Prayers for Justice – Prayer Strategy for the Spheres of Influence

PRAYER FOR OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM

Almighty God, you are a God of justice and righteousness.
We pray for the justice system in our country. Lord, you are just and you are merciful God.
You have given our government authority to establish and maintain justice in this nation.
Your justice is perfect; Your word speaks to us to respect and submit to the decisions of our government, but we also can appeal for consideration and reconsideration.
We want to see Your Kingdom in every part of the sphere of Law and Justice,
we do not ask for an avoidance of justice, but for the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
We pray for those struggling with legal issues; bring them peace and confidence.
Let justice prevail in all areas of the departments of law and justice in this country.
Give our judges sound minds and good conscience to deliver decisions based on biblical and moral values.
Show them more of you and your ways.
God, you are the best and final judge of all.
We trust you now and always.
In Jesus’ name. Amen

Isaiah 58:6-9:

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

Prayer for those in Prison

Father God, your love is great and extends beyond walls and borders. You see the men and women who are living behind bars here in our city and throughout our country. We pray that you have mercy on them. We pray for their families and children. Amen.

The prophet Amos says, “May justice roll down like a river, and righteousness like a never failing stream.”

Prayers for the Courts

Please take your time to focus on the research below and pray as God leads you. (Adapt to suit your own country if you are not in Australia.)

From the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department website:

Separation of powers and independence of judges

The power to make laws in Australia is divided between the executive, the parliament and the judiciary. This is known as the separation of powers doctrine and is an essential feature of the Australian system of government.

Under Australia’s Constitution, our judiciary is independent from the other arms of government. The separation of powers doctrine means that in interpreting and applying the law, judicial officers act independently and without interference from the parliament or the executive. The constitutional guarantees of tenure and remuneration assist in securing judicial independence.

Federal judicial officers are appointed by the government of the day and cannot be removed from office except on the grounds of proved misbehavior or incapacity. The remuneration of judicial officers cannot be reduced while the judge holds office.

Follow the links on the Attorney-General’s Department website and pray for each of Australia’s federal courts:

High Court of Australia
Federal Court of Australia
Family Court of Australia
Federal Circuit Court of Australia

Each state and territory in Australia have their own laws and court system, which fall under the responsibility each states’s Attorney General or Minister for Justice.

There are links on the Attorney-General’s Department website to the state and territory courts. Follow these to pray for the court system in your state or territory. You can also find more information from the links below:

Uphold all these below in your prayers:

Australian Law
Civil and Human Rights Law (including Censorship; Privacy; Rights of Children; State of Emergency)
Australian Constitution and Constitutional Law
Criminal Law (including Firearms)
Discrimination Law
Employment Law
Family Law
Terrorism Law
Administrative Arrangements Orders
Attorneys-General (federal & state)
Royal Commissions
Department of Legal Aid
Parliamentary Library
Research Publications

THE PRAYER OF SUPPLICATION

(From Des Higgs, 24 April 2018)

The phrase “surfs and villains’ does gross injustice to the serfs of the middle ages because, although they were peasants, they were not slaves who could be bought and sold.

Although they were at the lowest level of the medieval social system, they were love slaves to the Lord of the Manor. When they had personal wants they were free to come to their master with a petition. This was, in the language of the Elizabethan times, a supplication – they were suppliants.

There are times when we feel like suppliants [a humble petitioner] and come like little children to our Father for special help. We can come without feeling guilty for selfishness, which occurs only if our requests deprives someone of a benefit or privilege. Sometimes we feel that we are no more than unprofitable servants who have only done what was our duty to do. Luke 17:10.

1 Timothy 2:1 urges us with “I exhort , first of all, that supplications with thanksgiving be made …” The important invisible word here is ‘HUMBLE’.

Let your requests be made known to God. Ask and it shall be given you. You have not because you ask not. Men everywhere should pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.

Keep your spirit clean and wholesome and fresh through frequent supplications.
Des Higgs.

Biblical verses for Justice

Psalm 106:3 How blessed are those who keep justice, Who practice righteousness at all times!
Leviticus 19:15 You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbour fairly.
Psalm 99:4 The strength of the King loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
Isaiah 61:8 For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an everlasting covenant with them.
Luke 18:7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
Acts 17:31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
Psalm 112:5 It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment.
Isaiah 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.
Proverbs 29:4 The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it.
Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.
Deuteronomy 16:20 Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you.
Deuteronomy 27:19 ‘Cursed is he who distorts the justice due an alien, orphan, and widow.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Job 37:23 The Almighty–we cannot find Him; He is exalted in power And He will not do violence to justice and abundant righteousness.
Psalm 33:5 He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.
Psalm 140:12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted And justice for the poor.
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all things.
Isaiah 30:18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Isaiah 51:4-5 Pay attention to Me, O My people, And give ear to Me, O My nation; For a law will go forth from Me, And I will set My justice for a light of the peoples.
Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
Psalm 37:8-9 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

Verses about the Law

Romans 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Galatians 2:15-16 We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;
Acts 13:39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
Romans 4:13-15 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Romans 5:20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
1 Timothy 1:9-10 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers
1 John 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
Galatians 3:24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
Romans 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Galatians 3:11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.
Romans 4:1-5 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
Galatians 3:10-14 For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”
Ephesians 2:15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
Galatians 2:19 For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God.
Romans 7:11-12 for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.
1 Timothy 1:8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,
1 Peter 1:15-16 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;
Leviticus 11:44-45 For I am the LORD your God Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth.
Leviticus 19:2 Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.
Leviticus 20:7 You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.
Romans 7:7-11 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “YOU SHALL NOT COVET.”
Romans 13:8-10 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
James 2:8-11 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well.

Final Prayer

Father, you have given all peoples one common origin.
It is your will that they be gathered together
as one family in yourself.
Fill the hearts of mankind with the fire of your love
and with the desire to ensure justice for all.
By sharing the good things you give us,
may we secure an equality for all
our brothers and sisters throughout the world.
May there be an end to division, strife and war.
May there be a dawning of a truly human society
built on love and peace.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord.
Amen.