Prayer of Repentance at the Naga National Prayer Day Inaugural Service on 16th October

Seeking god’s forgiveness for the sins of our forefathers and our present generation

MINISTER: O Lord, in time past, our forefathers were animists. But in your own appointed time you visited our fathers and saved them from the power of the evil ones and made them your children through faith in Jesus Christ. For this grace of salvation, we bring glory and honour to you today.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, we rejoice in your grace!

MINISTER: As we acknowledge your holiness and the power of your grace, we confess our forefathers’ as well as our own sins. We pray for the forgiveness of our forefathers in whose culture we still walk. Our forefathers were violent headhunters. They did not know you yet, O Lord; but today our present generation although we claim to have accepted you, we live like our headhunting forefathers. Give us the strength to break all the curses of the past generations. O Lord, we cry out to you for your forgiveness and your blessings upon us.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! We surrender our lives to you!

MINISTER: Unduly, our fathers might have removed their neighbours’ boundary stones and forcefully snatched and occupied their land. Many of us, knowingly or unknowingly, might have inherited the land. Not only have we inherited unlawful properties but we have also inherited the sinful nature of our fathers by following their footsteps. O Lord, we cry out to you for your forgiveness of such sins.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! We surrender our lives to you!

MINISTER: Many of our fathers might not have been so kind and peaceable with others. We heard about their cruelty towards others, the weak, the orphans, the widows, and the poor. Cruelty is not acceptable in the eyes of the Holy One. Many of us are the descendants of such cruel and unruly fathers. Many of us are continuing the cruel way of life. We repent our cruel way of life. Forgive us, O Lord.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! Give us hearts full of compassion!

MINISTER: Out of ignorance, many of our fathers were opposed to the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many of them had passed away rejecting the grace you offered them. Many of us are children of those unbelieving fathers. Today, the present generation lives their lives worse than their unbelieving fathers. We blatantly reject your voice and resist the guidance of the Holy Spirit. O Lord, forgive us our sins of disobedience to you.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! Give us willing hearts to follow your path!

MINISTER: O Lord, our generation has committed the sin of Noah’s generation. Sexual immorality is rampant in our society. Infidelity in marriage, divorce, incest and dysfunctional in the family is ever increasing in our land.  O Lord, forgive us from this despicable sins.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! May you be the Cornerstone of our society!

MINISTER: O Lord, many people of this generation have become slaves to money. Many of our public leaders, political leaders and officers are corrupt and dishonest in their dealings. Bribery, in the name of giving gifts and services has become the order of the society. O Lord, cleanse us from this deadly sin of corruption.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! Replace our greed with generous heart!

MINISTER: Alcoholism and abuse of drugs and others substances, coupled with flesh trade, human trafficking and murder are on the rise. Our country is being destroyed from within. O Lord, if you do not heal our ailing society and our land through your loving grace, we will be doomed. O Lord, forgive us from this horrible transgressions.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! May you become the rock of our society!

MINISTER: O Lord, the unlawful activities like extortion, rape, looting, theft, violence, and many other crimes are rapidly growing in our land. These crimes are being committed by unruly individuals from all corners of our land. O Lord, to whom shall we place the blame if not to ourselves? As you have said in the scripture, there is none, no one is righteous, for all have sinned and come short of the glory. We have come short of your standard. Therefore, O Lord, unless you forgive us, we will all perish from our own sins and in the hands of such evil people. Forgive us and save us from our sins.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! We surrender our lives to you!

MINISTER: The practice of moving boundary stones, land grabbing, community feud, unforgiving heart, jealousy, hatred, shedding of innocent blood for no justifiable reason etc., are still rampant in our land. Sanity and decency in our society are quickly vanishing. O Lord, heal us our ailing hearts. Heal our land from the curse of crimes, forgive us our sins and grant us to live in the land you have destined us.

CONGREGATION: O Lord, have mercy on us! We surrender our lives to you!

MINISTER: For all these sins we genuinely ask your forgiveness. O Lord, have mercy on us! We pray this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

AND ALL GOD’S PEOPLE SAY: AMEN!

Rev. Tusaya Kath, Member,
Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF)
Superintendent of Assembly of God.