God's Word on That

Tag: Prayer

God’s Word can teach us to pray rightly — to move mountains and bring much glory to Our Father in Heaven

  • God Supplies the Power

    As the Father gave me command — so I do (John 14:31).

    I work very hard at whatever God directs me to do, as I depend on Christ Jesus’ mighty power that works within me (Colossians 1:29). For this I labor – unto weariness – striving with all the superhuman energy which He so mightily enkindles and works within me. [Amplified] This is my work and I can do it only because Christ’s mighty energy is at work in me [Phillips].

    God’s resurrecting power is at work within me!

    Not by my might nor by my power, but by Your Spirit, O Lord God Almighty, I will be able to do Your will (Zechariah 4:6). Father, please let the Holy Spirit fill and control me (Ephesians 5:18).

    In addition to all I take up the shield of faith with which I can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And I take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:16-17) and I do battle along with Jesus, in Jesus’ mighty name.

    I receive power because the Holy Spirit moves in me. I will not be quiet or ashamed. I will be a witness to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8) for my God and my Savior.

    These attesting signs will accompany me because I believe: in Jesus’ mighty and holy name I can drive out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up snakes without harm, and when I eat or drink anything deadly it will not hurt me… And when I place my hands on sick people they will recover (Mark 16:17-18) that I may bring much glory to God, my Father.

    I stand firm; I let nothing move me. I will always give myself fully to the work of the Lord, because I know my labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58). I know no day is wasted and no prayer is wasted with my God.

    I will not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows… I will not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, I will reap a harvest if I do not give up (Galatians 6:7, 9).

    God has spoken. Once, twice I have heard this: Power belongs to our God! And loving-kindness is His nature (Psalm 62:11).

    Arise! Shine! For my Light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon me (Isaiah 60:1).

  • Don’t Forget To Pray For Those Who Hurt You

    A prayer for forgiveness that can help us remain open to grace:

    O Lord Jesus, You know how upset we are because of the harm done to us. You forgave those who harmed You. Please help us to forgive, so we will not be destroyed by anger, or hatred, or revenge. Help those who have harmed us to follow You, so they may not hurt others. We place ourselves in Your care. Bless us with Your strength and peace and love, so what has happened to us may cause no further damage. Instead, let us grow ever stronger, full of compassion and courage and hope. Loving Lord, please give us grace to move ahead, walking always with You, at Your side. Amen.

    Sometimes it is easier to pray with a prayer partner.

    Father, my heart’s desire and my prayer to You is for _____’s salvation (Romans 10:1). Please redeem and be gracious to him/her (Psalm 26:11). Turn Your face upon him/her and be generous to him/her (Psalm 25:16). Surround him/her with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7). Keep him/her as the apple of Your eye (Psalm 17:8). Answer when he/she is in distress; protect him/her and send help from Your sanctuary to grant him/her support (Psalm 20:1-2). I pray too that he/she commits his/her way to You, gracious Lord, and he/she will trust in You and You will do this: You will make Your righteousness shine like the dawn (Psalm 37:5-6).

    Father, I pray for _____:

    …That You would give him/her the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so he/she may know You better (Ephesians 1:17).

    …That wisdom will enter his/her heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to his/her soul. I pray that discretion will protect him/her, and that understanding will guard him/her, and that wisdom will save him/her from the ways of the wicked (Proverbs 2:10-12).

    …That his/her love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so he/she may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ’s return, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes though Christ Jesus – to the praise and glory of Your name, my God and Father (Philippians 1:9-11).

    …That he/she will be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil (Romans 16:19).

    …That he/she will be patient and not quick-tempered (Proverbs 14:29).

    …That You will guide him/her in Your truth and teach him/her Your paths; for You are my all-powerful God (Psalm 25:4-5).

    …That the peace of Christ Jesus will rule in his/her heart and in my heart, since as members of one body we were called to peace. And help us be thankful, letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:15-16).

    Now to You, Glorious Father, who is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or could imagine for _____, to You be glory forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).

  • To Overcome Un-forgiveness

    Each of us has faced overwhelming challenges to forgive. Eventually though, truth begins to eclipse any excuse: we won’t be OK until we forgive. God’s unrelenting insistence on our forgiveness is for our own sakes, not the sake of the one who hurt us — our un-forgiveness doesn’t hurt them! God is faithful. He will plead our case and take up our cause… but only when we make a deliberate decision to cease representing ourselves in the matter.

    We never look more like Jesus than when we forgive.

