Day 21

CHRIST, OUR INTERSESSOR

Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. (Hebrews 7:25, NLT)

Jesus is interceding for all of us in heaven right now.

I don't know that I have ever fully grasped this concept in all its fullness. When Jesus prayed His High Priestly prayer in John 17, that was only the beginning of His role as our intercessor. After He died, was buried, and rose from the grave, Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes on our behalf. This concept blows my mind.

Jesus’ intercession is an intense reality. It is a work that is absolutely necessary. And, without Jesus’ intercession, somehow, our salvation is at stake.

Let's think about what we can learn from this.

First of all, Jesus intercedes for our salvation. I wonder what Jesus prays for? What is the content of His intercession? What is He asking the Father for? Perhaps His prayers are an extension of His High Priestly prayer in John 17. And, perhaps the content of Jesus' prayers are filled with a similar line of thought as He watches human events unfold. Second, Jesus' intercession for us is necessary. It seems to be an important work or function that Jesus has in heaven. Third, without Jesus' intercession our salvation is at stake.

I wonder about Jesus' appearance to Saul on the road to Damascus. Jesus asked Saul, 'Why are you persecuting me?” He appeared to Saul in order to reveal Himself as Lord. Jesus appearing was more than just about Saul's salvation. It was necessary for the protection of the church that Saul stop killing new Christians. Had Saul continued with his persecution, he may have wiped out Christianity before it had a chance to grow. It was also necessary for Saul to become Paul and to take up his ministry to the Gentiles. These two factors were essential to the protection and growth of the Gospel in the world.

I also think of my friend Mohsen. He was a Muslim doctor in Afghanistan until Jesus appeared to him in a vision and he converted to Christ. Mohsen's life and testimony had a profound effect on his family and friends. Many of them converted to Jesus as well.

Perhaps Jesus' intercession includes events such as these. Maybe Jesus is patiently watching over the church and shepherding it from the heavens. When necessary, he reveals himself so that the salvation of the world can continue on to its completion.

My friend, whatever you are going through right now, you can know that Jesus is still praying for you. He is interceding with the Father on your behalf. He is still watching over and Shepherding your soul. And He is faithful to complete the work that He started in you.

And, Jesus calls us to intercede for others. He invites us to participate along with Him in this work of intercessory prayer. Maybe someone is on your mind and heart today. Take some time to intercede for them. Pray in faith for them today.

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father God, I thank You for this journey we have taken in prayer over the last 21 days. Thank you Jesus for what You have taught us along the way. Lord may this be just the beginning. May we continue on in prayer and learn and grow to love You more as we seek You day after day. And we thank You so much for the promise that You live to intercede for us. Even now, You are praying for Your church, all of us, in heaven. Thank You Jesus! Amen.

Day 20

FATHER NOT WHAT i WILL

“Abba, Father,” He cried out, “everything is possible for You. Please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” (Mark 14:36, NLT)

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14, NIV)

As we near the end of our journey with Jesus in prayer, we come to perhaps the most powerful lesson we could ever learn: Our prayers are always heard by God, and answered by God, through the lens of the Father's will. Jesus models for us how to pray desperately for that which we desire, yet he still submits to the ultimate will of the Father, even though Jesus is Himself God and one with the Father. In this moment, He is teaching us a very human lesson. Sometimes we will not get what we ask for simply because the Father's will must override our desire.

It is important to understand the difference between Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane and Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in John chapter 17. In His prayer for the church in John 17, Jesus prays that the Father would get the glory. His prayer is all about the Father being glorified in the suffering of the Son. His prayer is about asking the Father to use His suffering for His greater glory and for the benefit of the church. Simply put, in John 17, Jesus prays a prayer in which God gets all the glory. And thus, Jesus prays with boldness and confidence and does not apply the clause, “I want Your will to be done, not Mine.”

However, in Jesus’ prayer at Gethsemane, He is praying a simple and true and honest prayer of supplication to the Father. He is burdened by His suffering. He knows the great pain that He will bear when He takes the Sin of the entire world upon His shoulders. He knows the torment of soul He is about to face. And He prays an honest prayer with a humble heart. He asks the Father if it is possible to take this cup of suffering away from Him. If there is any other way, Jesus is asking the Father to find it.

We can only imagine a small portion of the suffering Jesus was about to endure at the Cross. And in Jesus' prayer we can see His humanity. We see the reality of His suffering for our Sin. We learn that Jesus understands the cry of the human heart before God. He knows what we feel like when we ask the Lord to rescue us from our suffering.

Yet Jesus also knows that He is not praying something that will glorify the Father. He knows it is a prayer of supplication. He is making a simple and heartfelt request before the Lord. So he adds the clause, “I want Your will to be done, not Mine.”

There is some wisdom we can gain by distinguishing between the two types of prayers Jesus prays. In the one, He prays with confidence. In the other, He simply asks, and then adds the qualifying statement.

Perhaps we can learn to distinguish our wants and desires from the times we can pray with authority and confidence. Perhaps there is a time to present our requests to God with a hesitancy where we say, Lord I ultimately want Your will and submit to Your will on this. And, there are other times when we need to pray in Jesus’ name with boldness and confidence. In these times we know that what we are asking for is going to give the Father glory, and we can ask with confidence in Jesus’ name. May we learn the difference and grow in prayer as we apply this wisdom.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father, I thank you for this lesson in prayer. Give me wisdom to know the difference between the prayers I can pray with authority, knowing that it is fully in Your will already. Show me where I can pray prayers of declaration that will activate the promises of Jesus’ teaching on prayer. Also, show me when I need to pray prayers of supplication, where I humbly make my request and submit myself to Your will. Teach me to grow in both of these aspects of prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 19

IN MY NAME

At that time you won’t need to ask Me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and He will grant your request because you use My name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using My name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. (John 16:23–24, NLT)

A person's name is a word that brings to mind the representation of that person. When I mention or hear someone's name, it brings to my mind the image or representation of that person. I recall what I know of this person and what he or she has meant to my life.

Additionally, the name of a King includes his honor, power and his kingdom. The King's name is a symbol of his power.

God has many names in the Bible, and each name embodies some aspect of His character. God is El-Shaddai - the God of the mountains. He is El Elyon - the most High God. He is Yahweh Yireh - the God who provides. These are only a few of the many names of God in the Scriptures. Each name represents some aspect of the glory of our God.

Yet the name of Jesus is the living expression of all that God has done and all that God will do. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. Jesus is the exact representation of God's being (Hebrews 1). And the name of Jesus is the ultimate Name that is above all names. “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

What does it mean to come in the name of another person? It means that we come with the power and authority of that other person. If we have permission to use their name, then we come as their representative, bearing the marks of their power and authority. That is the kind of spiritual authority that Jesus grants to us in prayer.

Jesus teaches us that we can now go directly to the Father, and ask (pray) using His name, and we will receive.

Jesus gives to all of His disciples a general and unlimited power of the free use of His Name at all times and for all they desire. In doing this, Jesus trusts that we will have His interests at the uppermost in our minds. Jesus trusts that His honor will be safe in our hands. The free use of Jesus’ name is a sign of great confidence and of close and intimate connection.

Also, when I go in the name of another, I deny myself. I take not only his name but himself and what he is, instead of myself and what I am.

These are profound realities about the power -- and responsibility -- of praying in Jesus’ name.

