Lenten Season – Prayer for Day 12 – Very Rev. Prof. Konyinsola Àjàyí, SAN
*16th March 2025 – Lent Day 12 – PRAYER FOR NIGERIA*
Lord God, Judge Eternal, Authority in the Universe, throned in splendour, Lord of lords and King of kings, have mercy on this nation and pity her suffering masses. With the richness of Your Word, bless this land. With Your living fire of judgment, purge her of sin and bitter things, and by Your healing wings and gracious love, grant solace to all that are anguished, pained, oppressed, or suffering.
Lord God, the Eternal King, Who came to Moses in a thick cloud, let this nation hear You when You speak and believe in You and Your Son forever. Father Divine, Divine Instructor, Divine Light, wash this nation in the blood, and sanctify her by Living Waters of Christ; with Your protecting hand, guard this land; by Your power, O King of Peace, transform this land into one of peace and unity. Lord God Almighty, who makes souls shine with light from brighter worlds above, bless this Republic with Your strength and righteousness; let Your light shine upon this land, removing all darkness and all it portends for me and the people of this land. Father, as You did for our ancestors out of Egypt, carry Nigeria on eagles’ wings, bring her unto Yourself; let Nigeria be a peculiar treasure unto You, and make the people of Nigeria a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Father, save the nation Nigeria and give us worthy leaders whose gazes are upon You and not things that will rot and perish. Lord God who descended upon Mount Sinai in fire, descend into the life and circumstance of Nigeria, and by the fire of Pentecost, fill all parts of this land, and all its people and residents, with the Holy Spirit – so all manner of challenges and deprivation will end for the people of this land. Holy Father, arise and do not hide Your face from Nigeria, but grant this land’s citizens the grace to rise and shine in rebuilding her ruins and remnants.
Lord God, make good and pleasant the people of Nigeria, and grant that people of Nigeria will live together in unity; so, Lord, remove all that tends to divide us in this land and inspire our hearts with wisdom from above, that all may enjoy and live in love, perfect liberty and divinely orchestrated unity. Father, make the people of this country Your people, and You be our God, so this nation may return to being the promised land for all citizens and residents.
Lord God, send forth the word that there be light, peace, justice, satisfaction and love in this nation, and let woes end in her.
Lord God of Nations, the Mighty One, let the saving force of angels defend and fight for righteousness in this nation so that prosperity, social inclusion, gender justice, and progress may come, spread, and rest in this land. Father, let the Light and love from the blood of Christ be shed for us, fulfilling the same purpose for this nation, its people and well-wishers.
Father, reinvigorate all good men in this nation: righteous judges, honest officials, genuine clerics after Your heart, responsible and dutiful public servants, and faithful and loving citizens. Lord God, our Helper, let Your help find expression in the lives of the people of this nation.
Come forth, O Mighty One and – by Your zeal – defend and save this nation from all that ails it; rebuild its walls as You did at Jerusalem; purge out the shame; bring to an end the rule of evil in the land, so this land may be our Promised Land, where we will be proud of our nation – one that commands respect all over the world.
Lord God, the only Sovereign, let the praise of Nigerians resound in heaven as a pleasing offering that will – together with the blood that was shed – atone for our sins as a nation. Let the poor of this land eat of the Bread of Life and be satisfied, worshipping You in truth and spirit.
Father, look on me and the land in which You planted me: let the wickedness I see, the injustice I experience, and all many of ill and inhumanity I encounter – for my sake as Your child through whom You remember Christ’s sacrifice – come to an end, so I may enjoy the benefits of a land blessed by You, with its leaders purified of greed, corruption, injustice and brutality; and its citizens made a divinely regenerated people: more divine, more genuine, more accurate and more faithful.
*_Grant these, I pray, in the Name of Jesus Christ, on Whose shoulder I place our nation and government._*
*Amen.*
*Patriarch’s Note.*
Here are some key NKJV Bible verses that resonate profoundly with our heartfelt *Prayer for Nigeria:*
*Key Bible Verses for “PRAYER FOR NIGERIA”:*
- *2 Chronicles 7:14*
*_“If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”_*
- *Psalm 33:12*
*_“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”_*
- *Isaiah 60:1*
*_“Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.”_*
- *Micah 6:8*
*_“He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?”_*
- *Psalm 147:3*
*_“He heals the broken-hearted And binds up their wounds.”_*
- *Jeremiah 29:11*
*_“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.”_*
- *James 1:5*
*_“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”_*
*Inspirational Anecdote*
In times of turbulence and uncertainty, nations often find themselves at a crossroads of despair and hope. The story is told of a small village that faced a severe drought. Rather than lose faith, the villagers gathered in prayer, believing in divine intervention. They did not merely bemoan their fate and struggle with human ingenuity; they collectively sought the Lord, asking for rain. Remarkably, upon their arrival at the gathering, *_one villager was noted to bring an umbrella—a silent yet profound action for a testimony of faith_* amidst dire circumstances.
This act reminds us that *_true faith is accompanied by action_*, and when we unite in prayer for our nation, we should seek mercy and healing to embody the change we wish to see. Remember “Nigeria Prays,” which a former Nigerian leader, Yakubu Gowon, started in 1996, and how God delivered Nigeria from the despotic rule of General Sani Abacha?
Our prayers must inspire us to cultivate justice, love, and unity, allowing Nigeria to flourish as a beacon of hope and righteousness.
*_May this message resonate with the hearts of your audience and inspire collective action toward a brighter future for Nigeria, in Jesus’ Name._*
AMEN.
