Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Loving heavenly Father we come to you this hour asking for your blessing and help as we are
gathered together. We pray for guidance in the matters at hand and ask that you would clearly
show us how to conduct our work with a spirit of joy and enthusiasm. Give us the desire to find
ways to excel in our work. Help us to work together and encourage each other to excellence. We
ask that we would challenge each other to reach higher and farther to be the best we can be. We
ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father as we come to the end of our time together we thank you for what has been
accomplished here today. May the matters discussed serve as a catalyst to move us forward and
cause us to advance and see growth in all areas of our lives. May we leave here recognizing You
are the God of all wisdom and You are willing to lead us forward. This we pray in the name of
the Lord Jesus. Amen
Benediction Prayer
Therefore, may the blessing of the LORD be upon you, and may you know the joy of
putting his name upon others. For indeed, blessed are those who walk in the light of
God's face.
A Morning Prayer
"Dear Lord, I give you my hands to do Your work; I give You my feet to go Your way; I
give You my eyes to see as You see; I give You my tongue to speak Your words; I give You
my mind that You may think in me; I give You my spirit that You may pray in me. Above
all, I give You my heart that You may love in me - love the Father and love all
humankind. I give You my whole self, Lord, that You may grow in me, so that it is You
who lives, works and prays in me. Amen."
A Prayer of Personal Renewal
(When you are unsure of where you will spend eternity)
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins.
I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for
forgiving me of my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life.
Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen
Please Make Me New!
Heavenly Father,
Thou hast made me, be pleased to new-make me.
I am thy work, complete me;
I am thy harp, tune me;
I am thy child, teach me.
A Prayer of Confession
Forgive us, Lord . . . for the things we have done that make us feel uncomfortable in Your
presence. All the front that we polish so carefully for men to see does not decieve You.
For you know every thought that has left its shadow on our memory. You have marked
every motive that curdled something sweet within us.
We acknowledge--with bitterness and true repentance--that cross and selfish thoughts
have entered our minds; we acknowledge that we have permitted our minds to wander
through unclean and forbidden ways; we have toyed with that which we knew was not for
us; we have desired that which we should not have.
We acknowledge that often we have decieved ourselves where our plain duty lay.
We confess before You that our ears are often deaf to the whisper of Thy call, our eyes
often blind to the signs of your guidance,
Make us willing to be changed, even though it requires surgery of the soul and the
therapy of disipline.
Make our hearts warm and soft, that we may receive now the blessing of Your
forgiveness, the benedicition of Your "Depart in peace . . and sin no more." Amen
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
For health and strength and daily food,
We praise your name, O God. Amen
A Prayer before Meals
Bless us oh Lord and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, through thy bounty,
through Christ, our Lord...Amen
Graduation Prayer
Father,
I have knowledge, so will You show me now,
How to use it wisely and find a way somehow
To make the world I live in a little better place,
And make life with its problems a little bit easier to face.
Grant me faith and courage and put purpose in my days,
And show me how to serve Thee in effective ways.
So my education, my knowledge and my skill
May find their true fulfillment as I learn to do Thy will.
And may I ever be aware in everything I do,
That knowledge comes from learning, and wisdom comes from You.
Amen.
Prayer of Commitment to Marriage
Heavenly Father, thank you that you love each of us and want us to experience wholeness and
hope in our lives. You see when we fail to live according to your ideals and instead find
ourselves in a broken relationship. Help us to be willing to accept our own responsibility in this
and be willing to ask for forgiveness and to extend forgiveness. May we never retaliate when we
feel wronged, but help us to make choices that would show that we have made a commitment of
love which we will keep. May we never take this commitment lightly but choose to work at our
marriage. May we also realize that sometimes renewal of relationships takes time. May each of
us determine to demonstrate patience, kindness and love in how we interact with each other. We
ask this in the name of our loving Lord. Amen.
with all the unexpected things that come into her day. Help her to accept the
interruptions as opportunities to serve. Help her to support her husband and learn to go
with the flow of his full life. Help her to manage her household well. Just fill her with
yourself today. Help her to allow your Holy Spirit to have full control of her life and may
she take strength from you as she meditates on You and Your Word. Give her a hug today.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
A Prayer to Put on the Whole Armor of God
Heavenly Father, I praise and worship you because you are God. I am honored to be your
servant and I take my stand today against the devil and his schemes against me, my
family and my ministry. Father, as I take up each piece of the armor, please secure it in
place on me.
