Hello friend,
It is a joy to write you today and thank you for your continuing prayers and support.
A couple of weeks ago, my father-in-law Al Gaspard was admitted to hospice care in Tupelo, MS, and went to be with the Lord on May 31 at 8:00am. His health over the past six weeks had been rapidly declining. Jerilyn’s mom remains in a New Albany, MS nursing home following a stroke in July of 2020. Jerilyn and I appreciate your prayers for our family in these days.
Ministry Updates
In this email, I will focus primarily on the prayer opportunities over the past month.
In recent weeks I was invited to pray at multiple public prayer gatherings. I was grateful to the Lord for the invitations. It was also interesting that three of the assignments given to me were to pray a prayer of repentance. As I began praying about what to pray, I felt the urgency to write down the prayer. It was unusual for me, but it was a good discipline, and I was led to Daniel 9 as the basis for the prayer. I share the prayer with you today, and this version focuses on the prayer of repentance as a citizen of the United States. I encourage you to read it and make it your prayer of repentance.
A Prayer of Repentance
Heavenly Father, we come before you and lift up the words from Daniel 9:4-9.
Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants, the godly pastors, priests, elders, and teachers who spoke in your name to our Presidents, our political leaders, our ancestors, and all the people of the land.
Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of our cities, towns, and villages, the inhabitants of the United States, and in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness. We and our presidents, political leaders, religious leaders, and ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. Lord God, you are merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against You.
We have not obeyed You, Lord, or kept the laws You gave us through your servants, pastors, priests, elders, and teachers who believe and teach the Bible. Lord, we ask as the Psalmist did in Psalm 51:10: Lord, create in me and all the people of the United States a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within each one of us.
We praise You, Father, that You are at work creating the clean hearts we need as we walk in the righteousness of Jesus (Philippians 1:11)! Lord, we thank You for the Bible that says that righteousness exalts a nation (Proverbs 14:34). We believe that includes the United States and every city, town, village, family, and each individual. Lord, we are thankful to every person here agreeing and calling for repentance in this hour. How eternally grateful we are for 1 John 1:9 that we can confess our sins, and that You are faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Lord, we have allowed greed, idolatry, and corruption to govern our nation. With that in mind, Father, we sorrowfully confess our sin of not keeping You first in all that we do. Lord Jesus, we confess the immorality of (1) anger & hatred, (2) jealousy, (3) excesses & vices, (4) greed, (5) lust, (6) vanity, and (7) laziness.
Heavenly Father, these sins are an indictment on the United States, and we all, in big and small ways, are responsible for the problem as our hearts are not aligned with You. Lord, we want to be part of the solution! Father, we confess these sins in our lives and repent on behalf of the citizens of the United States whose sinful behavior has opened the door for darkness to get a stronghold in every state, city, and family.
Heavenly Father, we ask for your forgiveness for not valuing life and for the abortions and murders in this nation. Our sins of lifestyles that contradict Scripture—abortion, pornography, LGBQT+ lifestyles, gender confusion, and the iniquities of our ancestors—have made the USA and your people an object of mockery to all those around us. Lord, as we confess these sins to You, we turn to You, the author of Life, to declare that we will be a nation that holds the life of every human as the highest value as defined in the Holy Scriptures.
Lord, break free the people of the United States from addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling, unforgiveness, and any other vice that hinders a relationship with You.
Lord, set us free from graven images. Lord, we confess the lawlessness and corruptions that have been strongholds in this state for generations, and today in the name of Jesus, we confess these sins and ask that through your Holy Spirit’s power, you break the United States free and expose the darkness so we can walk in the light of Jesus Christ.
Forgive us for the violence in our cities, towns, and villages. We declare your Holy Spirit is welcome on the streets and highways to eliminate these acts of violence and that we will be a state where people are free to be on the streets to live and celebrate the Goodness of Jesus Christ because we are turning from our ways to your ways.
