Why 40 Days of Prayer?
General
Why are we calling our nation to 40 days of prayer leading up to the election? Why not 30 or even 50 days? Some have joked that we need 80 days or to even start the movement now!
Transformation
In the Bible the number 40 represents transformation. Think of the story of Noah and the flood. The earth was completely transformed after 40 days and nights of rain.
What about the Israelites who began as Egyptian slaves? They spent 40 years in the desert to then found themselves in the Promised Land.
And how about Jesus? Who after being baptized spent 40 days in the desert before starting his ministry? All of these are dramatic transformations.
More Biblical Background
It has also been said that the number 40 represents trials and hard times. Although that holds true in some examples, it doesn’t for every example in the Bible.
The first three times we see 40 in the Promised Land is after three different judges delivered Israel from oppression which resulted in 40 years of peace.
Then there’s King Solomon who reigned for 40 years and is generally seen as Israel’s greatest time of peace and prosperity in their history. We can’t forget about Jonah who proclaimed to one of the most wicked cities of the time to repent for 40 days and they actually did.
And what about after Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead? He then spent 40 days on earth before ascending to heaven.
These are not representative of trials but they do share a common characteristic with all the other “40’s” in the Bible: they all show dramatic transformation.
National Transformation
If our nation really needs transformation, what can we do about it? The Bible lays the answer out perfectly in one of the main verses that has inspired 40 Days USA.
2 Chronicles 7:14 states, “…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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
What if we came together and did just that? What if God’s people joined together from across denominations and humbled ourselves, prayed, sought God’s face, and repented of our ways?
Not only that, but what if we didn’t just do this for one day, but for 40 days, the main marker in the Bible of transformation?
40 Days USA Vision
What would happen if, across this nation, individuals, families, churches, and organizations would lay aside a few minutes every day to cry out to God on behalf of this nation?
What if this wasn’t about raising money or any other motive besides calling us to join together for 40 days? Would God answer? We believe He would.
God is the God of transformation. He has authored the Bible, the Word of God. In the Bible, horrible situations have been turned around for good in just 40 days.
We believe that the best hope for our nation is in God. We believe God hears our prayers, and we believe something special happens when we join together in prayer in the name of Jesus.
Get Involved Today!
Will you join this call to pray for our nation? Let’s set our differences aside and reach out to our God together.
Sign up to pray for 40 days with us and encourage your church to participate! We have a variety of resources readily available for your convenience.