So this is a profound mystery. The name of Jesus is granted to us. His name grants us direct access to the Father. Anything we ask in Jesus' Name, we will receive it, along with abundant joy. We get access to all the rights of that Name. And we choose to take up all the responsibilities of bearing that Name.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father, our hearts are full of amazement at this thought: We can come directly to You and bring our thoughts, our fears, and our requests directly to Your throne. We have been granted access to You because of the Name of Jesus. Help us, to not only to stand before You and bring our prayers to You in Jesus’ name, but also to bear the responsibility of that name as we live our lives out before You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 18

GLORIFYING GOD THROUGH PRAYER

You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. (John 14:13, NLT)

The chief goal of Jesus, and thus the chief goal of our lives, is to glorify the Father. Jesus consistently said that bringing glory to the Father was His number one purpose. And, it follows, that He would say something to us like He does in John chapter 14.

Again we see this great promise, “You can ask anything in my name, and I will do it!” We love that promise! We have seen it all throughout this journey of 21 days in prayer. And here again we get a glimpse into the purpose behind the promise. And as we understand the purpose behind the promise we can better learn how to pray. 

Jesus said that the chief purpose of prayer is so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

When we pray in Jesus’ name, and God hears and answers our prayer, the answer came because that prayer could bring glory to the Father.

Jesus said things like, “I don't seek my own honor, I seek the honor of the One who sent me.”

In his prayer in John 17 he prayed, “Father glorify the Son so that the Son may glorify you.”

If we are being honest with ourselves, the main reason we pray is self-interest. We call out to God and ask for His help so that we can receive what we desperately need. We know that He loves us. We know that He has invited us to pray. We know that we can come to Him in prayer. Yet, if we are truthful with ourselves, our main desire in prayer is not to give glory to the Father, but to receive the answer we so desperately desire or need.

Jesus’ greatest desire was to glorify the Father. Is this our greatest desire?

When we come to our prayer closet, do we approach the Lord with a desire to glorify the Father?

Or, do we come in hopes that He will grant us the desires of our heart?

This is a profound question that we must think deeply about. Is our prayer life shaped by a desire to glorify God the Father?

I think our honest answer might be -- 'sometimes.' I think that deep down inside of us we do desire to glorify God. We do desire that the name of God would be lifted up in our lives and that others would see a display of God's glory and power. I believe that desire is at the heart of every Christian. Yet at the same time, we must admit that there are many days -- or weeks -- where our prayer life is filled with requests that come out of our mouths yet those requests have not passed through the filter of a desire to bring glory to God.

Let's resolve to ask God for anything with a deep and honest desire to see God glorified through the answer he gives to us.

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father, I confess that so many of my prayers are really about me. I am asking out of habit with little or no thought given to giving the glory to You. Teach me Lord, to pray prayers that will bring You glory. Help me to learn how to bring glory to You as You answer my prayers. Father, may You be glorified in my prayer life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 17

abide in me

But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! (John 15:7, NLT)

Surprisingly, there are many promises Jesus gave to us about prayer that are conditional. If we do our part to fulfill what God is asking us to do, then Jesus promises that God will answer our prayers. We see this connected to the following promise, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." In prayer, the promise Jesus gives here is “Ask for anything you want, and it will be granted.” However, that promise is based on the condition that we are “abiding” in Jesus, or that we “remain” in Jesus.

Jesus promises that if we remain in Him and if His words remain in us, we can ask for whatever we want and it will be granted to us. Now, why would this be the case? Perhaps because it is “Jesus in us” whom God hears, or it is “Jesus in us” whom God is favoring when He answers this kind of prayer. Or perhaps it is because the very process of abiding in Jesus and having His words abide in us helps to sharpen our prayers and focus our prayers and center our prayers around God's good and perfect will for our lives.

“If you abide in me.” As we grow in God's grace, and in our understanding of God, we begin to understand Jesus’ words in new and fresh ways. At one point in our journey we might ponder over a promise of Jesus and wonder at its meaning. As we think about its mystery, we gain a fresh insight about our life with God. We may come back to that same promise years later, and find that it means something different to us, or that its previous meaning for us no longer applies. As we think on the promise in a fresh new way, the promise of Jesus takes on a new and richer meaning. This is what it means to have Jesus’ words remain in us. We come to His promises - not with superficial understanding and not with pride of how well we understand that promise because “we have studied it before.” We come to His promises with humility. We come to His words with reverent hearts. And as we dwell on His promises they take on fresh and deeper meaning. And then, those words infect our prayer life with the Spirit and the anointing of God.

Are you frustrated with unanswered prayer?

If so, are you abiding in Jesus?

Are you taking in the words of Jesus on a regular basis?

Are you reflecting deeply on His promises to you?

Are you allowing His words to remain in you and speak to your spirit and infect your spirit with His Spirit?

The process of abiding in Jesus and abiding in the words of Jesus will greatly enhance your life at prayer.

A vine is connected to the branch and that connection bears sweet tasting fruit. In the same way, as you abide in Jesus, He will begin to produce a sweet tasting fruit in your life. In so many ways, you will become the person you have always wanted to be. The person you have always known you could be is really based on a godly desire that Jesus has put within your heart. And yet, you can't get there without Jesus. Without Jesus you are a dead branch. But with Jesus you are alive and whole and your life is becoming all that you hoped it could be.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I ask today that You would teach me to abide in You. Teach me how to meditate on Your promises -- Your words. Teach me how to let Your words shape my life and how to let Your words remain in me. And from those promises, show me how to pray in the Spirit. Show me how to pray and ask and receive. As Your words remain in me, and as I abide in You, I ask that you would change me. Change me into the person that Jesus died for me to be. Amen.

Day 16

FOR GOD’S GLORY

You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. (John 14:13, NLT)

We pray in the Name of Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of the Father. The chief purpose of prayer is that the Father would be glorified in the Son. It follows then that where there is no prospect of the Father being glorified that particular prayer will not be answered. Jesus says to us, that we can ask for anything in His name, and He will do it, and the chief purpose of the answer to that prayer, is not for our benefit, but for the glory of the Father.

This begs the question, “Why does God need the glory?” Why is it so important that God is glorified? In the answer to this question, we find a secret to unlocking greater authority in our own prayer life.

Every word and every action in our life presents the opportunity for someone to get the glory. We can glorify ourselves in how we talk. We can glorify our neighbors. We can glorify our government, our leaders, our favorite sports team. And, we can take glory away from all of these people if we choose to talk negatively. Every word and every action gives someone glory or takes glory away from someone.

Most often, due to the selfish inclination of our hearts, we desire the glory. Whether we choose to consciously admit it or not, we have a tendency to tell our own stories or act out in such a way that reveals that we are “glory-seekers.” Sometimes that backfires on us because the other people in our lives also want some glory. We build good friendships when we include other people in our stories and give them some glory and praise. When we choose to speak positively about people in our lives we develop healthy relationships because these folks begin to see that we value them and we speak well of them. Like I said, everyone of us wants some glory. And, we know from human history, and from scripture, that when we ONLY glorify ourselves and others this can lead to an increase of selfishness in the world. Self-glorification leads to narcissism. And others-glorification has spawned many of the evils in human history.