I take up the shield of faith and extend it over myself. It extinguishes all the fiery darts of
the evil one.
I put on the helmet of salvation, which protects my mind from the enemy's attacks. I have
the mind of Christ.
I put on the breastplate of righteousness, which covers my body with the righteousness of
God. In Christ, every foothold of evil has been washed away and I am clothed in
righteousness!
I gird my loins with the belt of truth. Your word, O God, is truth. Father, sanctify me
according to your word and remind me through the Holy Spirit of the truth that destroys
the lies of sin.
I shod my feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. I have peace with God
through the blood of Jesus. I have favor with God and with man. I walk in my inheritance
as an adopted son of God and have authority over evil in Jesus' name.
I will use the Sword of the Spirit by speaking the Word of God as it applies to whatever
situation I may face today. Father, please remind me of your Word via the Holy Spirit.
I will continue to pray in the Spirit throughout the day, and intercede for all Christians as
the Holy Spirit prompts me. I believe that the Holy Spirit is interceding on my behalf
according to my prayers.
Thank you, Father, for the whole armor of God. Please surround me with your hedge of
protection as I move forward on the spiritual battlefield today. I praise and worship you
now and forever, Amen."
A PRAYER OF THANKS
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son to earth as a baby so many years ago.
Thank you that He paid the punishment for my sins by dying on the cross. And thank you
that He rose again to prove that death was truly defeated. I place my trust in You to be
my Savior. Guide me through the dark times of my and give me courage to live for You.
Amen
Lord Jesus,
Please forgive me for being so grumpy as I trudge through the never-ending taks set
before me this holiday season...
My to-do list seems to keep growing with shopping, church services, and family
gatherings--and I'm running short of time!
Restore the joy of Christmas to my heart . . .
and help me to relax each day and make time for
YOU-my one true Source of Joy.
A Prayer for Christmas Morning
The day of joy returns, Father in Heaven, and crowns another year with peace and good will.
Help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the
gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wisemen.
Close the doors of hate and open the doors of love all over the world
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil, by the blessing that Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clean
hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
And the Christmas evening bring us to our bed with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven,
for Jesus sake.
Amen
Wedding Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We come to you asking your blessing and favor on (bride's name & groom's name). We
pray for patience, tolerance and understanding as they begin to adjust to wedded life.
May theirs be a home where there is much joy, laughter, support and an atmosphere of
acceptance and safety. We pray that they will always respect each other and may both of
them enjoy the freedom to become all that you want them to be individually and as a
family unit. Grant them courage to choose God's instructions in a world that often
abandons these. May their trust in you increase. May their home be filled with your
peace. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen
Intercessory Prayer
Be alert and always keep on praying (Ephesians 6:18b).
What is intercessory prayer? Dietrich Bonhoffer describes it as
(a) way of loving others when Gods Spirit moves within us causing us to want to pray
for others and giving us thoughts (ways) to do it.
I had an opportunity to experience intercessory prayer in the life of one of my neighbors. Vera,
my neighbor, was dying of cancer. I visited her often, bringing books and baking. I wanted to be
an encouragement to her and the family. I also prayed for her salvation. There was nothing in
their lifestyle that indicated they were Christians.
Because I knew she was dying, I was especially concerned about Veras eternal destiny. I asked
my Bible study group to pray for her and also to pray that I would be able to share the gospel
with her. There were times when I was determined to share the gospel with her, but then her
husband would hover so close - I felt like he was afraid I would get religious. I prayed for an
open door.
One night I awoke with great concern for Vera. I got on my knees beside the bed and interceded
for her. The next morning I knew that I had to visit her again. Vera was in the hospital. This
particular morning she was alone and very weak. It was difficult understanding what she was
saying.
I asked her if I could read the Bible to her and she nodded yes. I read Psalm 23 and asked her
lovingly if she was ready to meet God. Then she told me that the night before - when the Lord
woke me up to intercede for her - the devil and God had been in the hospital room. She said that
there was a fight for her soul and that Jesus had won.
When Vera told me that, I knew why the Lord had prompted me to pray for her. God cared about
Vera enough to wake me up and to put an urgency in my heart to pray for her. He gave me the
obedience to get out of bed and pray. Thats intercession - praying for others. Are you alert and
listening to Gods still small voice when He prompts you to pray for someone?
