20th Sept 2023 - Prayer and Fasting for the Unborn: Day Eighteen Uncompromising

Love Australia
Aug 28, 2023
5 min read

Updated: Sep 20, 2023

Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain

is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. Proverbs 25:26

Worship

Devotion

Bible Reading: Proverbs 25:26

Water is vital to life, and its value would have been deeply recognised by those who lived in the dry areas of ancient Israel. The hidden reservoir of a well or the trickling stream flowing from a spring would have been a precious lifeline from which they could quench their thirst and provide for their livestock.

Imagine a thirsty man, wearied from a day of work in the hot sun, coming to a spring or well for water. But he gets to the spring it’s full of mud and sludge. Or he arrives at the well only to find a dead animal floating in the bottom and putrefying the water. This tragic scene would not only be disappointing but even dangerous. Contamination has negated the blessing that should have been flowing forth.

This is the picture Proverbs 25:26 paints: Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. (ESV)

A righteous man should be an incredible blessing. And yet a righteous man who is compromised becomes useless or worse. And notice in this proverb that the warning is not about a righteous man who is personally doing evil acts (although scripture has much to say about such hypocrisy). The problem in this proverb is rather that the righteous man gives way to the wicked. He stands aside and lets them carry on. The righteous man himself becomes compromised because he was willing to leave wickedness unopposed.

When we consider the some of the attacks on life in our culture it is easy to give way. It’s easy to be quiet or to keep our head down or to just mutter within our own safe circles. And it’s tempting to wash our hands. We didn’t do it. It was them. And yet too often the righteous stand silently by giving way to the wicked.

Prayer

Father we confess that we are weak and often shrink back when courage is needed. Forgive us for the times when we have failed to love our neighbour by standing for righteousness and truth. Thankyou those who trust in Christ are washed clean. We pray too that you would strengthen us by your Spirit that we might grow in faithful witness. And we pray particularly for those appointed to positions of authority or leadership in our state and nation, that those who know the truth would stand firm and speak up with courage. And we ask that in your mercy you would bless their work and use them to preserve life. We ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayer Points:

We repent and grieve today over the decision of the WA Upper House who voted 23 to 9 to not give treatment to Australian babies born alive from failed abortions. Ask the Lord for truth to convict our nation and her leaders to turn from our wicked ways. Pray that every life be treated with value and dignity and that we do whatever we can for the least of these as if we were doing it for Jesus.
Pray for those who have been entrusted with authority and leadership in our state and nation: For those who pursue wickedness, pray that they would repent. For those who support life, pray that they would have courage and conviction to persevere and not to give up, and that they would not give way before the wicked.
Pray for Christians as we face pressure on many issues to go along with our world or at least not to oppose it. Pray that we will have wisdom to speak with gentleness and clarity, but that we would never confuse moral compromise with humility.
The churches and believers in Sydney to have their hearts listening to Gods heart for September 23rd Love Sydney – Walk for Life 2023. That as we stand for life as one we are of one accord and reveal Jesus to the powers of darkness.
Those on the frontline preparing for the Love Sydney Walk for Life 2023 2pm in Hyde Park near Park St, the leaders, volunteers, and guest speakers. For good working sound systems, technicians, security, parking, great weather and more people have all obstacles removed to be able to awaken and come out to stand for life.
Success for media coverage, for the word to spread to all the righteous.
Protection for everyone in the pro-life movement – all to be hidden and effective! Psalm 91
We pray for every state and territory of Australia to come together to stand for life! For hearts to be awakened and every Christian to rally to rescue the unborn as the church rises up to Walk for Life Sydney 23rd Sept 2023 *new location near Park St, HYDE PARK. “Walk for Life Adelaide” 10th Feb 2024 and “March for Life” Brisbane - date TBA, Mackay “March for the Babies” October, “March for the Babies” Saturday 7th Oct 2023 Treasury Gardens to the Melbourne Parliament, Melbourne. Pray for every Territory and State in our Nation to join in and hold rallies and walks for life in their cities.

These current Pro-Life Issues before Parliaments:

Pray that abortion will not increase in Australia. The ACT Government has announced it will provide free abortions from mid 2023. As Medicare sadly already cover the costs for all Australian women having abortions this is likely to be for overseas students, those on work visas and those here on holiday having abortions paid from Australian taxes. This is currently being debated in the Upper House in Western Australia - their Abortion Legislation Reform Bill 2023 has been labelled by some as the most radical abortion law in the world. Pray they include the 4 clauses from the South Australian Termination of Pregnancy Act 2021.

Pray that The Human Rights (Children Born Alive Protection) Bill 2022 be passed speedily in 2023. This Bill will protect babies who are currently, in most States of Australia, being left to die after a failed abortion. This protection for such babies is currently law in NSW (2019) and SA (2021) as amendments to the state Termination of Pregnancy Acts. This Federal Bill, if passed, will make this legislation National. Pray for protection for the three Federal Senators Alex Antic (Liberal Party) Matthew Canavan (National Party) and Ralph Babet (United Australia Party) who presented this Bill 30/11/2022.