While praying before the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ a couple of days ago, I found myself making several distinct petitions. Each of these I have prayed for separately at some point in the past but this time I felt the need to write these down and pray them as a series of requests, one after another. I have chosen to post these petitions because these are what not only I but the Church needs to uphold before the throne of grace and mercy and to the faithful One who sits upon it.
Prayer: That each one of us will love God fervently from the heart regardless of our circumstances. We need to cling to God with praise, joyous hope and confidence even “if the fig tree does not blossom nor there be fruit on the vine” (Hab. 3:17, 18). Can our relationship with God be one of single-minded, pure and simple devotion to Him (2Cor. 11:3) whether we have or we do not have; whether we are blessed with answers to prayer or while dealing with challenges and struggles? Without a doubt, God is honoured when we love Him, cling to Him and worship Him despite our difficulties.
“Renew my mind O Lord, that I will not love Thee only because there is blessing found in Thee but that I would love Thee because of Thee. Help me know that if I have life to even pray and hope and seek Thee, it is because Thou hast in Thy mercy sustained breath in me. Should Thou have chosen not to bring me into existence or instead take my life sooner, there would not have been me to pray or seek Thee in the first place. So I ask Thee in the name of Jesus, please renew my mind that I will love Thee with all my heart, my mind and my strength with an undistracted devotion and love.”
Prayer: That each of us would have a greater burden for God’s kingdom, His will and the Church. That our prayer-life would go beyond ourselves and our immediate circle.
“Teach me O God that I may understand that Thy glorious purposes and Thy will go beyond me. It goes beyond my circle of family and friends. It even goes beyond ‘my church’. Thou didst teach us dear Master to pray to the Father, ‘Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done,’ even before Thou mentioned, ‘Give us each day our daily bread.’ Please renew my mind so that I am constantly burdened for the glory of Thy kingdom and the accomplishing of Thy will here on earth.”
Prayer: That our faith would be firmly anchored in God’s everlasting, unfailing, inseparable and boundless love—a faith so firmly grounded in the person of God and His overwhelming rich grace that He has for us in Jesus that no matter how strong the storm and how threatening the waves, we will not drown.
I have learnt one thing at the feet of God—our Saviour will not take away the storm, He will take us through the storm. The lover of our soul will not quench the fire, He will sustain us in the fire. Remember Daniel in the lion’s den or the three youth that were thrown into the blazing furnace? Our faith must be anchored in God’s infinite care and concern for us. We would then find that we will not be shaken. We will not be moved. A definite proof of such faith is a peace within that surpasses understanding. Such rest is accompanied with praise on our lips (Php.4:4) and joy because of our faithful Saviour.
“Help me dear Lord to have a faith so firmly anchored in Thee that no matter what comes my way, I will be at rest. I am convinced that the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. I am certain that Thou art mindful of me and all that I am going through. There is nothing that escapes Thy attention. In fact Thou dost know what I need before I even ask of Thee. Let me know increasing rest, almost like that which Thou didst display at the back of the tossed boat when the disciples feared for their lives (Mt. 8:24).”
Prayer: That each one of us in the Church would live a life of righteousness, truth and love; a life where the beauty of Jesus is seen in us—“Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).” Though sin abounds in the world and unrighteousness increases may we constantly seek God for strength to live worthy of the calling we received when we were made a new creation.
“Oh how we need Thy strength dear Father, the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead; may it raise us too to live righteous and pleasing before Thee. On our own we utterly fail but with Thee we can be victorious. Thou didst cleanse us from sin by the precious blood of Jesus that we may be a separated (or holy) people for Thee alone. May we not compromise on this covenant (1Cor. 11:25)—that we willingly entered into with Thee—by being adulteresses (Jas. 4:4). May Thou find in us a bride that is pure, holy and blameless at Thy coming Lord Jesus (Eph. 5:27).”
Prayer: That God may raise prophets; equip and send them into the Church so that the voice of God rings through loud and clear as each servant speaks with boldness and power.
“We need such prophets Lord. At a time when false teachers abound and clever, deceptive teaching spreads all around, I ask that Thou wouldst speak through Thy servants. The Church needs to hear Thy truth. The Church needs to hear Thy voice. Thou didst send prophets at various intervals in past centuries; the time has now come when we need such men again. Hear my cry, faithful God. Please attend to this prayer I make.”
Prayer: That God may prepare the Church to listen to the prophets whom He would send. That He may give to the Church a spirit of discernment so that His sheep would recognize His voice and distinguish it from the clamour and deception that surrounds. May such hearts not only have discernment but also be humble and repentant at the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
“In the past, the people rejected Thy messengers, dear Lord. They rejected Thee, the Master. It is not to be expected that they will receive the prophets that Thou dost send now. Yet, Thou knowest Thy sheep and when they hear Thy voice, they will listen and follow. I pray for such people in Thy Church Lord and I pray that they would be many.”
Prayer: That the decisions we make—and choices that affects our lives, our children and everything about us, small and great—would be in complete surrender to the sovereign will of our Master. That we would first and foremost desire His will and then gladly and willingly submit to all that He brings our way.
“We have trusted in Thy wisdom Oh God. We have believed that Thou who knowest the end from the beginning are able to guide us in wisdom and power into all that is perfect and best. We are convinced that there is no one that can lead us into anything better. In Thee we have the best. So whether it is decisions we make with regard to our jobs; decisions we make with regard to our children; or decisions that affect every part of our life; we gladly place them at Thy feet and ask that Thy leadership and will would govern our days. They that live such lives are safest and they are blessed. May each one of us in the Church be so trusting; for Thou cannot and will not fail. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. AMEN.”
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