To glorify God means to put God above everything. It is the idea of shining a light toward God and highlighting God. God created us to glorify Him. Not because He needs a pat on the back, but because God knows that when humans glorify Him, everything else in our lives comes into its proper place. When we choose to glorify God for all things in our lives it means that we are humbling ourselves and pointing the way to God. When all humans choose to glorify God, it allows us to move forward without the harmful imbalances of narcissism or hero-worship. When God takes his rightful place in the world, the world looks like the place God created it to be.

This is why Jesus speaks so strongly to this point. The Father will only answer the prayer of faith if it will enable the Son to bring glory to the Father. This has major implications for our entire prayer life. It becomes the grid by which we can filter out our selfish prayers, or fine-tune our petitions to God so that the Father will always get the glory as He answers that prayer. As God gets the glory, more people are pointed toward God. As more people are pointed toward God, the entire world becomes a better place to live in. God's Kingdom effectively comes to earth when God gets the glory.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father, teach me to pray with a heart that desires nothing but Your glory. Purify my prayer life and remove the selfish prayers that I so often pray. Teach me to not only pray with a desire to glorify You, but also to talk about answers to prayer in a way that glorifies You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Day 15

PERSEVERING PRAYER

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly... ” (Luke 18:6–8, NIV)

The power of persevering prayer is a mystery. In much of what we have discovered to this point, it seems that Jesus is saying we will hear an answer to the prayer of faith. And there has been little or no hint of the need to continually pray. In fact, Jesus has warned us about the vain repetitions of those who don't truly trust and believe the power of God. And yet here Jesus says that there will be times where we will need to persevere in prayer. There will be seasons where we will need to cry out to the Father day and night in order to receive what we ask for. This is a profound mystery.

What is God's goal in this kind of prayer? Why does He sometimes require that we call on Him day and night?

First, we know that prayer changes us. And perhaps this is part of God's goal for us in persevering prayer. As we persevere in prayer, our spirit is refined. As we persevere in prayer, our heart is purified. When we must keep calling out to the Father, we experience a deep longing for the presence of God. When we keep on praying, we are being changed along the way.

Second, our request is refined as we continue in prayer. Sometimes extended seasons of prayer will serve to refine that which we are asking for. The longer we endure in prayer, the more clear our need becomes to us, and thus we can express it to the Father more clearly.

Third, the character quality of patience grows within us as we wait on the Lord for an answer to our prayer. The combination of patience and faith is powerful in the spiritual realm. Patience requires that we continue to submit to God and humble ourselves before Him. An impatient child has put himself and his own needs first, above the needs of others. An impatient prayer places ourself and our own needs above the Divine timing of the Living God. So a patient and persistent posture in prayer is important.

Fourth, there is a unique joy found in expectant waiting. When a child receives what they ask for too quickly, sometimes that gift ends up at the bottom of the toy bin. But a gift long-awaited is treasured and valued above other gifts. In the same way, a long-awaited answer to prayer is treasured and valued by us in a way that other answers are not. The posture of expectancy has taught us to value the gift when we finally receive it.

The blessing of this kind of enduring prayer is deeper than we can imagine. Andrew Murray says here, "It [persevering prayer] teaches us to discover and confess, and give up everything that hinders the coming of the blessing... It leads to closer fellowship with Him who alone can teach to pray, to a more entire surrender to draw nigh under no covering but that of the Blood and the Spirit."

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father God, teach me how to pray patiently. Teach me to endure and persevere in prayer, so that in the process, You may change me, and convict me, and grow Your character in me. And help me to grow in faith as I persevere in prayer. Help me to trust in Your unfailing promises as I call out to You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Day 14

WHEN TWO AGREE

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19–20, NIV)

Jesus taught us that there is spiritual power in our secret prayer life. He told us to pray in secret and not for the attention of others. Yet he also teaches us that there are times where we may need to come together before the Father with two or three others. And that when we agree together on what we ask for, it will be done for us.

It doesn't make sense that family members would only speak to their father individually. No. In family units we talk to our parents together as well. In the same way, when two or three believers gather before the Lord to pray, it is like a family meeting or a family gathering, where we talk to our heavenly Father together. There is power in praying to MY Father, yet there is also power in praying to OUR Father who is in heaven.

There are three characteristics of this kind of united prayer.

First, Jesus says that there is agreement in prayer. We come together with a purpose, with something we have agreed that we will ask the Father about. Something important or pressing that is on our mind and our heart. There is agreement among those praying that this “thing” is of utmost importance. And as we pray, we are in agreement of what we are asking and expecting from the Lord.

Second, we are gathering in the Name of Jesus. Jesus is the center of our gathering. Jesus is the center of our thoughts. Jesus is the reason we are bonded together in prayer. We understand that the Name of the Lord is a strong tower and we, as God's righteous people, can run to it, and be heard in our time of need. And, when we gather in Jesus' Name, the presence and Spirit of Jesus is among us in that moment.

Third, Jesus says there will be a certain answer to this kind of prayer. In other words, a prayer meeting in which there is not an answer to prayer, would be an anomaly rather than the norm. Sometimes we come to prayer meetings or gatherings in order to fellowship. And sometimes we pray for insignificant things, but Jesus says that when we come together with an agreed upon need and we are asking the Father to respond to that need, then the Father hears us and it will be done for us.

What an incredible promise! What a beautiful privilege! To know that a believing husband and wife can come together in prayer over whatever need they have, and, if they agree together in Jesus Name, they will receive what they have asked for. Parents, there is power in your prayers together!

Do you have a personal need? Have you been praying and not receiving? Then call together two or three believing friends and share your need with them. Agree together in the Name of Jesus and watch as the Lord begins to move and you receive an answer!

Who can say what kind of influence the body of Christ could have if we prayed together in such a way for our world. If we asked the Lord together that His Kingdom would come to earth as it is in heaven. If we agreed on that together and called it into being because of the promises of our Lord Jesus! Oh the blessings that await us if we would only gather together in prayer.

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father, show me two or three people in my life whom I can pray with. Reveal to me a group of people who can stand with me in prayer, and with whom I can stand in prayer. Let us see Your Kingdom come as we pray together. In Jesus name, Amen.

Day 13

FORGIVE

“But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.” (Mark 11:25, NLT)

We have seen that Jesus teaches us to “have faith in God” and to pray, “believing that we have already received.” Then He promises, whatever you ask for “it will be yours.”

Immediately after this great “prayer promise”, Jesus adds one statement that is powerful and true, and yet so difficult to live out. Jesus tells us that there is one ultimate hindrance to our prayers being heard and our blessing received from God, and that is forgiveness. Unforgiveness is a barrier between us and the Almighty.

Why would that be the case? It is because Faith and Love are essential to communion with the Father. Love to God and love to neighbor are inseparable. We cannot truly commune with God with all of our heart if we do not love our neighbor. Jesus says elsewhere, “forgive as you are forgiven.” Scripture says, “Forgive one another, even as God, in Christ, forgave you.”

A rich and full forgiveness is to be the rule and pattern of our relationship with others. God has so richly forgiven us. We are called to lavish forgiveness on others. This is a startling statement from our Lord. The measure of forgiveness we offer to others, is the measure of forgiveness we will receive from God. In other words, when God's forgiving love has so taken up residence in our hearts that we are able to forgive others as he forgave us, then we experience a true and rich communion with the Father, and out of that rich unity with the Father, He hears and answers the prayer of faith.

