit and full recovery of loss.
Day 6: Read Ezra 8
Prayer helps you see the enemies activities and location. Stop and allow the Lord to show you the enemy that is laying in wait on the road ahead of you.
Day 7: Read Nehemiah 2
God has a restoration plan for One New Birmingham. Let God develop the plan to rebuild that which is broken down in your life and our city. Prayer for divine partnerships to rebuild.
Day 8: Read Matthew 12
We celebrate the finished work of the cross. Thank the Lord of the cross and declare that the passion of Jesus arises in you.
Day 9: Read Ezekiel 28
The enemy has limited power. Allow God to reveal to you the supernatural qualities that the enemy possess to cause darkness in our city.
Day 10: Read Isaiah 14
Continue to allow God to reveal to you Satan’s hidden characteristics to lie and deceive men.
10 Days of Worship
Day 11: Read Psalm 23
Take 5 minutes to thank and give praise to God that He is Jehovah Rohi and will lead you and our city into restoration!
Day 12: Read Hosea 10:11
Unshakeable praise plows through the hardest ground in our city. When the grounds are hard, when the circumstances are adverse, when the violence rages, God’s favor is on the one who will lead off with praise. Take 5 minutes to praise God and declare hard, fallow ground will see breakthrough. Declare the plow of praise will cut through the hardness of hearts and make way for the good seed of the Word to be planted.
Day 13: Read Psalm 30:5
Unshakeable praise must continue because “weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Our collective praise is sending Judah first in the war of our city and inheritance. Judah goes first to plow the way into One New Birmingham.
Day 14: Read James 5
We are instructed to submit ourselves to God, draw near to Him, and then we gain power to resist the devil. As we worship as One New Birmingham and submit ourselves to God, we will see men and women grow in power to defeat spiritual strongholds.
Day 15: Read Ephesians 1
As God for wisdom, strategy, and revelation to fill your inner man and that your eyes of understanding are enlightened. Allow time to worship as you acknowledge the greatness of God.
Day 16: Sing a New Song
The new song is mentioned seven times in the Old Testament (six references in Psalms, one in Isaiah 42:10). It is referred to once in the New Testament (Rev. 5:9). The New Covenant called for a New Song— a new worship response to the finished work of Christ in His death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation.
Day 17: Enter the Throne Room with a Song of Enthronement
We are to coronate our king through worship! Psalm 110:1-2 is such a song where the Lord God calls for His son to be seated at His right hand until all His enemies are made His footstool. Let us, through the spirit of worship, ascend into the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3, 2:6; Revelation 4:1).
Day 18: Song of Harvest
Psalm 126 sings of the harvest coming in after a time of tearful sowing. As One New Birmingham, we need to worshipfully sing the harvest of souls in and evangelistically bring them in as sheaves carried by a harvester! (Acts 15:6; Amos 9:12; Rev. 7:9).
Day 19: Read Revelation 5:8-9
Sing songs of intercession and declaration within our heart. Harps and bowls in Heaven speak of worship and intercession. Our united citywide intercession is like incense ascending over Birmingham into Heaven. When the bowls are full, they are tipped and released by the angel into into the earth realm in the form of voices, thunderings, lightenings, and earthquakes (Rev. 8:3-5). We will gain the words to speak over our city and churches.
Day 20: Read Exodus 15
Sing a song of Victory and Freedom over One New Birmingham. The Exodus Journey proves God’s faithfulness to redeem and deliver his people. Songs of deliverance are the results of the victory of God and His people over their enemies. The law of booty was that the spoil should be divided equally between the army who won it and God’s covenant people. A portion of the spoil was reserved for the oppressed, the aged, widows, and orphans.
11 Days of Conquering Strongholds: One New Birmingham
Day 21: Read Genesis 14 & 15
God revealed Himself to Abraham as the ‘Possessor of Heaven and Earth’. This revelation was in the context of war and victory. Abraham gave to Melchizedek. Meditate on the covenant God made with Abraham and ask God to reaffirm your covenant with Him and our city.
Day 22: Read Deuteronomy 20 & Deuteronomy 32:30
One can put 1,000 to flight, but two can put 10,000 to flight. As we are united in prayer and fasting, we are exercising the valuable principle of multiplication in battle. Ask the Lord to give you strength for the battle.
Day 23: Read Deuteronomy 8 (emphasis on verses 18-20)
Increase is a harvest principle. Increase rises through faith and follows deeds that are linked to faith. Declare One New Birmingham is full of new power (vigor, strength, force) and new wealth (material substance, spoils of war) to accomplish God’s plan.
Day 24: Read Psalm 115:14-16 & 2 Chronicles 20
Ask God for increase. Seek God through prayer to increase your mind. Ask Him to open your heart to any word that will bring you success and cause you to be able to rake in the spoils of war that the enemy has held in possession.
Day 25: Read Psalm 84:4
During your time of intercession, declare deliverance from the hand of the the wicked who has tied up any of your wealth.
Day 26: Read Luke 10:5, 8, & 9
Jesus evangelistic method called us to do several things but one is to be a House of Peace. Blessing opens the door to unbiased fellowship. Speak peace over the houses of Birmingham.
Day 27: Read 1 Timothy 2:1, 3-4
Pray for everyone, everywhere in the city. As a united and mobilized Church, let’s pray for everybody in the city, to ensure all people have an opportunity to know him.
Day 28: Read 2 Corinthians 4:4 & Acts 26:17-18
We are One United Church in the city of Birmingham. God has sent us to take control over the spiritual climate to change the atmosphere through prayer and proclamation. Declare that the word of God is not bound but being boldly proclaimed all over the city, setting men free.
Day 29: Read Luke 19:37-38
Declare in prayer that multitudes are flocking to encounter Jesus from all over our city.
Day 30: Read Luke 10:17
Jesus taught to His disciples that even demons are subjected to His name. We are One United Church enforcing the kingdom of God and His rule in the city. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.”
Day 31: Read Revelation 12:10-12
We win no matter what it looks like. Be reminded that when we fast and pray, God’s great power is made available to defeat the enemy. Testify to others what God has done for you and your city.
