Billy Graham was once asked, “If you could eradicate any problem in America, what would it be?” The evangelist’s answer: “The racial division and strife in our nation.”

America is not the only nation where racism has reared its ugly head, and racial reconciliation matters.

Racism and hatred of other races is from the pit of hell. It’s a sin in the heart of mankind. As a sin issue, the Body of Christ should be at the forefront of racial reconciliation. But if we’re honest, there’s even racism in the church.

Martin Luther King once said, “We need a powerful sense of determination to banish the ugly blemish of racism scarring the image of America. We can, of course, try to temporize, negotiate small, inadequate changes and prolong the timetable of freedom in the hope that the narcotics of delay will dull the pain of progress. We can try, but we shall certainly fail. The shape of the world will not permit us the luxury of gradualism and procrastination. Not only is it immoral, it will not work… it will not work because it retards the progress not only of the Negro, but of the nation as a whole.”

Racial reconciliation efforts honor God. John 3:16 tells us plainly, ““For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” God created mankind and loves all of mankind, despite race or ethnicity.

Racial reconciliation is part of God’s plan. Revelation 5:9 says, “And they sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed people for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.’”

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Prayer points:

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Ask for forgiveness for all the racially divided organizations promoting division and supremacy (Philippians 2:3)

Ask for forgiveness for allowing slavery to be established in our nation (James 5:16)

Pray for cross-racial alignment in the body of Christ to form.

Pray to uproot racial history and heal our land of its tragedy, shame, and blood shed; that it would be through our repenting hearts.

Pray to honor the redemptive gifts and values in differ racial groups.

Pray for covenant friendships bond by David-Jonathan love and unity that defies and overrides their prejudices and hate.

Pray for God to shift the mindset of behaviors the church and nations regarding race.

Pray that parents will begin raising children to love and teach them compassion that will break across color lines.

Pray for justice, equality, reconciliation (Amos) prophets to rise; for Jonah prophets to have their Damascus moment; for the body to be ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Pray God would give leaders strategies to integrate cross racial boundaries in their sphere of influence.

Pray the body of Christ would not be afraid to evangelize and minister in “those” neighborhoods; and that they wouldn’t come into these neighborhoods with a wrong intent/motive.

Pray that the them vs. us mindset would be demolished.

Pray God would help us see people as He sees them, through eyes of love and their God given potential (John 1:12-13).

Pray those who have been wronged would enter into radical forgiveness for their own sake (Ephesians 4:32).

Pray for hearts to be healed that are hurting due to generational mistreatment because of skin color (Matthew 6:14).

Pray we would get a deeper revelation of 1 John 4:20, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” and 1 John 4:21 “And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

We decree the light of truth on this lie of one race being better than another. We are each precious and created equal in your image God (Genesis 1:27).

We renounce any seeds of racism planted in us or our family line. Forgive us Lord and cleanse our bloodline (Hebrews 12:4).

We cast the mountain of racism that has divided people to be thrown into the sea (Matt 11:22-23).

We command the enemy fueling this lie and hatred to be silent (1 Peter 5:8).

We decree what the enemy meant for evil you shall use for good. You turn the tables on the enemy in using people to love others as we love ourselves and to love like you love Jesus (Genesis 50:20, John 15:12, Matt 22:39).

We decree radical encounters for those being used by the devil to stir up hatred (Acts 9:4).

We decree our nation shall be healed of racism and that our prayers and our voices are part of the solution.