Andrew Murray has said that “every prayer rests on our faith in God's pardoning grace.” This implies that to hold on to the sin of another person, is to move us out of the grace of God. This means that when we suffer a great injustice we must look first to find a Godlike disposition. How would God see this situation? What would God do in this situation?

The injustices we suffer can cause a deep sense of wounding within us. Our reputation can suffer harm. Our finances might be diminished. We can desire to “pay back” the offender. And when injustice strikes we need to remember that we serve a God whose reputation has suffered badly because human beings used their God-given will to sin. God has been pouring out resources in unimaginable measure to redeem us, to bring us back to Him. And yet God did not pay us back as our sins deserved. Rather, God sought to restore us and bring us back to Him.

And that is the same spirit that the Lord requires of us. If our lives have truly been changed by the grace of God then that grace will translate into our relationship with our neighbors and our friends and our family.

God's forgiveness was not easy. Sometimes we make the mistake of trivializing the grace and mercy and forgiveness of God. We somehow think that His forgiveness toward us was easy. Yet in reality it was not. There is a saying, “forgiveness is more costly than creation.” And it is true in all aspects of life. It is less costly to start a relationship than it is to mend a relationship. Redemption cost God something. He spent invaluable resources (including the commitment and sacrifice of Jesus) in order to pay for our redemption.

Forgiveness will not be easy for us either. We will struggle with it. Forgiveness will cost us something. When we forgive, we give up our rights to take 'our pound of flesh' and we choose instead to offer mercy and grace and understanding. We choose to place the situation in the hands of the great Judge. We choose to leave vengeance in the hands of an Almighty and All-Knowing God. We remove our finger from the trigger and we offer the same forgiveness that God offered to us.

And out of forgiveness, we experience the kind of communion with God that leads to the answer we are seeking in other aspects of our lives.

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father, I am so thankful for Your grace and mercy toward me. It is not a cheap forgiveness that You offer to me. You forgiving me was a costly act. And so, in the same spirit, I choose to forgive [name the person] and I choose to leave behind my rights to seek revenge. I choose to place them into your hands. I choose forgiveness so that my fellowship with You can be rich and beautiful. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 12

OUR UNBELIEF

Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:19–20, NLT)

Here Jesus teaches us another lesson about faith. The disciples come to Jesus privately. They have been trying to do what they have watched Jesus do. They have tried casting out a demon, yet it did not work. The demon would not come out. They are discouraged. Why did our prayer not work? Why was it ineffective? Jesus has given us authority to cast out evil spirits. So what went wrong?

The disciples were a little embarrassed, and perhaps more than a little disappointed. It was a public embarrassment. Many people had seen them try to cast out the demon. And they had seen the failure, with the demon refusing to come out. It was a valuable lesson. Jesus’ answer to their question is direct and clear. “You did not have enough faith.” Some translations say here "because of your unbelief.” Jesus' response is interesting here. He simply says that the disciples entered the situation with unbelief. They did not have enough faith.

Let's try to imagine the scene and try to understand what Jesus might mean. The disciples were in public. Jesus was not present with them. Perhaps their faith was in themselves? Maybe they entered into that situation, and being aware of the crowds, tried to cast out the demon out of a faith in their own strength, or their own ability? After all, they had cast out demons successfully before this event. Perhaps their failure came because they assumed that they had received a gift from Jesus that was now their own possession? If this is the case, then their story is proof positive that faith is not “faith in a gift” but faith in the Giver of the gift.

Another possibility is that there was an inner motivation in their hearts to be exalted or elevated by the watching crowds. Perhaps they had a desire in their hearts to be noticed. They wanted to be seen as having been with Jesus and being a “possessor” of the same power that Jesus had. So they entered into the prayer session, not with a desire to heal this hurting individual, not with a desire to lift up and exalt the Name of Jesus, but with a desire to lift up and exalt their own names.

Regardless of the exact situation, Jesus’ response is similar to what we saw in yesterday's lesson. He repeats a promise we read elsewhere already, that faith is the key, and faith can move mountains. We have already seen that this is not faith in ourselves. Nor is it faith in faith. No, it is faith in the Almighty God, the Lord of all creation. Nor is it the kind of faith that attempts to exalt self, but the kind of faith that desires to give all glory to God. Here Jesus points out, that it is not even the size of the faith that matters. You can have faith as small as a tiny seed, so long as that faith is placed in the Powerful and Mighty Hand of the Living God!

We see here again that Jesus had not given them a power that they held in their possession. The ability to cast out demons was not something they had in and of themselves. Their power was in Christ. It was not a power they had received and held on their own. It was a gift they carried from the Living One. It was received and used by faith in the Lord himself. If they had prayed with faith in Jesus as Lord and Conqueror in the spirit-world, had they been full of faith in Him as the One who gave them authority to cast out demons in His name, this kind of faith, and rightly placed, would have given them the victory.

This kind of faith depends entirely on the state of our spiritual life. Faith needs a life of prayer for its full growth. It is only when our spirit is strong and full of health, when the Spirit of God has full sway in our life, that there is the power of faith to do mighty deeds. This kind of faith also depends on our motivations. Do we desire to glory? Do we desire an answer so that we can tell a great story? Or do we truly desire all the glory and honor go to Almighty God?

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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2.

3.

4.

Personal Prayer:

Father God, I come to You today in humility. Please purify the motivations of my heart today. Help me to seek to serve You, not for any glory that I may gain, but simply because it is the right thing to do. Help me to look to the mountains that need moving, not with a desire to tell a great story that somehow exalts me, but with a desire to move those mountains because it is the right and necessary thing to do. Help me to look for those who need the power of freedom that can only come from You. And help me to serve them in such a way that the enemy is driven from their life and they are drawn to You and saved and healed. Not for any glory that I can gain. Not for any story that I can tell, but to exalt You and Your story. In Your name I pray, Amen.

Day 11

HAVE FAITH IN GOD

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. (Mark 11:22–24, NLT)

Jesus' teaching on prayer here reminds of the promise we studied yesterday. However in this promise we see more clearly the essential element to answered prayer. Jesus says, “Have faith in God.” From Jesus’ answer we can reason out what faith is and what it is not.

Faith is not “faith in ourselves.” Rather, faith is the recognition that God alone is God and we do not have, in and of ourselves, the ability to “wish” or “will” something into being. Only God can create something out of the nothing we are praying into. Only God can form an answer out of the void into which we pray. We have no answer. Our ability, considerable as it may be in some cases, does not enable us to bring an answer out of nothing. Faith is not faith in ourselves.

Faith is not “faith in faith.” Faith is not a “power” or a “magic force” that we can summon to do our bidding. Faith is not an entity unto itself. It only exists when attached to something. And it derives whatever power it has from that which it is attached to. Faith is not magic. Faith is only as good as what you are placing your faith in. Faith in yourself will get you as far as you can go on your own. Faith in your family will help you to the capacity that your family is able. Faith in finances will last as long as you are employed. It is limited by your savings, or the economy. Faith in government will depend on the integrity of your government and its ability - through taxes - to cover the costs.

Faith is “Faith in God.” Look to God. Look at Him. He is the Living One! Believing God is looking to God and who He is. It is allowing Him to reveal His presence to us. Giving Him our worship and allowing Him to reveal the full impression of who and what He is as God. Faith in God is trusting in God's promises and by faith, receiving those promises into our own hearts. Faith is also like the ear through which we hear the voice of God. Through the Holy Spirit God speaks to us. Faith learns to trust and yield to the voice of Holy Spirit as He leads us.

