GOVERNMENT

MUFW PRAYER GUIDE ON PRAYER FOR GOVERNMENT

We will be focusing on the various Government Ministries in the next few months.

Romans 13:1-7

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.  For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.  Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.

Father in heaven, we come before You to acknowledge that:

  1. God, You instituted all governing authorities, and therefore You are Lord over them, whether they are good or evil;
  2. We, Your people, are to submit to governing authorities.
  3. All governing ministers are God’s ministers appointed by You to attend continually to government matters, including taxes.
  • Father in heaven, we seek your forgiveness for not showing more concern over the nation’s government even when Your Word tells us that these governing authorities were instituted by You to serve Your purpose.
  • We have judged and criticised the government with our own human wisdom instead of praying and covering those in authority with the blood of Jesus, instead of inviting the Holy Spirit to move in them to lead the ministries in ways that will bring about Your Kingdom purposes in this nation. Forgive us, Lord.
  • Holy Spirit, we now invite You to come into our government to pour out Your wisdom and to instil the fear of You over every minister in government, so that they will become vessels You can use to bring about the salvation of many in this nation.
  • As the governing ministers are appointed by You to administer the taxes that are paid to the authorities, Father we commit the works of the ministries to you so that these taxes will support Your work that You intend to do through the human authorities You put in place.
  • Father, we humbly come and ask that Your plans and your purposes come to pass through the workings of the government. We come with trembling because we acknowledge that Your way may mean we will face inconvenience, hardship and discomfort. Yet Lord, have Your way in the government of Malaysia as she recovers and rebuilds.

 

ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY, HEALTH, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Psalm 104:24-30

How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number— living things both large and small. There the ships go to and fro, and Leviathan, which you formed to frolic there. All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.

Father, you are the Maker of heaven and earth, and You alone know the mysterious wonders and workings of creation. You also created man’s most being, fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14). So we come with our petition before You Lord, to ask for Your wisdom and Spirit to fall upon these ministries that You have instituted.

 

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & WATER

Senior Minister: YB Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man

Deputy: YB Dato’ Dr Mansor Othman

Psalm 63:1

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 

  • Pray that the budget allocated towards providing supply of clean water be utilised wisely towards that objective. Lives of many in the interior who depend on river as a source of life have been affected by polluted waters in terms of health and livelihood.
  • Pray for the authorities to have the wisdom to address the nation’s water supply shortage and the depletion of clean water resources to cater to the rising demand.
  • Pray for people to discover the Source of living water. Heavenly Father, we are grateful to you for being our Source of Living Water – the One who satisfies our soul’s deepest desire with the joy of salvation.
  • Pray for our mindset change with regards to protecting the environment. The earth is the Lord’s and all that is within in, therefore, we must desire to protect and steward everything that is the Lord’s with reverence and care.
  • Pray for the Department of Environment to uphold regulations to safeguard the environment and the waterways of Malaysia. It is those of the lower income groups as well as the Orang Asal who depend very much on natural resources, who will be most affected by environmental destruction. Father, You will provide for all who look to You, so we ask that You provide for the lower income group through the policies and decisions at the Ministry of Environment & Water.
  • Pray that the Minister, Deputy Minister and those in positions of power in the ministry will have a sense of calling in their roles in the ministry, and realize that decisions they make with regards to the environment will have a huge impact on the well-being and livelihoods of many.

 

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Senior Minister: YB Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan

Deputy: YB Datuk Ali Anak Biju

Psalm 24:1

The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it.

Psalms 89:14

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.

