Prayer Guide 13 September 2020
Sunday
Connecting my heart to the heart of the Father
Father, I ask that You empower me by Your Spirit, that I might be an imitator of Christ’s humility in my relationships with others. May I do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but truly consider my brothers and sisters as better than myself and their needs more important than my own. May I not only look out for my own interests, but also the interests of others.
Help me to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ in love and carry their burdens. May those in the world around me know that I belong to You by the way that I love Your Church (Pause and pray that your love for Christ’s Church will increase).
Forgive me, Father, for I confess that often my involvement in the needs of my community of faith family is based on my own comfort and convenience. Save me from my selfishness! Teach me what it means to love sacrificially, I pray. Help me to become a person of grace in my relationships and dealings with others. May I extend grace and mercy to those You have placed in my life as You Father, have extended grace and mercy to me.
Destroy pride in my life in all of its ugly forms: the need to have my own way, to be heard, to be appreciated and noticed, to be right, excusing sin in my life… (Continue in confession…).
Help me to be keenly aware of the ways that I exalt myself, and may I instead, exalt Christ and lay down my life for my brothers and sisters.
Your Word promises that You will guide the humble in what is right – I want to be guided by You! I’m tired of leading the way. I choose this day to submit to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit, and not resist His work in my life – to humble myself under Your mighty hand, that You might lift me up in due time as You see fit.
May the refining fire of the Holy Spirit have full reign in my life this day, that I might be a useable vessel for the purposes of Your kingdom – an extension of Your love and mercy to those who are burdened with the cares and brokenness of this world, both my brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are still in desperate need of the Saviour.
Help me, Father, for in all of this my spirit is willing, but my flesh is so very weak. Strengthen me I pray to love as Jesus loved, and I ask this in His Name. Amen.
Help me to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ in love and carry their burdens. May those in the world around me know that I belong to You by the way that I love Your Church (Pause and pray that your love for Christ’s Church will increase).
Forgive me, Father, for I confess that often my involvement in the needs of my community of faith family is based on my own comfort and convenience. Save me from my selfishness! Teach me what it means to love sacrificially, I pray. Help me to become a person of grace in my relationships and dealings with others. May I extend grace and mercy to those You have placed in my life as You Father, have extended grace and mercy to me.
Destroy pride in my life in all of its ugly forms: the need to have my own way, to be heard, to be appreciated and noticed, to be right, excusing sin in my life… (Continue in confession…).
Help me to be keenly aware of the ways that I exalt myself, and may I instead, exalt Christ and lay down my life for my brothers and sisters.
Your Word promises that You will guide the humble in what is right – I want to be guided by You! I’m tired of leading the way. I choose this day to submit to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit, and not resist His work in my life – to humble myself under Your mighty hand, that You might lift me up in due time as You see fit.
May the refining fire of the Holy Spirit have full reign in my life this day, that I might be a useable vessel for the purposes of Your kingdom – an extension of Your love and mercy to those who are burdened with the cares and brokenness of this world, both my brothers and sisters in Christ and those who are still in desperate need of the Saviour.
Help me, Father, for in all of this my spirit is willing, but my flesh is so very weak. Strengthen me I pray to love as Jesus loved, and I ask this in His Name. Amen.
Philippians 2:2-4; Galatians 5:13; Galatians 6:2; Daniel 4:37; Psalm 25:9; 1 Peter 5:6; Luke 10:25-37
Monday
Praying the heart of the Father for the ECB Faith Community
Father, may our eyes be continually fixed on Jesus and may we walk in the freedom that He has provided for us (Hebrews 12:2; Romans 8:2). Keep us from returning to sinful patterns of behaviour.
Lord Jesus, our times are filled with such evil. May we as Your people be careful in the way that we live and wise in all that we do. Help us to make the most of every opportunity for the purposes of Your Kingdom (Ephesians 5:15-16).
Father, I lift up our elders and pastors to you, and I ask that as they lead us they will be given “wisdom that is from heaven, that is pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). Pour out Your Holy Spirit on them Lord, that they might minister among us with great power and wisdom.
Lord Jesus, our times are filled with such evil. May we as Your people be careful in the way that we live and wise in all that we do. Help us to make the most of every opportunity for the purposes of Your Kingdom (Ephesians 5:15-16).
Father, I lift up our elders and pastors to you, and I ask that as they lead us they will be given “wisdom that is from heaven, that is pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). Pour out Your Holy Spirit on them Lord, that they might minister among us with great power and wisdom.
Tuesday
Father, Your Word says that if one part of the body of Christ suffers, every part suffers. Teach us to walk alongside one another and bear each other’s burdens as a testimony of Your presence among us
(1 Corinthians 12:26; Galatians 6:2).
I pray for my brothers and sisters who are struggling under a cloud of fear and anxiety. I ask, in Jesus’ name, that this heaviness be lifted. May their trust in You increase. Pour out your great love on them, I pray (1 John 4:18).
May we be increasingly counter-cultural in the way that we live and unified under the ‘culture of Christ’! Renew and transform our minds and increase our hunger for Your Word (Romans 12:1-2).
(1 Corinthians 12:26; Galatians 6:2).
I pray for my brothers and sisters who are struggling under a cloud of fear and anxiety. I ask, in Jesus’ name, that this heaviness be lifted. May their trust in You increase. Pour out your great love on them, I pray (1 John 4:18).
May we be increasingly counter-cultural in the way that we live and unified under the ‘culture of Christ’! Renew and transform our minds and increase our hunger for Your Word (Romans 12:1-2).