Faith in God is surrender. By faith I yield myself to the Living One. His glory and His love fill my life and have mastery over my life. Faith is also fellowship. I give myself up to a faithful Friend who will be with me closer that a brother or a sister. I trust my Friend and His promises to me. I yielded my life to those promises because He is a faithful Friend. For one who knows this Father and Friend, and lives in close communion with Him, it is a simple thing to believe that the promise that He will do what He has promised.

The greatest lesson here is that, while we seek God's gifts, God invites us to seek Him. God wants to give us Himself first and foremost. Prayer is not the power to draw down good gifts from heaven. It is the means by which we are drawn up to God and live and walk in His Presence. Jesus would have us know that we are friends and children of the Father. Andrew Murray says, “A heart full of God has power for the prayer of faith. Faith in God begets faith in the promise, in the promise too of an answer to prayer.”

Let us take time to kneel before our Father God. Let us know Him first and wait on Him to reveal Himself. Take time to let your soul worship Him. Draw closer and closer to Him every day. As you know Him, your faith in Him will only grow and expand, and as your understanding of God expands, you will see mountains move into the sea. Yes, those mountains in your life will move as you draw closer to the Mountain Mover.

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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2.

3.

4.

Personal Prayer:

Thank you, O Lord my God. Help me to see that faith is not about me. Faith is not some magical force that I can use. Faith is about You. Faith only works when it is placed in the Mountain Mover. And so, as I pray today, I put my trust in You. I choose to have faith in You. Would you draw me close to You? Would You reveal more of Yourself to me? Show me more of Your power. Increase my faith and trust in You. And Lord it is to You that I bring my need today. [Name your need and lay it before God.] I thank You that You can move these mountains in my life today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 10

BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. (Mark 11:24, NLT)

This promise is so large that our hearts cannot even conceive its possibilities. Our minds will naturally seek to limit it to what we think is safe or manageable or realistic or probable. Instead of allowing it to enter in and enlarge our hearts to the measure of what God's love and power are really ready to do in us, we tend to shrink this promise to a more manageable size. Yet Jesus’ promise remains unfettered by our small imaginations.

Jesus says “You can pray for anything.” Our wisdom asks, “Can this possibly be true?” Yet this is not the only time Jesus said something like this. He said to His disciples. “Humanly speaking it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' (Mt 19:26) He also said, “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mk 9:23)

Andrew Murray writes at this point, "The tendency is for human reason to interpose here, and with certain qualifying clauses, 'if expedient,' 'if according to God's will,' to break the force of a statement which appears dangerous. O let us beware of dealing thus with the Master's words. His promise is most literally true. He wants His oft-repeated ALL THINGS to enter into our hearts and reveal to us how mighty the power of faith is, how truly the Head calls the members to share with Him in His power, how wholly the Father places His power at the disposal of the child that wholly trusts Him."

Jesus says, “You can pray for anything.” It is through prayer that all of these things that we seek are brought before the Father and into His presence. It is only as we humble ourselves and bow our hearts before the Father that we ultimately receive what we ask for. When we take the time to humble ourselves before the mighty and powerful hand of God, and we come to Him, bringing our need before Him, we will receive what we have asked for.

Jesus says, “If you believe that you have received it, it will be yours.” This is the central item of importance. Believe that you have received it, even now, while you are still praying and asking the Father. It may be months, or years, or decades before you receive what you have asked for in actual experience, but for now, without seeing, you believe that you have received it.

A similar example is the experience of salvation. We ask for it. We pray to receive it. We believe that we have received it, even though the ultimate proof of that reward lies in heaven, we still believe that we have received it. In the same way, when I come to the Father, asking for any special gift I believe that I have it. I hold on to it by faith. I thank God that it is mine.

In my own experience, there are seasons where I have brought before the Lord a specific request. I have poured out my heart to the Lord in prayer. Every day, or every week, being faithful to pray, and ask. Then, at a certain point, I no longer feel the need to pray for it, or about it. There is a sense in my spirit that seems to say, “The Father has heard your request.” It is already a “yes” in heaven. It will be a “yes”, at some point in time, in my life here on earth. And then I have watched as the Lord answers. Sometimes years after I prayed, He answers, and gives to me what I asked for.

You can pray for anything, and if you believe you've received it, it will be yours. Too often our understanding of this verse is hindered by our sense of time. We say, “I asked and didn't receive, therefore the promise isn't true.” But the Lord says, “The promise is still true, You only need to wait for it. It will come to be.”

You can pray for anything, and if you believe you've received it, it will be yours. This is Jesus promise to us. Let us not diminish it with our own clarifications, but let us lean into it and allow the promise to enlarge our hearts and increase our faith.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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2.

3.

4.

Personal Prayer:

Father, I come before You today with my need. You have said that if I pray for anything, and believe that I have received it, it will be mine. This promise is beyond my ability to understand. Yet still I come to You with this need. [Name your need] Lord I choose to believe that You have heard this prayer and that You will answer. In my heart I believe that I have received it. And I thank You O Lord my God, for hearing and answering the cry of my heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 9

A CLEAR REQUEST

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” (Mark 10:51, NLT)

The blind man sat by the street corner and, when he heard that Jesus was nearby, he cried out, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus approached him, knowing full well what the man wanted. Yet He asked the man to make it clear. He asked him to speak out what he was hoping to see done in his life.

This story introduces another secret to effective prayer. Jesus, though He knows the need full well, still wants the man to declare his need in clear and plain speech. And until this man speaks out his request, he is not healed.

Often we make vague appeals to God. We ask for very generic things. "A good day." "A great trip." We make vague appeals to God's mercy, an indefinite appeal for blessing, but refuse to name the specifics of our need. This story challenges us with the reality that God, who is always willing to give mercy and blessing, is also looking for us to specifically name what we are seeking Him to do in our lives. Why would God require this of us? Why not simply answer our unspoken prayer request? Surely God knows what we need before we even name it! There may be a few good reasons for this.

First, God desires it for our own sake. The process of searching out our own hearts and learning to name our need in a specific way is a valuable and helpful process. Naming our need takes time. It takes thought. It takes introspection. It tests if our desires are flippant or naive. It causes us to really understand and name what is most important to us. This process leads us to discern if our desires are in harmony with God's desires for us. It helps us to wait for a special answer. It builds faith when the special answer comes to us.

Second, there is spiritual power in clarity. Praying, “Lord deliver me from sin” is different from naming a specific sin and asking the Lord to deliver us from it. There is a power to that level of clarity that will truly lead to transformation within us. Praying, “Lord bless me” is different from naming the blessing we are seeking. It takes more faith to pray specifically than it does to pray generally. To ask God for a specific blessing risks that God will not answer and we may be disappointed, while at the same time a specifically answered prayer can build and strengthen us. To pray specifically requires faith because there is a greater risk involved. We know that the prayer of faith is powerful and effective, and thus, naming the need specifically - an act which requires faith - places us deeper into the territory of faith, placing us at the mercy of God in greater measure, causing us to seek God more diligently, which is where spiritual power comes from. Clarity leads to faith, and faith draws us to our knees before God, which is ultimately what God wants and what we need.  It is in God’s presence that we have access to the power of God.

