Prayer for Unity

Join the 40 Day Prayer Challenge or text Prayer40 to 44222

Brian Alarid leads us in prayer today! Brian is the President and CEO of America Prays and World Prays and the Founding Pastor of Passion Church. Brian leads us in prayer for unity of the church all across America and all across the world, to be of one heart and one mind in Christ Jesus.

I want to pray today that God would help us rise above our political differences (which is a big deal in an election year in America;) rise above our theological differences; rise above our racial differences, to be that one church—the bride of Christ without spot or wrinkle. I want to join Jesus in His prayer in John 17:21-23: 

“Father, make them one, as You and I are one.”

That is what Jesus prayed; that you and me, that Baptist; Pentecostal; Charismatic; Nazarene; Independent; Non-denominational; Calvary Chapel; Lutheran; Methodist; Presbyterian…across the spectrum, the body of Christ would have the same quality of unity that the Father and the Son have. That seems impossible, but we know with God, all things are possible.

I love what the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:3:

“Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Why do you think Paul said “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit?” Because Paul knew from firsthand experience with Barnabas and others how difficult it was to maintain unity. And he is saying, “It’s not going to be easy. Sometimes you are going to get upset at each other. You are not going to get along. You are going to have heated disagreements and differences. But I urge you in the Lord to exhaust every last bit of energy and strength you have to fight and continue to fight for the unity of the church. Because if the enemy can succeed in dividing you, he’s already won.”

And that’s the devil’s plan, to divide us, to get our eyes off of Jesus. Look, we can’t agree on everything, but we can agree on something…and that one something is that Jesus is Lord. That is the unity that we have, that Jesus is Lord.

Only a united church can heal a divided nation!

Join me right now in praying for unity, and pray that it starts with us. That “I would be in unity with my brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Prayer

Father, we join your son Jesus in His prayer and we cry out to You – Father, make us one!

Forgive us for our pride and for thinking less of other members of the body of Christ; for criticizing them, for ridiculing them, for putting them down. Forgive us for putting politics above people, for putting theology above love, and for not loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.

Jesus, we pray You would help us to embrace and celebrate our differences and not allow them to divide us anymore. Jesus, unite your church to heal a divided nation.

Let it start with me, Lord. Unite your church, starting with me, starting with my marriage, my family, my church and my community. Help us to love the body of Christ; speak well of the body of Christ; to not tarnish or tear down other members of the body, but to lift them up, to build them up in love.

Lord, unite your church; display your love; your grace; your goodness; your kindness; your compassion; your glory; your hope to a broken, hurting, lost world.

We pray in the powerful, masterless name of Jesus Christ, the only name given under Heaven whereby men, women and children can be saved. And all God’s people said “Amen.”

Thank you so much! Continue praying every day during these 40 days. I pray that prayer would become a lifestyle. God bless you.