Last week our Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Kayla Zuniga, went to nearby Whittier for a National Day of Prayer meeting with local church leaders and believers.

Kayla had the chance to lead a prayer for the rising generation of young adults, and it was powerful.

We encourage you to take a moment to read Kayla’s prayer and join with her in lifting up this next generation to the Lord.

—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ


Gracious God,

I want to start by acknowledging Your presence in this place. You are here, alive and active in the hearts of those who have submitted to Your authority.

God, I come to You today wanting to bring this next generation of young adults before Your throne. Lord, something is shifting in our culture. What was once on the decline is now a generation rising up to seek Your face—a generation that is going against the grain of our culture and declaring, “As for me, I will serve the Lord.”

Lord, I pray that these shifting sands will not be a temporary response to pain or an emotional impulse, but an eternal movement that sparks a revival in our city, our state, our nation, and our world. Empower these leaders of change to speak out against the tactics of the enemy—tactics that attempt to convince these young minds that they are not enough, that their voice is not relevant, that they are too young to be heard or taken seriously.

Lord, I pray against the work of the devil as he seeks to confuse them in their identity and calling, as he tries to cover them in shame, whispering lies that they are their past struggles, their temptation, or their sin. I rebuke the enemy in Jesus’ name. He will no longer hold the youth captive to complacency, silencing them to follow the crowd of confusion.

Lord Jesus,
Cover Your children, reminding them that they are redeemed, wholly loved, forgiven, and set free. Instill an undying passion within them to rise when others sit down, to speak against injustice when others stay silent, and to lean into their unique calling. Each one of these individuals is set apart on purpose and for a purpose. I pray that You will remind them of what that unique calling is.

Dear Lord, I ask that You would set them free from the bondage of comparison and insecurity. Release them from the compulsion to scroll Instagram with the intention of proving their unworthiness. May they stop looking around for their value, and instead look up to You, where their true identity is found—as sons and daughters of the Most High King, as chosen members of Christ’s kingdom, as individuals Jesus died for. May the remembrance of Your nail-pierced hands cast out all fear. Your perfect love casts out all fear.

Lord, I pray for boldness, a boldness that speaks with the power of the Holy Spirit against a culture that laughs at You, a culture that mocks Your holy name. May these young adults stand in unity against the naysayers and the mockers, recognizing that it is a broken society in need of a Savior.

I pray for a revival in our churches of young adults taking ownership of their faith and ownership of the Great Commission to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel to all people. Lord, Your love shows no partiality. It kicks down walls, destroys barriers, and leaves the ninety-nine to find the one. I pray that in a divided world, a world quite literally at war because of political divisions, this generation will imitate Your unifying love—showing no partiality, breaking barriers, destroying divisiveness, and coming together as a unified front. Give them strength to navigate a world of noise, distraction, and moral confusion.

Lastly, I pray for those who find themselves plagued with loneliness, fighting against anxiety and depression. May Your peace, which exceeds all human understanding, guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. May this be the first time they stand in full assurance that You are with them, that You’ve never left them, and that You will never abandon them. They are not too far gone, too broken, or too bruised to be loved by You. Lord Jesus, may they find rest in Your presence.

Lord, we trust in Your plans and perfect timing for this generation, and we pray for Your ongoing work in and through them.

Amen.

—ĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔĔ

Want to continue praying for your student? Our guide, “Praying Your Student Through Their College Decision,” provides prayers for key moments throughout your student’s decision process.