Third, there is spiritual authority as we exercise our will. Notice that Jesus does not ask the man, “What do you wish Me to do for you?” Instead He asks, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus wants the man to exercise his will. This is because our will rules our heart and our life. God has designed us to exercise our will. If we wish for something, we may stop wishing when we do not receive it. When we want something we will continue until we have it, regardless of the price. If I wish for a better marriage I may do nothing to achieve it. If I will to have a better marriage, I will go to any reasonable length possible to make myself a better partner and I will find a way to encourage my partner so that they can grow. So there is a difference between our wishing and our wanting.

When it comes to prayer, the process of exercising our will in prayer makes us more and more like the Father. It doesn't mean that we will live a life at variance with God's will. It means we are engaging in a process where we learn to pray, "Lord not my will but Yours be done.” A process where our will becomes renewed by God and becomes more and more aligned with God's purposes and plans. And once the believer has accepted the will of the Father and submitted to it, it is God's desire that we will use our renewed will to serve Him, both in prayer, and in our day to day lives.

So why not start today? Take some time to pray; to pray specifically, to clarify your need; and to set your will on it while still submitting to God's will.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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2.

3.

4.

Day 8

PRAYER FOR WORKERS

He said to His disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.” (Matthew 9:37–38, NLT)

Just as we learned yesterday, the Lord wants us to know that prayer is not primarily self-oriented. We do pray for our own needs - yes - but we also intercede for the needs of others.

In this case, Jesus is teaching us to pray for the needs of His Kingdom as it comes to earth. There is a great need, Jesus says, for laborers, for Kingdom people who would aspire to do Kingdom work. Jesus sees the incredible harvest around Him. There are souls everywhere who are hungry and thirsty to know God and hear the Good News of the Kingdom. And Jesus sees this great need and makes His disciples aware of it. And He says, when you pray, ask the Lord to send out Kingdom laborers to help gather up this great harvest of souls.

Now, Jesus could have said "Go." You go out and you do this Kingdom work. And later on, He will say "Go." But for now He says "Pray." That is because any great work in the Kingdom of God first begins with prayer. Without prayer, there is no harvest, for without prayer, there is no one to labor in the harvest field.

Prayer will give us compassion for lost souls. Jesus looked over the crowds and He had compassion on them. Then He asked His disciples to pray for laborers in the harvest. There is something important here. Something we should not miss. It is only in prayer that we start to gain a glimpse into the compassion of God for lost souls. And it is only as we prevail in prayer that the Lord instills in us a desire to participate in Kingdom work. And it is only as we pray, that the Lord instills in others a desire to use their gifts and tools and resources to work for the Kingdom of Heaven. This is both encouraging and discouraging.

This is encouraging for those of us who desperately long for God to send a refreshing revival on our nation. For those of us who long to see Jesus reign in the hearts and minds and lives of Canadians from sea to sea, this is a word of encouragement. We see the troubles. We see the challenges. We see the division. We see the disunity. We see the great need for souls across the country. And, if we choose to pray, and ask the Lord to prepare workers and put a desire for lost souls upon their heart and mind. And if we persevere in that praying, Jesus implies here that the Father will hear our prayer and that harvest laborers will be raised up. There is an encouragement here. God is not done with us yet! If we persevere in prayer we will yet see God's Kingdom come.

Yet it is also discouraging because we all know what happens when we start to pray about something like this. We all know that ultimately, God will start to work in our own hearts and minds and that WE might be the ones who are called to serve and labor and work for the Kingdom of God. We all know that prayer has the power to change hearts, and that most often it changes our own hearts first. So this is discouraging because it is dangerous. And many of us don't pray this prayer for Kingdom laborers because we know that could mean a change to our personal plans, such as, retirement plans or career plans or financial plans, or relationship plans. The prayer for laborers is a dangerous prayer because God may ask you to give out of your resources to provide for the laborers that He sends! It is dangerous because God may eventually ask you to go.

Those who are willing to go are fervently praying this prayer. Those who are unwilling, are shying away from praying this prayer. Which are you? Could you fervently begin to pray this prayer for Kingdom laborers knowing full well that might also mean you? Or does this prayer make you uncomfortable because you know that you are unwilling to go and serve the Lord? Jesus' school of prayer is dangerous. For it causes us to look around the world and see the lost souls that Jesus sees. It causes us to humble ourselves and begin to pray and ask the Lord to send out workers, knowing full well, that we may be the answer to our own prayers.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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2.

3.

4.

Personal Prayer:

Father, it is Your desire to see Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. I confess Lord that I am standing in the way of the coming of Your Kingdom. I confess that I have not been praying and asking for Kingdom Laborers. I confess that sometimes I am afraid to pray this prayer because You may call me and ask me to go or to serve. Father, with fear and trembling, and out a compassion for the lost souls around me, I humbly ask that You would raise up laborers for this great harvest of souls. Lord I am willing to go and serve or stay and serve and be part of this great harvest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 7

PERSEVERING IN PRAYER FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS

Then, teaching them more about prayer, He used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. (Luke 11:5–8, NLT)

Jesus taught His disciples to pray in the Sermon on the Mount. A year later, His disciples come to Him and ask Him again, “Teach us to pray.” Jesus repeats His teaching about prayer from the Sermon on the Mount but then He continues on with a parable. The parable adds a beautiful twist to Jesus’ teaching on prayer.

The Lord's prayer focuses on our own relationship with God. It is about how we ought to pray as we approach the Father with the very real and present needs in our own lives. It is about seeking the Lord for our daily bread. But this parable is about what happens when someone we love has a need and we bring that need before the Father. It is about seeking the Lord for someone else's daily bread. This parable is about intercession.

In the parable we see beautiful instructions about how to intercede for others. First, there is a love that seeks to help others who are in need around us. “A friend of mind has arrived” and has no bread.

Second, there is the recognition that we have nothing to offer. “I have nothing for him to eat.” Our friend ultimately needs bread from God. We have little or no help that can truly meet their deepest need. They need bread from God. They need a help that only God can give to them.

Third, there is the confidence of friendship. “Suppose you went to a friend's house...” We are not going to a stranger with this request. We are going to a friend. One whom we know can meet the need, if they so choose.

Unexpectedly, the request is denied. Yet the individual is moved to persevere in prayer for their friend in need. For whatever reason, the request is denied. Perhaps it is something like, “He is a friend of yours, but not yet a friend of mine. Why should I provide for what they need?” But because of friendship the person making the request continues to intercede on behalf of their friend in need. And because of friendship the Friend hears and finally answers the prayer.

And lastly, there is the reward of the prayer of intercession. “He will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.” This kind of intercession is not pretty, it is ugly. It is a shameless persistence that continues before God and cries out until God meets the need. And when God finally meets the need, there is abundance. God provides all that is needed.

In this parable, prayer is an appeal to the friendship of God. Where other parables and stories use a Father analogy, this parable uses a Friend analogy to describe our requests to God. We are appealing to God, our Friend, on behalf of another friend, who is not yet a friend of God. This parable impresses on us the relational aspect of intercessory prayer. As well, it describes the imperative need of intercessory prayer.

We pray to obtain God's strength and blessing in our own life, but if we really want to aspire to pray like Jesus, it involves moving into intercessory prayer. Just as Jesus intercedes for us, we must learn to intercede for our friends, and to persevere in that until they also become God's friends.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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3.

