Pray
John writes in scripture that we are to ask the Lord anything in his name, and he will do it, so long that it brings glory to God. Just as R.U.N.’s Prayer Team is the foundation to all other teams, you can be a prayer warrior to bring about racial justice and restoration.
Scripture to pray over:
Seek to Be A Peacemakers
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. [Matthew 5:9]
God Commands Us to Seek Justice and Defend the Oppressed
Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow. [Isaiah 1:17]Do All Things with Humility
You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. [Psalms 18:27]
Partiality is Sin
My brothers show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. [James 2:1]
If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. [James 2:8-9]
Anti-Racism is Spiritual Warfare
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [Ephesians 6:12-13]
Topics to pray over:
Pray for the leadership within our churches that the Holy Spirit would lead them in how to speak out against the sin of racism in the church and in their communities.
Pray for those engaged in the work of anti-racism (including the RUN leadership and teams), that they would be led by the Holy Spirit to seek justice, truth, and reconciliation
Pray that the sin of racism would be exposed and uprooted, first within each member of the Church and then throughout society as a whole. Pray that the powers and principalities that promote racist policies and structures would be overcome by believers as they struggle “not against flesh and blood.”
Pray that in your interactions with others that you would allow the Holy Spirit to empower you to “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God” as you encounter effects of racism. Pray the Spirit gives you powerful words and actions to build for God’s Kingdom which is composed of all nations, languages, tongues, and tribes.