Father God, give us ears to hear Your promptings to intercede and the will to obey. Amen.
Birthday Prayer
Father in heaven we come to you today thanking you for (insert name). We are glad that you
have brought us together and allowed us to know (insert name). On this day we ask for your
special blessing and a day filled with hope, joy and optimism. We pray that this coming year
might be one that will bring personal success and fulfillment and accomplishment for (insert
name). Father we know that you delight in blessing your children and so we ask for this. May we
all be grateful for your goodness. This we ask in the name of our loving Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
and forgiveness in Christ, so that the burdens of guilt they bear can be lifted and that their
forgiveness will then relieve the burdens of others. Lord, teach them about forgiveness as a
stepping stone into unimaginable freedom and blessings."
And lead us not into temptation. . . .
"Lord, many of these people are in agonizing difficulties due to mistakes, sins and the traps of
Satan. We are asking You to show them the way out of these problems and into Your freedom.
Relieve them of all bondage, and feed them in the liberty of Your pasture. Deliver them from
despair and fill them with Your hope."
But deliver us from the evil one. . . .
"Father, bring these special people to a knowledge of the spiritual source of pain and suffering to realize there is a devil and that he, not other people, is their enemy - so they will stop blaming
and fighting each other. Give them an awareness of the spiritual realm and its impact on their
daily lives. Grant them a sense of the spiritual battle we are all engaged in. And teach them that
Jesus has already won the victory!"
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen...
"Again, Lord, we pray that You would be glorified in this particular block and in the city as a
whole. We ask that all the people would learn to praise You spontaneously because they really
know who You are - as the true God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and that the Scriptures are
Your priceless revelation of Yourself to the world and to each individual person. We want these
people taken out of the darkness and put into Your wonderful kingdom of light so that together
we may worship You in unity and love forever. The chief end of humankind is to glorify You and
to enjoy You forever, and we ask that this entire city and the whole world would come to realize
this ultimate purpose for their existence. Thy kingdom come - here, beginning today!"
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according
to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all
generations, forever and ever. Amen."
(Ephesians 3:20-21, NKLV)
Daily Prayers
"A Prayer For The Home
Father, we as parents want to help build a Christ-centered home: with the teaching of Your Holy
Word as our golden text for living. Help us to instill love for acquiring knowledge and imparting
wisdom. May we be living examples of committed believers demonstrating those character
qualities that bring glory and honor to You. Because You have given us so much You now require
us to give much in return. May our home be a place that stimulates creativity that offers
opportunity for the study of music, of books, of hobbies where ideas can be shared and questions
safely discussed. May Christs presence permeate our conversation and synchronize our hearts.
Father Your creation reveals that You are a lover of beauty, color, simplicity, and creativity. When
disunity or rebellion crashes the loving setting that we so greatly desire, help us to reflect Your
character of endurance, faithfulness and self -control. Our example as leaders in the home is
more often taken notice of when were required to deal with the undesirable circumstances of
life. May our family, in as much as it is possible, be a reflection of You whom we serve. Amen.
"Friends
Father, help me to be like a refreshing cup of cold water on a hot summers day to the friends
Youve given me. May I contribute encouragement, comfort, wisdom, accountability, and loyalty
to our friendship. Help me to reserve judgment and faithfully pray for my friends as we walk
together heart to heart and hand in hand. Amen.
On Fire For God
Father, we are grateful for the fire of Your Spirit that ignites us to be strong in our faith, wise in
our understanding, and obedient in our service to You. May we be eager to listen to Your Spirits
promptings as we fulfill our duties this day. Amen
In His Time
Father, Youre a compassionate, all-powerful, on-time God. No need in our life is overlooked,
overwhelming, or overly difficult for You to meet. You use the good, the bad, and the complex
matters that we sort through daily to test our faith and grow our endurance. These challenges that
are continually before us compel us to look to the Scriptures for spiritual understanding and
sustaining power. I will trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation, in the
midst of the wait. My heart seeks after You, my Lord and my God, for You have cared for me all
the days of my life and You will continue to do so, for You promise to never leave me nor
forsake me. Amen.