4.

Personal Prayer:

Father God, I come to You on behalf of [insert name of your friend]. They don't know You yet. They have so many needs and I just cannot meet those needs. I have nothing to offer them, but You do. I humbly ask that You would hear my heart for my friend and that You would hear from Heaven and You would answer my request. God, here is what they need. [Talk to God about their need.] Ultimately Lord, they need You. They need a friendship with You. Would You please draw them to Yourself? Please work in their heart and lead them to Yourself. Amen.

Day 6

THE GIFT OF HOLY SPIRIT

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” (Luke 11:13, NLT)

The greatest gift the Father wants to give you is the gift of His Spirit. Holy Spirit is the first of the Father's gifts and also the gift that He most wants to give you. Holy Spirit is the gift that we should seek first and seek most.

Holy Spirit is a gift of unspeakable worth. The spirit of a father or of a parent, their essence or their character, is passed along down to their children. Now of course, with earthly parents, the gift of a father's spirit can be negative or it can be a mixed bag of both good and bad character traits. But with God, the gift of His Spirit is an incredible blessing. Holy Spirit is the actual and real presence of God dwelling inside of each follower of Jesus. Through the gift of the Spirit you have access to all of the good character traits of a good and gracious God. By His Spirit, your Father-God begins to deposit His character and His disposition and His values deep down inside of you, His dearly loved child. And so it is impossible to think of any more valuable gift that God could give you than the gift of His own Spirit that lives within you.

Jesus, though he was the Son of God, did not start His ministry on earth until the power of the Spirit had come upon Him (Luke 3:21-22). Luke tells us that the miracles of Jesus were accomplished through the power of the Spirit (Acts 10:38). The Scriptures say that God sent this same Spirit into our own hearts. And by this Spirit we cry out, "Abba Father”. The Spirit joins together with our spirit to affirm that we are God's children (Romans 8:15-16). Andrew Murray said that "the whole life and love of the Father and the Son are in the Spirit and, coming down into us, He lifts us up into their fellowship."

The entire experience of prayer depends on the filling of the Spirit. As we are filled with the Spirit, we are lifted into a deeper fellowship with God. We experience a deeper intimacy with Him. And, even though the answer to our other prayers may be delayed, we are still blessed with the ultimate Answer, the presence of God, manifested through His Spirit. We experience deep friendship and fellowship with God Himself.

This all suggests that the first prayer on our hearts ought not to be a litany of requests, but a simple and sincere prayer for more of Holy Spirit. Every need that you have in your life pales in comparison to this one need: your need for Holy Spirit to come alongside of you and walk with you. If we would yield ourselves entirely to the Spirit, and let Him have His way with us, He would manifest the life of Christ in us. If there is one prayer that we ought to cry out above all others, it is this, "Holy Spirit fill me with your presence. Like streams of living water, flood my soul. Be like a river flowing into me, giving me life. Be like a river, flowing out of me, so that I can bless those around me every day."

The Answer to this prayer would fill our empty soul, and give our lives the sweet aroma of the Presence of Jesus. People would long to be around us. The favor of God would be upon us. The blessing of grace and peace would emanate out of us into our spouse, our children, our parents, our co-workers, our significant friends. The Answer to this one prayer would lead, in an of itself, to the alleviation of our need for many of the other prayers we could think to pray. The Answer to this one prayer, is the ultimate Answer to so many of the other situations in our lives that worry us, that exhaust us, that threaten us, that distract us. "Father, would you give me more of Your Spirit?"

And Jesus tells us, if an earthly Father would give good gifts, how much more does our Heavenly Father long to give us this one good Gift. The Gift of the Holy Spirit. The one ultimate Answer to so many of our other prayers.

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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2.

3.

4.

Personal Prayer:

Father God, I come to You today, with a heart that longs for You. There are so many concerns on my heart today. So many needs. So many requests that I could bring. But I stop right now and ask for the one Gift that is above all over gifts that You long to give me. I ask that You would put upon me the wonderful power and presence of Your Spirit. Holy Spirit would You fill me with all of You, and all of Jesus, and all of the Father? Spirit of God, You are the Answer that I seek. Father send me more of Your Spirit today. Amen.

Day 5

OUR FATHER GOD

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him. (Matthew 7:9–11, NLT)

We have all experienced asking a parent, or a parent-figure in our life, for a good gift. We know what it is like to long for something, then to work up the courage to ask mom or dad, then the fear of a potential “no”.

Jesus uses the parent analogy to help us understand the certainty of God's good response to our prayers. He says that no parent would refuse their child something healthy, something good, and turn around and give their child something bad or evil. Every parent is glad to give good gifts to their children out of whatever resources they have. And, if we who are evil desire to give good gifts to our children, then how much more so does a righteous God desire to give good gifts to His children?

This is a simple parable that contains a deep spiritual truth. Those who would follow God and worship Him with a child-like faith, will be heard by God. The child that forsakes the Father's house and finds no pleasure in loving and walking with His Father and yet still hopes to obtain what he or she asks for, will be disappointed. But the child who returns to their Father and walks in relationship with their Father, will be heard by Him and will receive an answer to his or her prayers.

And, there is another lesson here. It matters what you ask for. In the parable, the child is not asking for the stone, the child is asking for bread. The child is not asking for the snake, the child is asking for the fish. This means it is important what the child is asking for. When we pray, it is important to ask the Father for good gifts, for good things. God's desire for us is to give us what is good. If we are asking for things that are not part of what God considers to be good, we should not expect that God will answer those prayers.

A final lesson in this parable is the importance of a child-like heart. A child is weak. Children are still growing into their giftings and their strengths. Our heavenly Father is not looking to give good gifts to the perfect child. Rather, the Father is simply looking to give good gifts to those who have a child-like heart. The Father is the One who is Holy. He is the One who has a whole heart. The secret to powerful prayer is to have a heart filled with the Father-Love of God. A heart that desires to seek and know God.

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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2.

3.

4.

Personal Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for Your unfailing love for me. Thank you that I can have assurance that You are a good Father who desires to give good gifts. Give me wisdom to ask for good things, for good gifts. Give me faith to trust that You have a beautiful and perfect Father-heart that desires to both hear my prayers and to give good gifts in Your time. Amen.

Day 4

OUR CERTAINTY IN PRAYER

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7–8, NLT)

And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. (James 4:3, NLT)

Jesus’ words are so simple here, yet so profound. These words are a promise from our Lord Jesus directly to us -- His followers. “Keep on asking,” He says, “and you will receive what you ask for.” And we wonder in our hearts, "Really Jesus?" Do you really mean that? Because I've prayed and haven't seen an answer. I've asked and haven't yet received what I have asked for. In fact, in some ways I have given up on prayer.

But Jesus speaks into our doubt. He speaks different words, with the same meaning. Perhaps a subtle rebuke to our lack of faith, “Keep on seeking,” He says, “and you will find." Again we might ask, "Really? Jesus are you sure?" You want me to keep asking? Perhaps even drop what I am doing and move into the place of actively seeking the Father and calling out to Him for an answer? Yes!

Jesus speaks again. His words are like a drop of encouragement in the dried up well of our faith. "Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." Yes, my dear one, ask! And if you don't receive, then stop your activity and seek Him! If you don't find then drop what is in your hands and knock with both fists if you have to! But keep on asking!

