Introduction to Praying for Nations
Praying for the world can seem overwhelming, boring, and possibly irrelevant. But think of it this way: you can partner with God in the work he is already doing in the world. He is sovereign over all nations and world leaders, but he invites us to participate in the process of bringing about spiritual change on earth. Take Daniel, for example. Daniel prayed for God to show him what was happening in world events and it seemed like nothing happened as a result of his prayers until an angel showed up and told Daniel about the war in the spiritual realm.
 
Then he said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. (Daniel 10:12-13 NLT).
 
Imagine that! Our prayers move spiritual forces that shape world events! If that doesn’t give you a boost of confidence in the importance and relevance of your prayers for the nations, then you might need to check your pulse.
 
How to Use
If you treat praying for nations as a mere item on your to-do list, or if you limit your prayers to facts and figures, you might be in for a disappointment. After years of personal experience, I can tell you compiling a list of boring details about a nation does not move me. What moves me is personal connections.
 
For me, praying for nations is like a scavenger hunt. Instead of collecting a list of facts, I’m constantly on the hunt for connections.
Did I just hear a mention of a nation in the news? Jot that down and pray.
Oh, look, my t-shirt was “Made in ___.” Jot that down, just for a fun connection to that country.
Here’s a picture of someone from ___. Add that to my prayer notes. Collage is lots of fun in a prayer journal.
I received an article from a Christian organization working in the region. Let me note that on the prayer page for that nation.
 
Do you see what I mean? We are more connected to other nations than we realize. When we develop spiritual radar for nations, we begin to see more and more reminders to prompt our prayers. Don’t make it a tedious chore. It’s fun and engaging. Best of all, it allows us to partner with God in his work around the world.
 
The Listing for Each Nation
To give you a quick-start guide, you’ll find the prayer journal page for each nation includes some basic information to inform your prayers:
Nation
Capital
Region
National Day
Flag
Map
Border Countries
Government Type
Leaders
Languages
Religions
 
Each prayer journal page also has a space for you to write out a Bible verse that God puts on your heart for each nation. And, of course, you’ll find space to record relevant headlines and prayer notes.
Need more space? If you need overflow space for a nation, print one of the blank page templates at the end of the nation pages and insert it into your prayer notebook to provide additional space for prayer notes, collage, or collecting other fun facts to inspire prayer!