"Bearing Burdens
Father, as ambassadors of Your heavenly Kingdom, we want to be keenly sensitive to those
whose difficulties seem overwhelming. Some of our brothers and sisters are weighed down with
troubling circumstances that might overtake them if not for those of us who take them by the arm
and pull them up out of the quicksand of discouragement that ultimately sinks them further to
depression or despair. As we walk heart to heart and hand in hand with our family of believers
we also weep with them in their sorrows and rejoice with them in their victories. Would You lay
upon my heart today two individuals, a believer and an unbeliever, and love their souls through
me. Help me to do my part to strengthen my brother or sister in their faith journey. Reveal to me
a way that I can show genuine concern for the unbeliever, through my caring words or in a
loving deed, who needs to see the love of Christ represented in human form. In the blessed name
of Jesus, I pray. Amen
A Prayer For Protection
Father, there are many foes standing ready to attack. The enemys ammunition is relentless
coming from every direction but I am thoroughly protected by Your impenetrable shield that
completely surrounds me. Fear misguides, but faith guides me into an enduring trust in Your
unfailing love. You are My shelter from the stormy blast of Satans weaponry. You lift my head
as I am encouraged in You today and my hope is secured in my future eternal home. Amen.
even the LORD, who is my refuge10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."
Prayers of Mercy
"but God, being rich in mercy" (Ephesians 2:4).
Not long ago, I was looking through my library and noticed a book I had read several years ago.
It was a compilation of the best writings of Catherine Marshall. I decided to re-read some of
them and God used one of the articles to teach me about "mercy" prayers.
Often we forget that God's love is unlimited. When we notice weaknesses in the lives of the
people we live or work with, we can become impatient. We wonder why they don't apply the
Biblical truths that would surely help them live more consistently. We pray for them (maybe) but
seldom do we remember God's mercy and grace.
After reading Catherine Marshall's book, I began to pray "mercy" prayers. Just a simple prayer
like, "Lord, have mercy on ________." Many times we don't even know how to pray, we just
know something is not right. But God, who knows all things, knows exactly what the situation is.
When we pray, "Lord have mercy," He will intervene and answer our prayer in the best possible
way.
For years I prayed for two wonderful, little girls who were not being raised in the ways of the
Lord. Many nights, I would pray, "Lord have mercy on those two little girls, they didn't ask to be
brought into the world."
One week, things began to change - God had mercy on them. Today, through amazing
circumstances, their mother is following Jesus, they are living in a stable environment and the
girls are lavished with love. God cares and loves more than I could possibly imagine. And the
girls love Jesus.
I encourage you to begin praying "mercy" prayers when you notice problems in people's lives - it
so much better than being judgmental or critical.
Lord Jesus, You are loving and Your mercy endures forever. Even though our own love is often so
shallow, when we intercede for Your mercy on the lives you bring across our path, You will
answer. Thank You so much! Amen.
B. Sitting.
Mathew 26:26
C. Prostrate (lying face downwards).
Matthew 26:39
D. On the cross (when in deepest agony).
Matthew 27:46
E. Hands raised in a blessing
Luke 24:51
Do you practice using various positions when you pray? Wherever you are, lift up your eyes to
God. There is no need to be in a specific place to pray, such as a church. Pray wherever you are.
Jesus Commands Us To Pray
"The greatest thing anyone can do for God and man is pray. It is not the only thing; but it is the
chief thing. The great people of earth today are the people who pray. I do not mean those who
talk about prayer, nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about
prayer; but I mean those people who take time to pray." S
A. That we wont yield to temptation.
We are told to pray that we wont yield to temptation, but it is evident that prayer helps us not to
fall into temptation. Mark 14:38 (Luke 22:40,46).
"God will never tell us to do something that gratifies the flesh."
B. That during the end time, our flight would not occur on the Sabbath or winter, and that
we might escape.
Luke 21:36 (Matthew 24:20; Mark 13:18, 19).
C. For Gods Kingdom to come.
"Of course, Gods will must be the primary object of our prayers and we must recognize
prayer as an instrument of Gods will. Therefore, we pray that Gods will may be done
throughout the world and in intercessory prayer we bring people from around the world
into the presence of God."
Matthew 6:10a
D. For Gods will on earth.
Matthew 6:10b
E. For our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11
F. For forgiveness of our sins.
Matthew 6:12
G. Guidance away from temptation; deliverance from the evil one.
Matthew 6:13
The company or organization you work for gives you status; your husband/wife gives you
acceptability; your family gives you credibility. But only Jesus name gives you access to the
Father.
