A Prayer Request – For Dales Faith and Faith in the Dales

I have been praying for the people of this area and to see God revive his church here for over 20 years now. I am sure that among you there will be those who have prayed the same prayers for even longer. I am always reassured, however, that God desires to bless his people and to build his kingdom far more than we can ever imagine, and yet what we and He might desire and what we see is very different.

Please would you be willing to pray with me. If you feel strongly about this, then raising your voice is fine too. I sometimes think that God hears us better when our emotions are high and we cry out to him, desperate to see him respond. However you pray, I am certain that God does hear, and more certain that he acts, often in surprising ways. So here goes…

Father God, we pray for this part of North Yorkshire. For the people who live in and around the Dales. We ask you to act, and for us to see that action. We ask you to bless, to heal, to restore, and to build up the people of this area. We ask that you will come to us, reveal yourself to us, and become real in the lives of those who do not yet know you.

We ask that you will build your church, Lord Jesus. That you will stir us, encourage us, and empower us to be the people you have called us to be. That you will make us faithful to your word, however hard that may be. We ask that you will reveal our sins to us, our weaknesses and shortcomings and that you will grow our faith, making us obedient to your commands and teaching, purifying us by your blood so that we will be known as holy people, set apart and different from the culture around us, bringing light and hope because we are being formed into the likeness of Jesus.

We ask Father, that you would send your Spirit on the work of Dales Faith. We ask that we might be faithful to the call you have placed on us and that through this movement many will come to know Jesus, and your church in this area will be strengthened and will grow.

We ask specifically Lord, for favour among the people of this area. That we might be known as people who bring your blessing and light to the communities in which we live. We ask for opportunities for good conversations and the building of strong relationships with those who love you, that we might be united as one, no matter which physical church we are connected with. Father, you know that there are many who do not yet know you or who have been searching for you and we desire to get to know them and be connected with them. But there are few of us.

So, Lord God, we ask that you will raise us up, draw others in and connect us together. There are few workers, so please Father, we ask for more. For all who you are calling to this mission. For those who will pray with us and for us. For those who want to know more about you. For those who are looking for others to meet with in their locality. For those you are calling to be more involved.

Please, Father, we ask that you will grow your church here, that we might be faithful in our obedience to you, and that you will multiply even the small things that we do, so that we might see your kingdom come and your will be done, here and right across the North Yorkshire Dals area. And we pray this in the awesome name of Jesus.

Amen.