21 Days of Prayer Day 16 -Monday - January 22 - Intercession - All About Others - Today - Our Leaders

21 Days of Prayer Day 16 -Monday - January 22 - Intercession - All About Others - Today - Our Leaders

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV)

This passage falls under the topic of Instructions for Worship.

We cannot fully worship God the right way if our posture isn’t submitted to those in authority.

It’s easy to pray for those leaders we like, but it’s necessary to pray for all leaders.

My view of authority affects my response to it.

Today we’ll pray through 4 areas

Governmental/Civil

Spiritual

Parental/home

Workplace/School

What is the correct posture? We should understand submission.

A centurion had a servant who was paralyzed. Jesus said “shall I come to the house to heal him.”

The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.    Matthew 8:8-10 (NIV)

Could it be that apart from having great faith, but that also the Centurion’s posture toward Jesus’ authority was right.

What postures toward authority gets God’s attention?

1. Posture of Humility

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)

2. Posture of honor.

We need to honor the place or position particularly if we don’t like the person.

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Romans 13:1-2 (NIV)

3. Posture of prayer.

We are called to pray and maybe pray these 4 things:

1. Lord, visit them.  May they come to know you as Savior & then refresh them.

2. Lord, guide them.  Direct their paths, their minds, their plans and decisions.

3. Lord, protect them. Bind the Spirit that tries to blind them and hinder them.

4. Lord, bless them.  May our words speak blessing to them.

21 Days of Prayer Day 14 -Saturday - January 20 - God’s Work in Us - What I’m Believing God for in 2024

21 Days of Prayer Day 14 -Saturday - January 20 - God’s Work in Us -  What I’m Believing God for in 2024

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus the Nazarene[a] was going by. 38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

39 “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him.

But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”

42 And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too. Luke 18:35-43 (NLT)

Today let’s look at 5 elements of prayer

1. Be passionate - the beggar cried out.  He was passionate. He wanted Jesus and he wanted to see.

Let ‘s notify the rest of our body that we are passionate about Him. 

2. Be persistent. 

I’m not going to give up until the miracle happens. 

We are not going to give up. Like the persistent widow who bugged a judge so much until he gave her justice. We should persist. If my “ask" doesn't happen by day 21, I’m going to be persistent in prayer during day 22, 23, etc. (because in the waiting, God does teach us some things.

3. Be precise.  

I want exactly this. It was not an unspoken request. This man spoke it. 

Our prayers should not be vague. Vague prayers get vague answers. Be specific.

20x in the Bible it says “ask.”  Make it clear.

4. Be positive.

Jesus said to the man “your faith has healed you.”

Our faith is our attitude. It’s what you believe about a thing.

If it doesn’t happen until I’m in heaven, then I’m happy to find out about it then.

Remain positive. Not “if it be thy will.” (That’s Christianese for “I don’t think this is going to happen.”)

Jesus is willing!

A man brought a prayer request and said “if you are willing.” Jesus said “I’m willing.”

He’s not only willing - He’s able.

5. Be praiseful.  

We praise God during the ask, in the middle of the ask and at the end of the ask.

Philippians 4 says to bring your request with thanksgiving.

This means that we are thanking God for answering our prayer even before He acts.

21 Days of Prayer Day 13 - Friday - January 19 - God’s Work in Us - Our Minds and Emotions

21 Days of Prayer Day 13 - Friday - January 19 - God’s Work in Us -  Our Minds and Emotions

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

Sometimes my mind goes the wrong direction. My imagination can run the opposite direction from where I want it to go. So I need to cast it down, stop it, block it and control it.

Martin Luther “You cannot keep the birds from flying over our heads, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.”

You can choose not to dwell or act upon the thoughts the devil brings us.

1. Take my thoughts captive.

We need to learn how to do this. I’m not going to think about the thing I should not for another second.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.   Phil. 4:6-8 (NIV)

He gives us peace that transcends all understanding.  Goes beyond our understanding.

2. Think of Godly things.

Take captive the thoughts.  Then think of Godly things.

3. Depend on the Holy Spirit.

10 But] it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, “Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?   Who knows enough to teach him?” But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.    1 Cor.  2:10-16 (NIV)

You will never control the thoughts and emotions without the power of the Holy Spirit.

I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit - when I need Him most, He’s right there for me.

So let us pray “Holy Spirit help me to take my thoughts captive. Help me, Holy Spirit, to think about Godly things.  I need you Holy Spirit to have the mind of Christ. In Jesus’ name.”