Table of Contents
Open Heavens Devotional Friday, 10th April 2026
By Pastor E. A. Adeboye
TOPIC: PRAYERS FOR THE CHURCH
MEMORISE
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
— Colossians 4:2 (KJV)
READ: Matthew 9:35-38 (KJV)
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Kings 3-5
MESSAGE
The church of God is the most important institution on earth. It is the body of Christ, the pillar and ground of truth, and the hope of the world. However, the church is under constant attack from the enemy. There are challenges from within and without. There are false doctrines, weak leaders, hypocritical members, financial struggles, and persecution in many nations. This is why we must pray for the church continually.
In today’s Bible reading, Jesus looked at the multitudes and was moved with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He then instructed His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into the harvest. This shows that prayer is essential for the health and growth of the church.
When we pray for the church, we are aligning ourselves with God’s heart. God loves the church. Christ died for the church. The Holy Spirit dwells in the church. Therefore, praying for the church is praying for what God cares about most.
What to Pray for the Church
1. Pray for the Empowerment of the Church: The church needs the power of the Holy Spirit to function effectively. Without God’s power, the church becomes just another social organization. Pray that the church will be filled with the Holy Spirit and that every member will operate in the gifts of the Spirit.
2. Pray for Church Leaders: Pastors, elders, deacons, and all leaders in the church need wisdom, courage, and determination to do the work of ministry. The enemy targets leaders because when the shepherd is struck, the sheep scatter. Pray for protection, wisdom, and anointing upon every church leader.
3. Pray for the Sanctification of the Church: The church is called to be holy, just as God is holy. Pray that the church will turn away from worldliness, compromise, and sin. Pray that the church will be a true reflection of God’s holiness to the world.
4. Pray for the Removal of Darkness and Evil: Wherever the church exists, darkness and evil should flee. But sometimes, evil creeps into the church. Pray that God will banish every form of darkness, deception, and wickedness from the church.
5. Pray for the Provision of the Church: The church needs resources to carry out its mission – to preach the gospel, care for the poor, support missionaries, and maintain places of worship. Pray that God will supply all the needs of the church according to His riches in glory.
6. Pray for Love to Flow in the Church: Jesus said that the world would know that we are His disciples by our love for one another. Unfortunately, many churches are filled with division, jealousy, and strife. Pray that the love of God will flow mightily within the church, uniting believers in pure, fervent love.
7. Pray for Repentance of Hypocrites: There are those who attend church but live in hypocrisy. They profess one thing and practice another. Pray that such people will repent and truly surrender to God’s Word. Their hypocrisy damages the testimony of the church.
8. Pray for the Uprooting of False Doctrines: Many churches have departed from the truth of God’s Word. They preach prosperity without holiness, grace without repentance, and tolerance without truth. Pray that false doctrines and ungodly traditions will be uprooted and that the church will return to the undiluted Word of God.
9. Pray for Boldness for Faithful Ministers: In many nations, faithful ministers of the gospel face persecution, arrest, and even death. Pray that God will empower them to preach His Word without fear. Deliver them from wicked men and laws that limit their ability to proclaim the truth.
10. Pray for Persecuted Churches: Around the world, Christians are being killed, imprisoned, and driven from their homes because of their faith. Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Ask God to strengthen their faith and help them not to deny Christ, no matter the cost.
ACTION POINT
Set aside 30 minutes today specifically to pray through the prayer points listed above. Pray for your local church, for churches in your nation, and for persecuted churches around the world.
HYMN 22: SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Saviour shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
PRAYER POINTS
Lord, I thank You for Your church. Thank You for the gift of Your body and the godly communities of believers.
Father, please empower Your church to function as the salt of the earth indeed so that everyone who comes into the church will begin to experience sweetness in their lives, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, please strengthen every leader in Your church. Empower them with wisdom, courage, and determination to do the work of ministry and shepherd Your flock.
Father, please sanctify Your church. Help us to be a true reflection of Your holiness to the world, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please banish every form of darkness and evil from Your church, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please provide for the needs of Your church. Supply all our needs according to Your riches in glory, and empower us to do Your work, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please let Your love flow mightily within Your church. Help us to love one another fervently with pure hearts, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please help those who are living in hypocrisy within Your church to repent. Help them to truly surrender to Your word, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please uproot false doctrines and ungodly traditions from Your church. Let the faith of Your people be based on Your undiluted word, in Jesus’ name.
Father, please empower faithful ministers of the gospel to preach Your word without fear. Deliver them from wicked men and laws that can limit them from preaching Your word with boldness, in Jesus’ name.
Dear Lord, please arise and help all the persecuted churches around the world. Strengthen their faith and help them not to deny You, in Jesus’ name.
Your personal prayers for the church.
COMMENTARY
Why Pray for the Church?
The church is not a building. The church is the body of Christ – every born-again believer. When you pray for the church, you are praying for your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are praying for yourself. The health of the church affects every member.
Jesus instructed His disciples to pray for labourers because the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. This remains true today. There are billions of people who have not heard the gospel. There are millions of churches that are weak and ineffective. There are thousands of pastors who are discouraged and ready to quit. Prayer is the answer.
The Power of United Prayer
When the church prays together, mountains move. In the book of Acts, the early church devoted themselves to prayer, and the result was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, boldness to preach, signs and wonders, and the rapid growth of the church. The same power is available today if the church will pray.
Practical Steps
Pray for your pastor by name every day this week.
Join a prayer meeting in your local church.
Intercede for persecuted Christians using resources from organizations like Open Doors.
Fast and pray for the revival of the church in your nation.
End of devotional for Friday, 10th April 2026.
