By: Sarah Holt
PRAY BOLDLY:
"Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
Hebrews 4:16
The Gospels reveal the heart of our heavenly Father through the life of Christ. In Matthew 8, we see Christ heal the sick, cast out demons and command the wind and seas. All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Christ, and everything exists for His glory. Christ reveals to us that our heavenly Father seeks an intimate relationship with His creation. Big or small, God wants to hear what’s on your heart. He wants you to bring everything to Him and to lay it down at His feet.
CHALLENGE: Practice writing your prayers to God in a journal. Written prayers can help us process thoughts and feelings honestly. Guided prayer books are also a great idea to help you learn how to pray in written form.
PRAY DAILY:
“With God's power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.”
Ephesians 3:20
The enemy wants us to try living the Christian life on our own. Don’t fall for it! With God’s power working in us, we are able to do MUCH, MUCH more than anything we can ask or imagine.
CHALLENGE: Pray these five prayers every morning:
1. To be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit
“Lord, fill me today with Your Holy Spirit. Bless me with energy and abundant joy!”
2. To be blessed with the fruits of the Spirit
“Lord, bless me today with the fruits of Your spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
3. To see with God’s eyes, to hear with His ears and to respond with His heart.
“Lord, help me to see others today with Your eyes, to hear them with Your ears and to respond from Your heart of love.”
4. To guard your tongue
“Lord, today help me to speak life into others. Let words not pass through my lips unless they are thoughtful, helpful, intentional, necessary and kind.”
5. To have God reveal His plan and purpose for you
“Lord, I surrender my day and my life to glorify You.”
INVITE OTHERS TO PRAY FOR YOU:
“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
James 5:16
I saved the best for last. After being on the prayer team for several years, I have seen countless prayers answered. At the end of every service, there are typically prayer warriors up at the front ready to intercede on your behalf. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to receive powerful prayer every week. God loves it when we come to Him humbly and boldly in communal prayer.
CHALLENGE: The next time you are at church, go up to the altar and ask for prayer. It can be prayer for anything, big or small.