    Keep in mind that forgiveness is not defined by a feeling, although it will ultimately change our feelings. Forgiveness is our determined and deliberate willingness to let something go — to release it from our possession and send it to God. God is not asking us to let “it” go haphazardly into the black hole of nonexistence. Forgiveness is the ongoing act by which we agree with God over the matter, practice the mercy He extends to us, and surrender the situation, repercussions, and the hurtful person into His hands.

    Pray for willingness-to-forgive to come to you, but also pray for that person you are having trouble forgiving. There are three parts to ‘forgiveness’ praying: (1) prayers for a forgiving attitude in yourself, (2) prayers specifically about the person you are struggling to forgive, and (3) prayers for the person you are struggling to forgive.

    Your ways are not my ways, Lord God. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are Your ways higher than mine (Isaiah 55:8-9). I may not always understand Your ways, my Lord, but they are always prosperous (Psalm 10:5). Your ways are always righteous (Psalm 145:17). Your ways, O God, are holy (Psalm 77:13). Your ways are loving and faithful(Psalm 25:10). I have considered my ways, Lord (Psalm 119:59), and I choose Yours instead. Please keep me from deceitful ways (Psalm 119:29). Lord God, loving Father, help me to walk in Your ways (Psalm 119:3).

    Father, I forgive everyone who has trespassed against me so that You can forgive me my trespasses (Matthew 6:12). Father, Your Word tells me to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27-28). So I come before you in Jesus’ name to lift up _____ before You. I invoke blessings upon him/her and pray for his/her happiness. I implore You, please, to bless him/her. And not only will I pray for _____, but I set myself up to treat him/her well; I will be merciful, sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate toward him/her even as You are, my loving Father. For I am Your child and want to be an imitator of You, my Lord God (Ephesians 5:1), and I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

    So Father, I thank You that I have great peace in this situation, for I love Your law and refuse to take offense toward _____ (Psalm 119:165). I am blessed — that is, happy with life; I have joy and satisfaction in God’s favor, and in salvation apart from outward conditions — because I take no offense and refuse to be hurt or resentful or annoyed or repelled or made to stumble [whatever may occur] (Luke 7:23 Amplified).

    And now, Father, I roll this work entirely upon You — I commit and trust it wholly into Your hands; and believe that You will cause my thoughts to come into agreement with Your will, and so my plans shall be established and succeed (Proverbs 16:3). Amen.

  • God’s Word Should Drive Us

    The promises outlined in these pages are meant to be a help and a guide to you so you can get better acquainted with your Heavenly Father and His Word. They are not meant to replace the reading of and meditation on His Word. Not only does His Word affect your life, but also it will affect others through you, for you will then be able to counsel accurately those who come to you for advice. Walk in God’s counsel and prize His wisdom (Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:7-8).

    While many of the promises can be claimed by those who love God and are called according to His purpose (called “absolute” promise), the fulfillment of others (considered a “conditional” promise) is dependent upon becoming more alive to the conditions attached — those dependent for their fulfillment upon the carrying out of certain requirements, which are expressly stated in the Word.

    The immediate Purpose of acquiring promises is to meet our varied daily needs. The ultimate Design of each promise by our Lord and Maker is the separation of our lives from anything unworthy of the Divine Promisor.

    We have the promise that God’s will is reliable and eternal, therefore His promises are reliable and eternal. The promises come to us from God the Father through Jesus, the Son, by the Holy Ghost. The Father conceived the promise. The way to them was opened up by the Son. The appropriation of them is inspired by the Holy Spirit.

    Promises, to be effective both materially and spiritually, must be (1) possessed by faith; (2) proven by obedience (3) presented in prayer. God’s unfailing promises are given to stimulate prayer, not supersede it. While everything good for us is promised in answer to believing prayer, nothing is promised apart from it (Mark 11:24). The fire of our prayers must be fed with the fuel of the promise: after (1) being persuaded of the promise, we (2) plead it in prayer, and then (3) possess it. Therefore God’s promises strengthen our faith and prompt our obedience, and also enforce our pleas.

    Almighty and Most Holy God, I want all my life to be lived out to Your glory — a living testament of thanks to You for the grace You have given me, and the mercy and love You have shown me. While I do not always do this as I would like, I lovingly offer You my words, deeds, heart, mind and soul to bring glory to Your name by doing Your will. Please use Your Spirit to remove areas of self-deception from my life, so weakness and hypocrisy will not rob my discipleship of its intended worship of Your great majesty. Holy Father, please help me live a more thankful and victorious life before my unbelieving friends and family, and as an example to all, so they may come to share Your glorious kingdom and victory over sin and death. Give me the mind of Jesus to always look to You and trust in You for everything, and every event I find before me today. I love You, O Lord my strength!