Wednesday
ECB Prayer and Fasting Focus
Wednesdays have been set aside as a day of prayer and fasting for the ministries of ECB and to ask God for a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit among us. You are invited to join in praying and fasting during one or all meals, or from something that is important to you. To receive a weekly Prayer and Fasting e-mail, please contact [email protected].
Give us ‘God-sized’ dreams for the ministry that you wish to accomplish through us. Forgive our lack of faith, and embolden us to be risk-takers for the sake of Your Kingdom (Hebrews 11:1, 6)!
Keep us from turning away from You Father. May we be steadfast and unmovable, always giving ourselves to Your work. (1 Corinthians 15:59) Strengthen us with joy I pray (Nehemiah 8:10).
Father, I ask that You set prisoners free who are among us – those who are captured by strongholds of sin. Open the eyes of the spiritually blind I pray, and lift up those who are weighed down with care (Psalm 146:7-8). Holy Spirit, change us and renew us!
Holy Spirit, teach us the spiritual discipline of “taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ”. Make us increasingly aware of the battle that is being waged for our minds – and stand firm (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
Keep us from turning away from You Father. May we be steadfast and unmovable, always giving ourselves to Your work. (1 Corinthians 15:59) Strengthen us with joy I pray (Nehemiah 8:10).
Father, I ask that You set prisoners free who are among us – those who are captured by strongholds of sin. Open the eyes of the spiritually blind I pray, and lift up those who are weighed down with care (Psalm 146:7-8). Holy Spirit, change us and renew us!
Holy Spirit, teach us the spiritual discipline of “taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ”. Make us increasingly aware of the battle that is being waged for our minds – and stand firm (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
Thursday
May we be a people who forgive others, as You Lord, have forgiven us, and extend grace to one another freely (Matthew 10:18).
Father, deliver us from lust I pray, and purify our hearts until our greatest passion and desire is for You alone (Matthew 5:27-30).
Father, may we not give the enemy a foothold in our lives by holding onto anger (Ephesians 4:26; 4:2). Set us free from the need to be right. May our relationships be increasingly marked by humility.
Forgive our timidity, Father, and embolden us to be risk-takers for the sake of Your Kingdom (Ephesians 3:30; Hebrews 11:1, 6)!
May our hearts be set on keeping Your Word until the end of our lives (Psalm 119:112)! (Pray for those you know, by name, that their hunger for the Word of God and determination to obey its’ precepts will increase in their lives.)
Father, deliver us from lust I pray, and purify our hearts until our greatest passion and desire is for You alone (Matthew 5:27-30).
Father, may we not give the enemy a foothold in our lives by holding onto anger (Ephesians 4:26; 4:2). Set us free from the need to be right. May our relationships be increasingly marked by humility.
Forgive our timidity, Father, and embolden us to be risk-takers for the sake of Your Kingdom (Ephesians 3:30; Hebrews 11:1, 6)!
May our hearts be set on keeping Your Word until the end of our lives (Psalm 119:112)! (Pray for those you know, by name, that their hunger for the Word of God and determination to obey its’ precepts will increase in their lives.)
Friday
Father, may we not only love with the words that we say, but with actions and in truth, that our hearts might be continually at rest in Your presence (1 John 3:8-9).
Father, You have said that the sacrifices that You are looking for are a broken spirit and contrite heart. Destroy pride among us Lord and give to us the gift of repentance I pray (Psalm 51:16-17).
Father, I pray for those among us who have unbelieving spouses and prodigal children (Pray for those you know of by name…). I ask that You encourage them by Your Spirit and give them a sign of Your goodness so that they do not grow weary or fall into unbelief while they wait on You.
Father, You have said that the sacrifices that You are looking for are a broken spirit and contrite heart. Destroy pride among us Lord and give to us the gift of repentance I pray (Psalm 51:16-17).
Father, I pray for those among us who have unbelieving spouses and prodigal children (Pray for those you know of by name…). I ask that You encourage them by Your Spirit and give them a sign of Your goodness so that they do not grow weary or fall into unbelief while they wait on You.
Saturday
Father, I pray that we will become the kind of worshipers that You are seeking, those who worship in spirit and in truth. Open the eyes of our hearts and reveal the hidden things, for You have said that You desire truth in our inmost parts. Show us Lord, show me, where I am still withholding my heart from You (John 4:23-24; Ephesians 1:18; Job 28:11; Psalm 51:6).
Father, I pray for those among the ECB community who are new in their faith journey with You, and for those who are still seeking. May they be built-up, edified and encouraged and go onto maturity in You.
Father, prepare the hearts of Your people today to worship You tomorrow. Prepare my heart I pray! May each of us come before you with songs of thanksgiving and joy – open our lips that we might declare Your praise – may our hearts be unleashed (Psalm 51:15; Ephesians 5:26; James 1:22)!
May we not neglect Your Word, O God! Give us a fresh hunger to be in Your Word, and great delight in doing so (Psalm 119:16)!
Father, I pray for those among the ECB community who are new in their faith journey with You, and for those who are still seeking. May they be built-up, edified and encouraged and go onto maturity in You.
Father, prepare the hearts of Your people today to worship You tomorrow. Prepare my heart I pray! May each of us come before you with songs of thanksgiving and joy – open our lips that we might declare Your praise – may our hearts be unleashed (Psalm 51:15; Ephesians 5:26; James 1:22)!
May we not neglect Your Word, O God! Give us a fresh hunger to be in Your Word, and great delight in doing so (Psalm 119:16)!