Then Jesus gives a promise. It is a promise we can depend on. A dangerous promise. A powerful promise. An incredible promise. “For everyone who asks, receives.” Yes, everyone. Including you. “And everyone who seeks, finds.” If you pause everything and seek Him -- if you really and truly seek His face, you will find Him. “And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

You see, every prayer has two parts. There is the request and the answer. There is the human seeker and the Divine giver. And Jesus implies here that every ask will have an answer. The two halves make up a whole. They go together. It is as if He is telling us not to rest without an answer, because it is the will of God -- it is a general family rule -- that everyone who asks will receive.

Sometimes we give up praying because it is far easier to give up and submit to our flesh than it is to yield to a process of prayer where God will purify us and search us and confront us with our sin and make us more like Him while He waits to answer our prayer. You see, the ask will change us. The seeking will refine us. The knocking will purify us. And we give up sometimes, because we don't want that. With God, an easy ask does not necessarily lead to an easy answer.

Sometimes we ask and the answer is No... or Wait. Moses asked to go into the Promised Land and God said no. But he got his answer. Jesus asked the Father to remove the cup of suffering from Him and the Father said no. But He got His answer. Yet He yielded himself to the will of the Father saying, “Not My will, but Yours be done.”

As we seek God with each request, we need wisdom to know if we are praying according to His will. And sometimes we need to say to Him, “Not my will but Yours be done.” But most often we need to press in and persevere until the answer arrives, be it a year or twenty. All the while trusting the promise of Jesus who simply said, “you will receive...”

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Father God, as I come before You and bring each request to Your throne, help me not to be afraid of the purifying work that You may want to do in my heart. Help me not to withdraw from You if the answer takes time. Help me to press in by faith, including confession of sin and submission to You, as You soften my heart. Help me to keep praying until I receive from You the answer that You have ordained. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 3

A MODEL FOR PRAYER

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil One. (Matthew 6:9–13, NLT)

Jesus gave us a model for prayer. A simple prayer whose structure teaches us how to pray every day for the rest of our lives. It is a prayer that even a child can pray. Yet it is so divinely rich that it reveals the very nature and heart of God.

Jesus’ prayer starts with a statement of worship and adoration. “Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy.”

The knowledge of God's Father-love is both the simplest and the deepest place to start. God is our Father. God loves us with a Father's love. God is like a loving parent who loves us enough to discipline us and at the same time loves deeply with an unconditional love that knows no end. This is at once simple to grasp and yet takes a lifetime to fully comprehend.

God our Father is holy. And there should be a reverence and an awe in our conception of Him. There should be a humility and respect as we bow to pray to Him. He is our Loving Father, yet He is the Holy One. As we come before the One who sees deep into our soul and knows what lies hidden within us, we come with adoration. “Our Father in heaven, may Your name be kept holy.”

Jesus’ prayer continues with statement about God's authority. “Let Your kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

When we pray to God we come to the One who has all authority in heaven. We come to the King of all Kings and the Lord of all Lords. We come to the most powerful being alive in the universe. And as we pray, God invites us into His Kingdom. As we pray, we become intertwined with the Kingdom of God. As we pray, and live out our lives before God, the Kingdom of God comes to earth in increasing measure. As we pray, the authority of God moves more and more in and through our lives.

Our Father will provide for us. We need only to ask, "Lord give us today the food we need." Whatever you need, bring it before your Father and He will provide for that need.  Our King will forgive us our sins and also invites us to forgive others, as this a part of our Kingdom work. 

The Father leads us and guides us away from temptation. There is temptation that we will face in this life. And, if we choose to go with God, He will eventually give us the strength to overcome it and to walk on another path. He will lead us out of temptation.

Our King will rescue us from the evil One. If anything holds you in bondage, our King can step in and release you from the power of that darkness and set you free. You only need to ask Him. You only need to continue to trust Him and walk in the way that He leads. And He will rescue you from the evil One.

What is God saying to me today?

My Prayer List:

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Personal Prayer:

Jesus, teach me to pray like You taught Your disciples. Teach me the power of this simple and yet deeply profound prayer. Teach me to understand its depths and incorporate its concepts into my prayer life. As I sit here, in my secret place, I look to You. You are the Holy One! You are the King of all Kings! Let Your will be done in my life! Let Your Kingdom come on earth! Father You see my needs. Would You provide? Great King You know my sin. Would You forgive? Father You know the path that I should walk today. Would You lead? My King You know the plans of the evil One over my life. Would You protect me? In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 2

ALONE WITH GOD

But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private.  Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.  (Matthew 6:6, NLT)

In Jesus’ first teaching to His disciples, He tells them they must all find a secret place where they can go and pray. Every one of us needs a solitary place where we can be alone with our God. Every teacher needs a classroom. Where is that room where Jesus can teach you about prayer? Where is that place that you can go and worship the Father and receive from Holy Spirit?

Jesus has already taught us that God can be worshipped anywhere that we are. Yet He is also saying here that we need a fixed spot where we can meet daily with Him. That spot may be anywhere, and it may change from week to week, but we all need a place where the Master can teach us to pray.

Jesus tells us to pray to the Father “who is in secret.” God is found in the secret place. We can hear His voice best in a quiet place. God is in the storms of our lives. God is in the thunder and the rain that we experience. But like Elijah, we can't hear God's voice in all of that noise. It is only when we get away, to a place where we can listen closely and intently, that we can hear the gentle whisper of God's Spirit. The Father is in secret and if we seek Him in the secret place, there we will hear His gentle whisper and find all the grace, all the beauty, all the joy, all the peace, that we will ever need from day to day.

“Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” We can know that our secret and secluded time of prayer will not be fruitless. Its blessing will show itself in our life. When we come to God in secret and humble ourselves before Him in prayer, He will reward us openly. He will see to it that the answer to our prayer will be made known and bless us.

The Bible says that God is a “rewarder of those who seek Him.” And when you come to Father God in the privacy of your own prayer life, when you go there and stay there and abide with Him, and you trust Him for His promises and depend on Him, He will reward you openly.

What's more, Jesus says in verse 8, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." And this doesn't mean that we no longer need to bother with prayer, because Jesus is encouraging us to pray here. But it means that we can go into prayer, knowing that we have a Heavenly Father who is not disconnected from our lives. He knows everything that you are going through! He knows every dream that is on your heart! He knows the depth of every pain and every burden that you are experiencing! And this encourages us to pray and seek Him. The One who already knows what we need.

The Idea that the Father already knows what we need can give us peace in prayer. We don't have to shout - although you can if you want to. We don't have to declare - although you can if you want to. We don't have to go to great lengths to describe the depth of our need - although you can if you want to. The fact that God knows what we need means that sometimes we can simply just sit there, in His presence, soaking in His Spirit. And when we don't have the right words, we can simply say, "Father, you know what I need. I'm trusting this with You."

What is God saying to me today?

 

My Prayer List:

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3.

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Personal Prayer:

Father God, thank you for the “private place” of prayer. Help me to find that quiet place and seek You in it. Father, strengthen my faith today so I can understand that You are the Rewarder of those who seek You. Help me to know that I can stand in faith today, knowing that as I seek You in private, You will answer openly and plainly. Thank you that You already know what I need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.