A powerful prayer movement is springing to life in America's heartland. People across Tennessee are engaged in 31 days of prayer and fasting after state officials approved a resolution to "seek God's hand of mercy and healing" throughout the month of July.
After state lawmakers passed House Joint Resolution 803, Governor Bill Lee signed the resolution which calls on citizens of the Volunteer State to pray and fast as they are able.
"We recognize that God, as Creator and King of all Glory, has both the authority to judge and to bless nations or states," the resolution declares.
State Representative Monty Fritts (R-Kingston) was the author of the measure. He told CBN News in a statement, "Tennessee and our Nation are facing many grave issues that threaten our liberties, our peace, and our quality of life. We cannot legislate ourselves out of these problems. We cannot spend our way to solutions. A merciful, sovereign move of God to heal our land is the only way these issues can truly be addressed."
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"HJR803 is a call to those who are physically able and spiritually inclined to do so to humble themselves, repent of their sin, fast, and pray for God's Mercy, Grace, and Blessing on our State and on our Nation," Rep. Fritts continued. "This is not about the government telling the Church what to do. It is a call for the Church to re-take her place of authority in our society; for the People of God to repent of our complacency and for the fact that we have largely retreated from the world. 'If My People, who are called by my Name, humble themselves, and pray, and seek My Face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and will heal their land.' (2 Chronicles 7:14 {emphasis added})"
The resolution points to the need for prayer by highlighting crises plaguing the state and nation including violent crime, human trafficking, drug addiction, the fentanyl crisis, children in foster care, and government corruption.
Christians across the state have been praying over the past two weeks, while pastors and even public officials are leading believers to seek God together. WBBJ reports about one event in which Madison County Mayor AJ Masey, Rep. Chris Todd, several county commissioners, city council members, law enforcement, and school board members publicly gathered to pray together.
Madison County HJR 803: Pray and Fast in July TN pic.twitter.com/p0QWGgxptr
— Monty Fritts (@MontyFrittsTN32) July 10, 2024
Pastor Garry Martin of Jackson First Assembly was among them, stating, "Everything that we're doing in our country is not changing anything. And they (lawmakers) realize that the one element that's missing is the presence of God in our relationships, in our meetings, and across America."
The resolution has even prompted calls for prayer and fasting in other states too.
California Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills called upon "every pastor" and "every Christian church" in the nation to join with Tennessee and intercede for America and all the states. "Let's all be Tennesseans this month of July and pray and fast as the Lord leads," stated Pastor Hibbs.
The Tennessee prayer movement comes as CBN is also engaged in a campaign called "Pray for America."
***You can join with thousands of CBN partners across the nation and pray for America. Go to PrayForAmerica.com, text the word "Pray" to 71777, or call 1-800-700-7000 to let us know that you'll be praying for our country. We'll send you a prayer flag along with a "Pray for America" window cling.***
Excerpts from the TN Prayer & Fasting Resolution
The Tennessee resolution declares in part:
"...we, as public servants in the Tennessee General Assembly, seek God's Mercy upon our land and beseech Him to not withdraw His Hand of blessing from us.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we recognize our sins and shortcomings before Him and humbly ask His Forgiveness.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we ask the Lord Jesus to heal our land and remove the violence, human-trafficking, addiction, and corruption.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we ask that the Holy Spirit fill our halls of government, our classrooms, our places of business, our churches, and our homes with peace, love, and joy."
The TN resolution also refers to proclamations by America's Founding Fathers, specifically citing one from John Adams on April 15, 1799, which states the following:
"(This day) be observed throughout the United States of America as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that the citizens on that day abstain, as far as may be, from their secular occupation, and devote the time to the sacred duties of religion, in public and in private; that they call to mind our numerous offenses against the most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgressions, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience to his righteous requisitions in time to come; that He would interpose to arrest the progress of that impiety and licentiousness in principle and practice so offensive to Himself and so ruinous to mankind; that He would make us deeply sensible that 'righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people'." (Proverbs 14:34)
***Join with thousands of CBN partners and pray for America. Go to PrayForAmerica.com, text the word "pray" to 71777, or call 1-800-700-7000 to let us know that you'll be praying for our country. We'll send you a prayer flag, along with a "Pray for America" window cling.***
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