At his first inauguration on January 20, 1981, Ronald Reagan said,

     "I am told that tens of thousands of prayer meetings are being held on this day, and for that I am deeply grateful. We are a nation under God, and I believe God intended for us to be free. It would be fitting and good, I think, if on each Inauguration Day in future years it should be declared a day of prayer."

Operation: Inaugural Prayer

     In the spirit of President Ronald Reagan's request, and more importantly, because the Bible commands us to pray for those in authority, Prayer Force One is pleased to invite you to participate in a very special White House Inaugural Prayer Meeting. This special prayer event is to be held via the internet on Inauguration Day, Tuesday, January 20, 2009. You may participate at any time during Inauguration Day.

     To participate in this virtual internet prayer meeting, just click on the icon below. After logging in, you will then be transported to one of the various rooms of The White House. (courtesy of The White House) As the camera sweeps through the room, we ask you to use this as a solemn time of prayer for our nation. Although you will see no one else in the room, know that thousands upon thousands of other believers will be joining you in prayer.

Inaugural Prayer Guide

     Prayer Force One is also pleased to offer this helpful prayer guide for those who wish, not only participate in united prayer, but to pray in unity as well. We have included scriptures and commentary where they serve to support the various prayer points. You may want to print this guide so that you can use it as you enter The White House.

     PRAYER POINT 1: Let us begin with pure worship in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 3:17)

     As I was preparing to write this guide, I received a letter from a dear Christian sister who told me about her pastor's sermon on the previous Sunday. God used this letter to show me that whatever else we do or pray about, we must begin with pure worship and praise to God. I have included the letter in italics below.

Dear Ed, 
     Last Sunday at church meeting, the pastor said something that stuck in my spirit. He said that if King David was the president-elect the first thing he would do would be to appoint worshipers to fill the White House 24-7 with worship to the most High God. I felt the Holy Spirit tug at my heart and felt that He wanted us to do just that. I felt that the focus would be totally worship even though it would be easy to go into intercession, too.
     Anyway, as I passed on my thoughts to my intercessor friends, one of them pointed me to the Prayer Force One website. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be able to see the rooms I'm worshiping in. Thank you so much for the website and for what you are doing in the Spirit for all of us. Blessings,
Nancy Hance,

     Nancy's pastor was right and her suggestion is well worth heeding. The Bible records many examples of how holy worship preceded great events and battles in the history of Israel. (I Chronicles 16 is just one example in the life of King David.)

     We are also told in scripture that God inhabits the praise of his people. (Psalm 22:3) Therefore, in like manner, let us sanctify the halls of The White House with the praise and worship of His people. In this way, God will know that no matter what else happens in this house, that we, His people, recognize HIS sovereignty and preeminent place in the life of our nation. Spend as much time as you like praising the Lord. We are in no hurry!

     PRAYER POINT 2. Let us give thanks for God's blessings and mercy upon our nation in times past.

     Spiritual progress in the life of our nation must begin with recognition of God's blessings in the past. If you read the story of King David, alluded to above, you will clearly see that thanksgiving went hand in hand with worship. Let us thank God for all that he has done for our country in bygone times, even as our fathers did before us.

     When you are finished praying in The White House, you may want to read what many of our presidents have said about God, the Bible and the Christian Faith. When you are ready to do this, just click on the gold presidential seal below.

     PRAYER POINT 3. Let us now humble ourselves before God, and ask Him to forgive us for both our national and individual sins. (James 4:6-10)

     If I Chronicles 7:14 teaches us anything, it teaches us that humility and repentance go hand in hand and that both must precede national forgiveness and healing. When any nation repents and turns to the Lord, God is both willing and able to heal and bless that nation. This truth is clearly taught in the third chapter of the book of Jonah. Please read this chapter and pray its message in the form of a prayer to our merciful God. On a special note, the Bible teaches us that God bestows a special protective mercy over them that sigh and that cry over the sins of a nation. (Ezekiel 9:4-6)

     PRAYER POINT 4. Let us ask God to send forth a spirit of revival among our people and across our land.

     Nehemiah cried out for such a revival, and God both heard and answered his prayers. (Nehemiah 1) There are many other such examples such as King Hezekiah (II Kings 19) and King Josiah (II Kings 22), etc. Let us, as intercessors for America, cry out for a spirit of revival to sweep across our land in such a mighty way, that it will once again truly make us One nation under God!

     PRAYER POINT 5. Let us now ask God for His mercy and continued blessings upon the United States of America.

     It is only when we as a nation acknowledge a need for God's blessings that we will receive them. During the difficult days of the Constitutional Congress, Benjamin Franklin stood up and exhorted the delegates, saying:

     "In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard and graciously answered... And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? Or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance?...
     We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that, 'Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it'. I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His recurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."

     Let us make the same confession and call upon the LORD to bless our country at this time.

     PRAYER POINT 6. Let us ask God to exercise overruling guidance and power over our new President, our newly elected Congress, and our Courts.

     In Psalm 146:3, we are admonished to: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." Psalm 119:9 tells us that: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes." At the same time we are told by scripture to pray for those that are in authority over us. (I Timothy 2:1-3) In doing so, we may take comfort in the fact that God can turn the heart of the king as rivers of water. (Proverbs 21:1) With this in mind, let us now pray for the new president, congress and judges, that God will exercise overruling providence in all that they do.

     PRAYER POINT 7. Finally, let us ask God for wisdom and guidance as to how we can each do our part in preserving and defending the United States of America as a godly nation.

     In the days ahead, we will be presenting a plan of action for establishing Prayer Force One, Prayer Wings in churches and homes all across America. Pray that God will give us wisdom and favor as we develop this Biblical strategy. Also, please forward this e-mail to all of your praying friends. Thank you for participating in this Prayer Force One sponsored, White House Prayer Meeting.