You are invited to join the Canberra Declaration and prayer networks around Australia for “An Appeal to Heaven: A Day of Repentance and Prayer for Australia”. This event will be taking place on Saturday 11th December 2021.

You can be involved by praying on the day in any way you wish, whether individually or by organising or joining a corporate event. You are welcome to join our all-day Zoom call any time you can between 9am and 6pm (AEDT) at https://zoom.us/j/776881184.

Though we have called this event at short notice, we believe the situation is urgent. As such, we extend this invitation to all who are available to join in prayer for our nation.

Why We Are Praying

Australia is facing many challenges right now. Covid-19 and our nation’s responses to it have caused difficulty and heartbreak for many. State governments in many parts of Australia have robbed their citizens of their most fundamental freedoms without recourse. Never have our freedoms been so flimsy!

Freedom of religion is under significant attack, with the religious discrimination bill before federal parliament having been gutted.

We have abortion to birth and euthanasia in almost every state. Euthanasia passed in the New South Wales lower house last week and seems certain to pass in the upper house early next year.

Under the cover of Covid-19, the Northern Territory parliament passed abortion to birth last week. Our nation accepted homosexual marriage in December 2017. Legalised pedophilia is now being talked about openly in Western culture and will be the next big battle in the years ahead. Our nation has fallen into a quicksand of sin.

Our greatest need is more of Jesus. On the National Day of Prayer held on the 22nd August 2021, our petition “Lord have mercy” was the most appropriate prayer. It still is today. All we can do is to “Appeal to Heaven” for God’s mercy — which is the title for this month’s event. We take encouragement from the words of John Locke (1632-1704), who said:

And where the body of the people, or any single man, is deprived of their right, or is under the exercise of a power without right, and have no appeal on earth, then they have a liberty to appeal to heaven, whenever they judge the cause of sufficient moment.

Key Scriptures For the Event

Three Scriptures will guide our prayers next Saturday, all of which speak of national repentance and God’s mercy in response to it. The first is Numbers 14:17-19, which Ps Margaret Court brought to our attention. It reads:

Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared: The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished… In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time, they left Egypt until now.

Ps Margaret Court has encouraged us to call Australia’s intercessors to pray for our nation. She told us:

There are a lot of things on this time of the year but now is the time to pray for our nation for those who are able… You have my support. We will try to join you as we are able. Numbers 14:17-19 is the Scripture that guides me as I intercede for Australia.

The second Scripture is Acts 5:31, which says, “God exalted Him [Jesus] to His right hand as Prince and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” It is God who not only gives us mercy but also the gift of repentance!

The third Scripture is 2 Chronicles 7:14, which we believe is the foundational verse for national transformation. In it, God famously declares:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

We are appealing to heaven for God’s grace to be out poured on our nation. The grace we still desperately need is the gift of repentance. Please join us as on Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/776881184) on the day as you are able.

What Prayer Leaders Are Saying

Consider what other prayer leaders from around Australia have said about next Saturday’s event, “An Appeal to Heaven: A Day of Repentance and Prayer for Australia”:

Our nation sure needs lots of repentance. And in the light of the federal religious discrimination bill, as well the fact that Victoria just passed her pandemic management bill; we can do with more prayer. I’m behind this.
— Ps Victor Soo, Melbourne

We intercessors, as well as Canberra Declaration’s prayer people, have been begging for another time of national repentance for years. So I am very excited about this event. Every generation needs to repent for their time in history… We need to come together in repentance. Times are desperate. We need a move of God. Call Gideon’s army together. We can do that by Zoom, even if we can’t gather personally. God’s power is unleashed when His people pray!
— Annie Cathcart, Queensland

I am very glad about this proposed call to prayer and repentance. Indigenous leaders in the Northern Territory are saying that repentance is needed. A remnant praying on behalf of our nation is enough. James 4:6-10 says, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble… Draw near to God and He will draw near to you… Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Humility on this day of prayer is the key.
— Ps Stephen Lewis, Alice Springs

Lord, we ask for Your mercy to stir us with conviction unto repentance according to Hosea 14:1-9 and Jeremiah 1: 8-10. Prepare our hearts to be humble before You for Your sake, not ours — and for Your glory. Our prayer is for Your name to be honoured, Jesus. Amen!
— Hillary Maroney, Founder, Canberra House of Prayer

We are living in difficult times. Truth is being silenced; political correctness is masking the truth; the media reports only what they want to and agree with; politicians are not willing to stand for truth and justice; the list goes on. Revelation 3:19 says, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent.” Perhaps the Lord wants us to repent of our lukewarmness, compromising of the truth, disunity, unbiblical teaching, lack of commitment to justice and mercy, lack of real love within the Body, moral bankruptcy, and more. We must do the “first works” found in Revelation 2:3. I support this call for repentance.
— Rabi Gunaratnam, Melbourne

We are all in. As you know, we believe in Joel 2:12-17, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning… Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish… Call the people together… Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence, stand, and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar. Let them pray, Spare your people, Lord!”
— Bruce and Cheryl Lindley, Queensland

“This is no ordinary time. Desperate times call for desperate measures.”
— Donny McGregor, Generation Fire

Spread the Word!

Among us, there are many who have been praying for our nation for many years or even decades. Sometimes it feels like we should give up on praying for Australia, but we will not in Jesus’ name!

We believe, Father, help our unbelief. Help us throw the net of prayer out on the other side of the boat. Help us pray for Australia as Moses prayed for Israel in Numbers 14:17-19; the same prayer Ps Margaret Court encouraged us to pray.

Truthfully, we are still praying for the grace of repentance to fall on our nation so we can bring forth true repentance as it says in the book of Revelation.

Tell your friends and networks about this day of repentance and prayer.

Download an A4 poster (pdf) of the event here: An Appeal to Heaven