  • Pray that the Minister and those in positions of power and influence will have the wisdom to know how to manage the demand and supply of energy of the nation, and the boldness to implement policies, legislations and strategic collaborations with other stakeholders (i.e. industries, state governments) with a priority on sustainability and protecting the environment. This will include exploring different or more efficient sources of renewable energy.
  • Pray that God breaks the stronghold thar some segments of industry have over the ministry’s policy and regulation in order for reforms in the energy sector and land matters to take place.
  • Pray that measures to stem deforestation and to protect the rich biodiversity in our land will be boldly executed without fear or favour. Father in heaven, we pray that you secure the natural resources that have been entrusted to the National Conservation Trusts set up for this purpose.
  • We commit the National Land Council into Your hands to formulate policies and measures to control the utilisation of land in Peninsular Malaysia. Lord, we ask that the council fearfully undertake its fiduciary duties as custodians over mining leases, reserved lands and forest reserve lands.
  • We also commit to You the state governments in matters pertaining to state land. Lord, instil upon them the fear of God and grant them godly wisdom in carrying out their duties in this matter. Father, we pray against corruption and bribery in this area. In Jesus’ Name, we ask that those who practice injustice and unrighteousness will be exposed as You shine Your light and truth over these wicked practices.
  • Pray that God raise up righteous people in government, in both state and federal ministries who will not allow destruction to Malaysia’s natural resources for personal agenda and the benefit of the selected few. We pray that these people will have their eyes and minds open to see the destruction to the people, especially the Orang Asals, and the nation (evidenced by the recent flood) if they do not execute their responsibilities fearfully.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for raping the land and exploiting the rich natural resources for our own greed. We have capitalized and trampled on the Penans and the other Orang Asal. We repent of this evil act and greed.

 

MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MOH)

Minister: YB Tuan Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar

Deputy Minister: YB Dato’ Dr Haji Noor Azmi bin Ghazali

Psalm 33:10-11

The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.

Heavenly Father, we submit to you the Ministry of Health (MOH) during this challenging pandemic time and ask You to bless the Minister and his team of decision makers with godly wisdom to handle the Covid-19 situation in our nation, and also the handling of food poisoning cases in the recent flood-hit areas.

  • Pray that the Director General of Health and the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) work a strategic plan with the common people’s concern and welfare in mind.
  • Shield the Minister from evil counsellors and from the deceitfulness of man; surround the Ministry with men and women who will put the interest of the Ministry and the nation above every self-interest and human agenda.
  • Pray for proper stewardship of financial resources allocated to MOH for the Covid-19 Immunisation Program and for Healthcare services.
  • Pray for strategic, workable and better Mental Health Initiatives in the Budget 2022, especially during such difficult, trying and oppressing times.
  • Strengthen the Mental Health support services including counselling and psychological support. Pray for greater mental health awareness and continuous support for those affected mentally.
  • Strengthen the role of NGOs as partners to work hand in hand with MOH on Mental Health Programs.
  • Pray that the MOH will not overlook the marginalised population, such as the underprivileged and elderly as well as those living in the remote parts of the country, but persevere to provide universal coverage of healthcare services at affordable costs.

STATE OF TERENGGANU

PRAY FOR THE STATE OF TERENGGANU

I        SCRIPTURES:           

“Please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.” (Neh. 1:6-7)

“O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens. Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day.” (Ezra 9:6-7)

II       LIST OF CURRENT MAJOR CONCERNS FOR THE STATE OF TERENGGANU

  • 9 % of the about one million of the population of the state of Terengganu are non-Christians. Only 0.1 % are Christians. Of the 99.9%, 97.0 % are Malay Muslims, 2.6% are Chinese, 0.2% are Indians and the rest of approximately 0.2% are others.
  • The state is presently ruled by the PAS government. The development of the state is currently stagnant.
  • Drug addiction, drug trafficking, HIV, LGBT, incest, divorce rate, poverty, school drop-out, illegal logging and bribery are social and economic problems of the state.
  • There are eight administrative districts in Terengganu. In the Kuala Terengganu district alone, there are 120 mosques besides many suraus and madrasahs. With the discovery of the Terengganu Inscription Stone (Batu Bersurat) in 1887, it is believed that Terengganu is the first state in Malaysia to receive Islam in the 13th Worshipping idols in Chinese and Siamese temples and witchcraft are also practied here.

III      HEALING THE SINS OF THE LAND

On 10th January 2022, Terengganu news spread over the nation: “Police have arrested a doctor from a private clinic who is suspected of selling fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates.” It is believed that 1,900 individuals were found to be dealing with this clinic. These patrons needed to pay between RM400 to RM600 for a fake certificate. It is believed that there were also individuals from Kuala Lumpur and Kedah who went to the doctor to obtain fake vaccination certificates.

God’s heart is broken over the sins of the land. This has been described through the prophecy of Jeremiah: “… ‘Why have they provoked Me to anger with their images, with their worthless foreign idol?’ I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people. Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people.” (Jer. 8:19, 21-22; 9:1).

