Praying for our prisons
With so many men and women in our prisons wanting to be free from the life of crime in which they feel trapped, there are enormous opportunities for the gospel. And, of course, there are many pastoral needs, too, not only amongst those serving a prison sentence but also within their families.
May we encourage you to pray for our prisons?
Those who wish to pray daily through the month may like to follow the monthly plan below and perhaps also pray specifically for one or two prisons.
June 2021
| 1st |
for Christians, struggling with their faith since going to prison, that the Lord will strengthen their faith and sustain them; |
| 2nd |
for those desperate to be free from drug and alcohol addictions, that they will receive appropriate support both in prison and on release, especially through ‘rehabs’; |
| 3rd |
for believers with a strong faith, that the Lord will sustain them and use them to encourage other Christians and as a witness to other residents and to staff; |
| 4th |
that many men and women, especially unbelievers, might respond to BeaconLight’s gospel message – and the offer of a book – in this month’s Inside Time (the paper produced for residents); |
| 5th |
for those in prison for the first time and feeling anxious, that they will receive appropriate support from officers and chaplains. |
| 6th |
for the elderly, the frail and those vulnerable to self-harming and to attempts at suicide, that they will receive the appropriate level of support and care and be kept safe. |
| 7th |
for sex offenders, many of whom are overwhelmed with guilt, that they might come to recognise that they are not beyond God’s forgiveness. |
| 8th |
for Governors, that they will have the wisdom the need as they continue to manage the easing of restrictions and the controlled resumption of activities and groups. |
| 9th |
for chaplains, many of whom have resumed chapel services with limited numbers. Pray that the Lord will sustain them and encourage them as they provide pastoral and spiritual support to the residents. |
| 10th |
for healthcare staff, that they will be enabled to care with skill, love and compassion, despite all the demands upon them. Give thanks to God for them. Pray especially for Christians, that they might display Christ’s love to those for whom they care. |
| 11th |
for the protection of all officers and staff, that there will be no outbreaks of violence as restrictions are eased. |
| 12th |
for security staff, as they work to make their prison more secure, especially by preventing drugs and other illegal substances and items getting into the prison. |
| 13th |
for chaplains, that they will seek the help of the Holy Spirit as they prepare and deliver teaching. Pray that they will be bold in teaching God’s Word faithfully. |
| 14th |
for all Christians working in our prisons, that the Lord will enable them to bring glory to God as they serve Him in what can be a hostile environment for those who are open about their faith. |
| 15th |
for those who are suffering from mental illness, that they will receive the care and treatment they need. |
| 16th |
for those vulnerable to bullying and intimidation, that they will be protected from those who would seek to harm them. |
| 17th |
for those who are grieving and for those who are concerned for loved ones who are seriously, or terminally, ill, that they might to turn to God and draw strength from Him and His Word. |
| 18th |
that many might come to faith in Christ whilst in prison. Pray that the Lord will use the teaching and preaching, the personal and group Bible studies, the gospel literature and the witness of believers, all for this purpose of drawing unbelievers to Christ. |
| 19th, 20th, 21st |
It is Father’s Day on Sunday 20th. Pray for:
The absence of any visiting for 12/15 months has had a considerable impact on family relationships. Pray for the rebuilding of relationships between children and their father (and, in some cases, their mother). |
| 22nd |
for partners, grandparents and others caring for children in the absence of parents in prison, especially with the closure of schools creating greater pressure on carers. |
| 23rd |
for probation staff, community chaplains and all who support men and women on release. Pray especially that the vulnerable (and those without family support) will get the help they need to prevent them from reoffending. |
| 24th |
for the protection of children whose lives have been dominated by the criminal activity of one or both parents. Pray that they will be kept free from crime themselves. |
| 25th |
for ‘rehabs’ (and especially for the Christian ministries), that, through their programmes, many men and women will overcome their addiction and that many will commit to follow Christ. |
| 26th |
for families impacted financially by imprisonment (and Covid) and for organisations such as Christians Against Poverty who are supporting them through practical care and advice. |
| 27th |
for children taken into care as a result of one or both parents being in prison, that they will be healed from the emotional damage of losing their parents. |
| 28th |
that more churches will commit to welcoming and supporting men and women on release from prison. |
| 29th |
for those who have lost loved ones through crime, that they will find healing. Pray especially for the families of young people who have been murdered. |
| 30th |
for victims of abuse, that they will find the support they need to help their healing from their trauma. |
| 31st |
for victims who refuse to forgive or cannot forgive, that they would be enabled to put aside their anger and their bitterness and move on with their life. |