21 Days of Prayer, Day 7 -Saturday- August 13, 2023-- Prayer Focus - DECLARE THE TRUTH

Day 7 -Saturday- August 13, 2023-- Prayer Focus - DECLARE THE TRUTH

 Ephesians 6:10-17 (NIV) 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Of all of the pieces of the armor of God, the sword of the spirit, God’s word is an offensive weapon. With it we can defeat the enemy.

 In Matthew 4 when Jesus was being tempted by Satan, He refuted the devil by quoting the Word of God.

 This is why we should use scripture to pray.  Satan’s offensive weapon is lie because Satan is a liar.

 John 8:44 (NIV) 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

But God’s offensive weapon is His word, the Bible - the TRUTH. That’s what we use to take captive any and every thought.

 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV) 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

 So what do we do?

 First we expose the lie of the enemy.

 Secondly, we declare the TRUTH of God’s word.

 I invite you to pray scripture over area of your life.  When Satan says you don’t have enough, that’s a lie.  Pray the truth “My God shall supply all my needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

 When Satan says you’ll never get over that cold or you are limited in what you can do because you have diabetes, then you pray the truth,  “Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—3 who forgives all your sins     and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit     and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:2-5 (NIV)

There are many other scriptures you can pray. Download a copy of the prayer journal from our website or be sure to pick up a copy at the Guest Services Table. Praying scripture is on page 27.

Day 6 -Friday- August 11, 2023-- Prayer Focus - SURRENDER

Day 6 -Friday- August 11, 2023-- Prayer Focus - SURRENDER

Sometimes what you are holding on to might be holding you back. 

You are trying to pray for something. You care too much to let go. But you need to let go.

 So many people want to surrender to God but don’t know how.

 Abraham was such a man.

Genesis 22:9-14 (NIV)

9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

Letting go and surrendering Isaac (his inheritance, his future, the promise God had given him.) would be that he would have let go of his dreams.

 The Lord however, provided in the place he surrendered.  God’s peace doesn’t come from striving but surrendering.

 What do we do with our Isaacs?  We put them on  the altar.

  A - ASK THE LORD TO TAKE IT

 Have you let go?  Are you really surrendering? Prayer is the altar where our striving ends and surrendering begins.

 L - LET GO OF IT

 Abraham didn’t see the provision until he surrendered.

 Your ram will come once your Isaac is surrendered.

 T - TRUST HIM WITH IT

 I don’t understand the outcome but I trust Him with the outcome.

You may not trace him but you can trust him.

A - ACCEPT THAT IT’S GOD’S NOT YOURS

Isaac never belonged to Abraham - he belonged to the Lord.

 R - RELEASE IT FOR HIS GLORY

In the OT God gives you glory most when we surrender for God’s glory.

 In the NT God put His son Jesus on the altar of the cross for His glory.

 What burdens you will bless you - if you release it to the altar.

 You don’t have to hold on, let go and put it on the altar.

21 Days of Prayer - Day #5 Thursday - Prayer Focus: Freedom From Captivity

Day 5 -Thursday- August 10, 2023-- Prayer Focus -  Freedom From Captivity

Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NKJV)

10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.

A message to people who are in captivity. They are in tough circumstances. 

Yet God is aware and letting them know of His love for them.

We may be in a tough situation - this may be for you today, to build your confidence. When we pray, He hears and He responds.

God has a good word for you no matter your situation.

We need then to break off any negative thoughts and focus on the good word He has for us.

God’s good word is driven by His good thoughts. God not only loves you but He also likes you. He thinks good thoughts about you and not just when you are doing good.

What do his good thoughts and words have to do with prayer?

There are 3 promises

God hears us - God joins us - God fees us

God hears us.

No word or prayer is wasted. When we seek Him He will listen to us.

God joins us.

When we seek Him we will find Him.  We need His presence to go before us wherever we go.  We can all experience His presence.  Our testimony will be great, God will be with us.

God Frees Us.

God can free us from captivity. God can bring freedom and healing. God can bring miracles. 

God can also bring freedom in captivity.  He’s giving Israel an experience of freedom even while they are in captivity.  The situation may not change, but He can give us freedom from right where we are.

Stay encouraged and confident.

In the text it is all about God will do this. But we are on the New Testament side of this and God has already done all of this for us.