Pray the Vote
A report from a cybersecurity firm said a pro-China disinformation campaign known as Dragonbridge has been aggressively targeting the U.S. by using various tactics designed to divide the country along party lines and isolate it from its European allies by discrediting the U.S. political system and discouraging Americans from voting in the upcoming midterm elections.
Florida’s election crimes unit has recommended state police open a full criminal investigation into a whistleblower’s detailed complaint of a long-running widespread ballot harvesting operation in the African-American communities in politically important central Florida.
Pray for election officials and poll workers in each state and precinct as they work to protect the integrity of the midterms.
Additional National Prayer Needs
Pray for our Military
According to the Pentagon’s newly released National Defense Strategy, despite recommendations from top officials, President Biden’s administration is seeking to scrap the U.S. military’s development of nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles. The U.S. will still maintain a submarine-launched nuclear arsenal.
The Air Force is preparing to send six B-52 bombers to northern Australia and build supportive facilities for the aircraft there amid heightened tensions with China. The bombers are part of a larger upgrade to U.S. defense capabilities in Australia, including an expansion on the Pine Gap intelligence base that would play an important role in potential conflicts with China should it attack Taiwan.
Pray for the president as commander in chief and for America’s military forces as they are positioned for response around the world.
War in Ukraine
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. is “watching carefully” for signs Russia might employ a false flag attack using a dirty bomb. There are concerns that President Putin might use such a bomb and blame Ukraine as an excuse to unleash a tactical nuke to regain the advantage in the war.
Ukraine has shot down more than 300 Iranian “kamikaze” drones that have become a key weapon in Russia’s arsenal. These have been used often in the past month to target critical energy infrastructure.
Pray for discernment for U.S. leaders and allied nations as they assess the threats posed by Russia.
Pray for AMERICA’S FREEDOMS
A federal judge declined to prohibit a local group from monitoring ballot drop boxes in Arizona. “The Court cannot craft an injunction without violating the First Amendment,” the judge wrote.
Pray for concerned citizens to remain peaceful as they watch activities at ballot drop boxes to guard against ballot harvesting or other questionable activity.
Pray for AMERICA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
The president of Guatemala said President Biden’s administration refused to provide Guatemala with the tools to deport illegal immigrants heading to the U.S. even though they had requested help from the administration. Guatemalan officials requested assistance in returning illegal immigrants to their home countries before they could enter Mexico and later reach the U.S., a move he said would save huge costs for the U.S.
The Chinese Communist Party’s 20th Congress installed President Xi Jinping as chairman for life amending its party constitution to enshrine him as the “core” leader which makes him as powerful as Mao Zedong. In a speech, Xi revealed his vision for a “new era” of socialism, which he believes will save China. His “Chinese Dream” will establish a “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” he said.
Pray for the secretary of state and U.S. diplomats as they maintain relationships with nations around the globe.
Pray for AMERICA’S HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
New studies by researchers at Columbia University and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center find that Omicron COVID boosters are no more effective than the original, contradicting messaging from the CDC.
Hospitals across the country are seeing a surge of cases in infants and young children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The cases are especially concerning in those who are 6 months and younger.
Pray for infants and small children who are susceptible to RSV.
Pray for AMERICA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL
Israelis turned out to vote on November 1 in the country’s election amid a tight race between Prime Minister Yair Lapid and opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Early results show Mr. Netanyahu will return to power. If both voting blocs fell short of a majority in Israel’s 120-seat parliament, it could force another election in early 2023 which would keep Lapid in charge as an interim leader.
Pray for God’s will to be done in Israel’s election (Daniel 2:21).
Pray for AMERICA’S ECONOMY
Mortgage rates reached another record this past week, eclipsing 7 percent for the first time in 20 years amid the Federal Reserve’s attempts to address inflation through interest rate hikes. A year ago, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage carried 3.14 percent interest on average.
According to a report from Equifax, credit card debt has returned to where it was before the pandemic. Total card balances in the U.S. hit $916 billion in September, nearly identical to December 2019 levels.
Pray for Americans who are having to turn to credit to get them through these inflationary times.
Pray for Justice in America
Law enforcement agencies are expressing concerns regarding the consequences of a dramatic increase in police resignations and retirements since 2020, which leave America’s streets less protected as crime continues to rise. A spokesperson for the National Police Association said, “We can’t get new people to this profession because law enforcement has been lied about. We’ve been vilified. So we’re heading… we’re in a crisis.”
Pray for police department officials, sheriffs, marshals, and others across the nation who protect and serve.
Pray for Goodness in America
According to the Society of Family Planning, nearly 10,000 fewer abortions were performed in the two months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. Nationwide, legal abortions declined 6 percent as new abortion restrictions went into effect in 13 states. Those states without new abortion restrictions saw a surge in abortions, but not a large enough increase to make up for the decline occurring in other states, suggesting that state-level restrictions are generally effective at reducing abortions.
Give thanks for the life of every preborn child who has been saved by the Supreme Court decision and pray for the families as they care for these infants.
Pray for America’s Media
Attorney General Merrick Garland moved to largely block the Department of Justice from using subpoenas to seize the records of journalists in government-leak investigations. “These regulations recognize the crucial role that a free and independent press plays in our democracy,” the attorney general stated.
Pray for journalists and news agencies to seek the facts and report them without bias.
Pray for America’s Education
A new investigation found that school libraries for military kids maintained by the Pentagon contain dozens of books with jarring pornographic content, such as detailed instructions on how to have sex or radical gender ideology, from elementary to high school. Most of that material at DoDEA schools was added within the last two years.
Pray for U.S. education officials to return to a focus on teaching America’s schoolchildren the basics of education.
Pray for America’s Technology
Apple said it will accelerate its work with global suppliers to decarbonize the production of all Apple-related products, moving the iPhone market closer to its goal of reaching carbon-neutral status by 2030.
Pray for those who manufacture the technological items used across America every day.
Pray for Needs Across the States
A bipartisan interim Indiana education committee released its final report detailing recommendations for bills and topics during the upcoming legislative session. They included streamlining certain school data, promoting work-based experiences on student transcripts, and integrating financial literacy into math coursework.
A major offshore wind project in the Massachusetts pipeline “is no longer viable and would not be able to move forward” under the terms of contracts filed in May. Now both developers behind the state’s next two offshore wind projects are asking state regulators to pause the review of the contracts for one month amid price increases, supply shortages, and interest rate hikes.
Pray for officials in state governments as they attempt to alleviate energy shortages.
Pray for America’s Faith Community
“Our freedom to worship God and obey His Word has come under unprecedented attack. Powerful politicians and social media giants have engaged in uncharted abuses of religious liberty, silencing the faithful, banning our voices, and outright attacking our God-given right to declare His goodness. It is time for the Church to rise up with one voice and tell our government leaders and the rulers of big tech that we refuse to be silenced.” – Sean Feucht, musician and founder of Let Us Worship, on the National Mall, October 2022