John 14:13, 14
John 16:23b
D. Abide (remain) in Jesus.
John 15:7
E. Bear fruit.
John 15:16
"Prayer, for Jesus Christ, formed the brackets in which He accomplished His earthly work. It
fortified Him with wisdom and power before action occurred, and it renewed, refreshed, and
revived Him when His human strength was exhausted. On the front end He prayed for fruit, in
the middle He bore fruit, and afterwards, He thanked God for fruit."
F. Be Godly and do His will.
John 9:31
G. Forgive.
Mark 11:25
H. He judges hypocrites, but listens to a humble heart.
Luke 20:46,47
Luke 18:10-14
Matthew 6:5-7.
CONCLUSION
What did you learn from this study on JESUS AND PRAYER?
a.
b.
c.
How will your prayer life change as the result of this study?
a.
b.
c.
God bless you as prayer becomes an ever increasing priority in your life.
Ask
Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:7-8,
Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened
to you. For every one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks
it shall be opened.
We can ask God for anything and He listens - He will answer. Ask specifically!
Someone has said when we get to heaven well find a lot of unopened gift packages with our
name on them because we did not claim them through prayer.
Believe
In Matthew 21:22 we read,
Everything you ask in prayer, believing you shall receive.
Faith, which is an attitude of believing, pleases God. With Him, all things are possible. Remind
yourself of this verse when you pray.
Receive
If you are abiding in Christ and you have asked and believe, get ready to receive the answer. In
other words, when you pray for rain, carry an umbrella. John 16:24 says,
Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.
Remember these four words to pray with confidence:
abide,
ask
believe
receive
Father, teach us to pray with confidence. To abide in Jesus, to ask, to believe You will answer
our prayers and to be ready to receive Your answers. Amen.
Asking Specifically
For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him. And then helping you do what He
wants (Philippians 2:13)
The day I found this promise in the Bible I was very excited. I was beginning to understand that I
didnt have to change myself. God would change me and this verse confirmed it. He would even
help me want to change. Being a determined person, I could be a problem if Christ wasnt in
control of my life, but God would work in me to change me. What freedom that spiritual
principle brought to my life.
The Holy Spirit was beginning to convict me about being grumpy in the morning. For years I had
rationalized that I was just born that way. I had inherited this temperament from my father and
grandmother. I wasnt a morning person. I didnt want to speak to anyone until after 10:00 am
Conversational Prayer
For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:20)
Having been the Director of the Canadian Prayer Alert for nineteen years and having worked
with many churches and prayer organizations, I have made some interesting observations. It
seems that most denominations and Christian organizations have developed their own prayer
culture - one in which they feel comfortable praying.
Sometimes we become so familiar with how we pray that we become insensitive to new
members in the group who may never have prayed aloud before. Or maybe you yourself dont
feel comfortable praying aloud in prayer groups.
Do you avoid praying aloud in public or in prayer groups? Have you been part of a prayer group
where one person dominated the prayer time and didnt let anyone else pray? You wanted to pray
aloud but because you didnt want to be rude, you ended up praying silently?
Have you been in a prayer group where someone used the time to pray/preach to someone in the
group? Have you wanted to pray aloud, but didnt think your prayers were acceptable to the
group because you are a new Christian?
I suppose we have all experienced one or more of these scenarios. Remember that the purpose of
your prayer time is to communicate with God. It should never be viewed as a ritual or as a time
to preach to one another.
Conversational prayer is a group of people who talk to God in the same way they talk to a friend.
Members use everyday conversational language. If you are the leader of the group, encourage all
the people in the group (especially a group unfamiliar with group prayer) to feel free to pray
Conversational Prayer
During a time of conversational prayer, the group members talk to God the same way they would
talk to a friend who is in the room with them. Members should use everyday conversational
language. Encourage the group (especially a group unfamiliar with group prayer) to feel free to
pray sentence prayers, expressing only a brief thought in six words or so. They dont have to
pray long, elaborate prayers. Everyone is free to pray, or not to pray, as the Spirit directs. Dont
be concerned about silence - allow God to speak to you and the other individuals in the group
during times of silence.
Ways to Lead Conversational Prayer
Several different ways of leading conversational prayer are discussed below. You could choose
one of these methods to guide you prayer time or use several to provide variety.