Lord, we call out to You and ask the Blood of Jesus to cover and purify us, cleansing Your people and those who will come to know You from the spirit of lust that enslaves to pornography, prostitution, human trafficking, adultery, and teen pregnancy issues. By Your grace and the empowerment of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are determined to walk in the opposite spirit of these sinful mindsets to turn from our ways to the ways of God. Lord, we want to be part of the solution! Lord, use us as instruments of Your love and peace that destroy the death grip of anger and hatred.
Lord, forgive us for not being good stewards of the great minds and bodies You gave us; for being lazy about exercising, unwilling to give our time and talents to volunteer and bless others, and choosing long hours in front of the television, video games, phones, and other technology instead of in Your Presence. Lord Jesus, as we confess these sins and turn to walk in your ways and declare from this day forward, to be citizens of this state and Your Kingdom to live in Jesus’ righteousness.
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving and forgiving us of our sins. We acknowledge, Lord, that we love you.
Today, we pray for our pastors and spiritual leaders, parents, government leaders, business leaders, educators, and coaches to be led by the Spirit of Jesus Christ and that they will walk in the ways of Christ. They will decrease, and you will increase to always be number one in this state.
Lord, we thank You for paying for our sins on the Cross, a work we could never do in our earthly and sinful bodies. Lord, we declare that our hope is in You and that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we, the people of the USA, will live our lives to honor and glorify You. Lord, we will keep You number one in the United States, and we eliminate all idols as we turn to live our lives for You in Jesus’ Name.
Lord, we, the people of the United States, agree that from this day forward, your name will be respected and never used in vain, that Your Kingdom comes in the USA, and that Your will be done in the United States as it is in heaven. Lord, we thank you for every provision, and may we always be grateful for our daily bread. Lord, we ask that through the power of the Cross, You forgive us and our nation for our sins. May we forgive one another and the Lord lead us daily on the path that leads to life and keep us from temptation and from the evil one who has no authority in the state of Louisiana to steal, kill and destroy.
In the name above every name, the name of Jesus, the people of the USA say Amen, and to God be the Glory as we declare Jesus as the Highest authority in this nation, and our eyes and hearts will be fixed on You, in Jesus’ name.
Prayer Opportunities
Baton Rouge, LA
I invite you to join me and others from across Louisiana on the 1st Tuesday of every month for worship and prayer in Baton Rouge. We gather at 6:30 pm for coffee and fellowship, worship starts at 7:00 pm, and we end around 8:45 pm. I invite you to join me as we pray for Louisiana and the seven mountains of influence.
Please message me for the meeting location at 615-260-4752.
Washington, DC
You are invited to join me in Washington, DC, on the 2nd Tuesday of the month to pray. The prayer meeting meets every month on the 2nd Tuesday.
Please message me for the meeting location at 615-260-4752.
Prayer Calls
I am committed to prayer and invite you to join me in person or on one of the weekly prayer phone calls. You can join the toll-free call for whatever amount of time you have to pray. If you are not familiar with a prayer, call you can be as active as you desire or you can simply listen and pray silently. I will never put you on the spot so feel free to join in this week.
Saturday Prayer Call
Every Saturday @ 7:30 am EST
Focus: Seven Mountains of Influence and a ministry time for fellow intercessors
Monday Prayer Call
Every Monday @ 11:00 am EST
Focus: Family
Wednesday Prayer Call
Every Wednesday @ 3:00 pm EST
Focus: US Government including Federal, State, Local, and US Military
Louisiana Prayer Call
Every Tuesday @ 7:00 pm CST
Focus: The governor and issues concerning Louisiana
HOW TO JOIN:
Phone number: 425-436-6287
When prompted, dial: 970542#
Feel free to share and invite others to join us to pray. Please have them email me at jay@jayjohnston.org so I can include them in a weekly email reminder about the call.
Additional Ministry Updates
In addition to prayer efforts, I continue to serve the Louisiana State Police as a Chaplain and serving as a resource to families in need of spiritual direction. I get to meet some wonderful families in a time of need to love and encourage them. I also connect them to area churches where they can begin building relationships with God and those attending the churches.
The end of school also brought a break in discipling some LSU students but now preparing for the fall and expecting God to increase the opportunities to disciple others.
I again say thanks for your love and support as I serve and minister.
With a Grateful Heart,
Pastor Jay