In response to the broken heart of God, now is the time for us to identify with the sins of the land of Terengganu in personal and corporate repentance. Even though Nehemiah, Ezra and Jeremiah were apparently very righteous men, but when they prayed for the restoration of Israel, they prayed as the guilty parties, identifying with their sins.

You may be a righteous and innocent person who is not directly related to the vices present in Terengganu, but you can identify with the roots of these exposed sins. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23).

Let us pray: “Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours.”

Consider, for example, the sinful acts of selling fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates. You may not be the person who had participated in this sinful activity but all of us have been guilty of the root sins which have given place to such an activity. Here are a few common roots that lead to the criminal act of the doctor and the patrons of the clinic.

The Doctor’s sins: Greed, love of money, cheating, law breaking

The Patrons’ sins: Impatience, unbelief, fear, lying.

These are struggles common to all of us and illustrate the need for honest identification with the sins of this land when we stand in the gap for Terengganu, asking God for mercy and compassion.

Nehemiah and the remnant with him assembled themselves before the Lord with fasting, in sackcloth and with dust on their heads. Though they were not many, they completely identified with their nation.

When we ask for God’s intervention on the land of Terengganu, we should never ask “How could they do such a thing?” We know very well how they could do it because the potential for the worst evil lies within each one of us. Apart from God’s grace, we are nothing.  May we come to intercede on behalf of the land with humility and honesty. God cannot use an unclean vessel in the place of intercession. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” (Ps. 66:18)

Our hope for the land of Terengganu lies in God’s compassion and mercy. He wants us to be His instruments of compassion and mercy to this dark and lost world. He looks for individuals to stand in the gap just as He spoke through Ezekiel: “I look for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before Me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” (Eze. 22:30).

The Lord is looking for a person who would stand in the breach for the land. Thank you for you are that person willing to be in His ministry of intercession. Thank you for living out the biblical practice of identification repentance that brings healing and revival to the land of Terengganu.

IV      KEY AREAS TO PRAY FOR TERENGGANU

  • Prayer of identification repentance.

“Heavenly Father, we are ashamed to hear the sins committed by the people of Terengganu. We have sinned against You. We ask for forgiveness and have mercy on us.”

  • Pray for God’s people in Terengganu that they will:
  • Live biblically based lives.
  • Build strong godly marriages and families.
  • Serve one another in the church, and also engage in community outreaches.
  • Model Christ in the marketplace and neighborhoods.
  • Be a people of prayer, worship and witness for Christ.
  • Be united as a Body of Christ in this land.
  • Pray for God’s moving and salvation of Ishmael’s descendants in this land. “Ishmael” means “God hears”.
  • Pray that God will reveal Himself as the Triune God to them: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit through dreams and visions.
  • Pray like Abraham: Abraham said to God “May Ishmael live under Your special blessing.” (Gen 17:18)
  • Pray against strongholds of fraudulent conversion, cult (e.g. Jehovah Witness) and false religious teaching.
  • Pray against favoritism, prejudice and discrimination in the land.
  • Pray for freedom of religion, especially to freely choose and believe Jesus to be their Savior.
  • Pray for peace and prosperity of the towns (Kuala Terengganu, Dungun, Cukai and Jerteh) and villages of Terengganu. Pray to the Lord for them, because if they prosper, God’s people too will prosper (Jer. 29:7).

FAMILIES

PRAYER FOR CHILDREN

 

[child’s name]

You are a precious gift.

You are a reward, not a burden/mistake.

 

Psalm 127:3

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.

 

[child’s name]

You are obedient and you listen to us.

 

Proverbs 1:8-9

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.

 

[child’s name]

You are building strong foundations.

 

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

 

[child’s name]

You will encounter Father God.

 

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

 

[child’s name]

You will fear God, keep His commands and you will do well.

 

Deuteronomy 5:29

Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

 

[child’s name]

You have the peace of God in you.

You will not be anxious or depressed.

 

Isaiah 54:13

All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.

 

[child’s name]

You will do well in your studies and everything else.

 

Psalm 90:17

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us.

 

[child’s name]

You will have a strong relationship with us.

 

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

These commandments that I give to you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

 

[child’s name]

You are my pride and joy.

You are accepted and loved.

 

Proverbs 17:6

Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

 

[child’s name]

You have a purpose and a powerful destiny.

Your identity is anchored in Christ.

 

Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”