Leader-Introduced Topics
Introduce a prayer topic or request, one at a time. The group will then pray about this
topic or request. When finished, the leader will introduce another topic or request. Both
the number and types of topics introduced may vary. It is always helpful to designate a
specific person to close each time. This helps insure that the prayer time will not bog
down when everyone has had the opportunity to pray if they so desire.
Some Possible Topics for Prayer:
Thank God for something that has happened in your life in the past
24 hours.
Thank God for how He will meet those desires and requests.
shared.
Pray Through Scripture
This method allows the group to use one or more passages of scripture as a prayer guide.
You can choose any passage that you feel will be appropriate. Here are some examples:
Choose a Psalm of praise, such as Psalm 103, Psalm 145 or Psalm 150.
Adoration
Definition: Worshipping and praising God, exalting Him in your heart and your
mind and with your words.
Some ideas:
Praise and Pray through a Psalm
Sing
Use a list of Gods attributes to praise Him for who He is.
Take time to adore God, praising Him for His attributes such as His lovingkindness, His holiness, His compassion, His majesty, etc.
Confession
Definition: Agreeing with God concerning any sins He brings to mind in order to
restore fellowship with Him. (Note: Always pray silently during personal
confession.)
confess.
Allow time for confession (let God speak to each person about any
unconfessed sin).
Thanksgiving
Definition: Giving thanks to God for who He is, what He has done, what He will
continue to do in your life and what He is doing in the ministry; a prayer
expressing gratitude.
Look at verses such as:
1 Thessalonians 5:18,
Ephesians 5:20,
Psalm 108:3,
Psalm 50:23.
Then, spend time in thanksgiving.
Supplication
Definition: Imploring God by means of a petition or an entreaty.
Read:
Philippians 4:67;
Psalm 116:12.
Lead the group in supplication by praying aloud.
Be Creative!
The above is not a formula or something set in concrete. You can switch the
elements around, eliminate some of them or do something completely different.
ACTS is a place to start and to spur ideas. Prayer should never be boring or
monotonous - try to make it a fun time where those who come leave feeling
refreshed and renewed. Use scripture often during the prayer meeting.
Pray that they will walk worthy of the Lord (Colossians 1:10).
Pray for them to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner person
(Ephesians 3:16).
Pray for their unity in the Spirit with other believers (John 17:23).
Pray that their love may abound and that they may approve the things that are
excellent (Philippians 1:9,10).
Pray for boldness and opportunities to present the gospel to others (Colossians
4:3, Ephesians 6:19,20).
Pray that they may be completely mature and be fully assured in all the will of
God (Colossians 4:12)
To help expand the groups world vision, pray for specific country,
overseas mission group, or overseas Christian workers. (Your group may
want to adopt a country to pray for regularly.)
Use Hymns
Sing a hymn prayerfully, and afterwards, use the words of the hymn to guide the prayer
time.
Use the Attributes of God
Select one or more attributes of God and spend the time meditating on those attributes
and praising Him for His attributes. Share answers to prayer and spend the time thanking
God for the answers and His faithfulness.
Call to Prayer
I urge you, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for
everyone - for kings and all those in authority (1 Timothy 1:2)
A few months before Dr. Bill Bright went home to be with the Lord, Marvin and I talked with
him by phone. The doctor had given him only months to live because of a deteriorating lung
condition. Even though he was bedridden and on oxygen all the time, he was rejoicing in the
Lord and still was working on 15 projects.
He told us how God spoke to him in a dream. In the dream, God showed him the growing
number of bedridden and/or handicapped seniors who could be using this last season of their
lives for the most powerful ministry of all - intercession. They could be interceding for their
families, their church, their country and the world. God asked him to share this dream with all
bedridden and handicapped seniors.
My brother Frank became totally handicapped as the result of Lou Gehrigs disease. Near the end
of his life he could only communicate by blinking his eyes. But as he grew physically weaker, he
became spiritually stronger and his ministry became intercession.
God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the
world will be, the mightier the forces against evil. - EM Bounds
Would you help Bill Bright fulfill the dream God gave him by recruiting seniors to intercede for
the world?
Father, the Bible says that first of all we are to pray. I ask that You would raise up millions of
seniors who, in their retirement years, would make intercession their ministry. Amen