Solemn Assembly Prayer Guide

Transcription

1 Solemn Assembly Prayer Guide As you read and pray through these verses and questions, keep these recommendations in mind: Do not take shortcuts. Read each verse carefully and prayerfully. Rereading it in another translation might even be helpful. Do not skip one because you do not think it applies to you. This may be the one you need most! Remember, we all have blind spots about our own heart. Read each question carefully. Confess sin to God as you go, and thank Him for His love, grace, mercy and forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ. Have your Bible open to 1 John 1:7-9 so you can apply it. Keep a pen and paper handy and write down anything God might show you. Be specific, writing down any names, situations and circumstances that come to mind. If there is a sin revealed to you that is against another person, make plans to confess to that person and consider if restitution needs to be made. Constantly ask yourself, Am I willing here and now to allow God to deal with me about this particular thing? Keep in mind that the purpose is not to just feel bad about yourself but to experience God s forgiveness and the power of the Holy Spirit for obedience. Remember, revival begins in me.

2 As you begin, pray these Bible prayers to God: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:13-15

3 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 Is my life characterized by the sin of prayerlessness? Do I tend to worry about a situation for a while before entrusting it to God in prayer? Do I neglect to give thanks for the daily blessings that God gives? Have I forgotten to thank God for all things, the seemingly bad and the good? Do I complain more than I give thanks? Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 Am I really in awe of God s great power? Do I shy away from praying for people and situations that I think are too big? Do I shy away from attempting to do things in Jesus name because I fear I am not talented or smart enough? When I do accomplish something of worth, am I upset if I get no credit, or am I content to give all glory to God?

4 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 Do I regularly acknowledge my need for the power of the Holy Spirit? Do I seek the Spirit s power and guidance for myself only, or that I might minister to others as well? Am I praying daily for opportunities for witness and then making the most of those opportunities? In what ways does fear hinder me as a witness? Do I truly believe that the gospel must be taken to the end of the earth? Am I doing my part in sending or taking it? Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4 Am I overly prideful of my accomplishments, my talents or my family? How does my life characterize putting others interests ahead of my own? Do I rebel at the thought of God changing my way of thinking to be in agreement with someone else s in the church? Have I been putting my own interests ahead of what God might want for the church?

5 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 Am I quick to blame others for my faults? Am I quick to find fault in others, even rejoicing when others fail? Is there someone against whom I carry a grudge? Do I speak unkindly of people when they are not present? Am I quick to become angry or irritable? Is there someone from whom I need to seek forgiveness? Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 Am I careless about the stories or jokes I listen to or tell? Do I spread rumors and hearsay? Do I allow fear to keep me from encouraging a brother or sister in need? Does it bother me to tell a lie? Do I try to leave a wrong impression even if it does not seem like I am lying? Am I really aware of the power of my words to build up or tear down? Which do I do more, tear down or build up?

6 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10 Have I allowed a desire for money to crowd out time with my family and with God? Do I charge more on my credit cards than I can honestly afford to pay? Am I honest in keeping tax records and in paying taxes? Are purchases motivated by what I think I can afford or by what I know I need? Do I pin my contentment on how much money I make or on what things I own? How do I allow money to influence the way I think about other people? Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. Philippians 4:8 Am I sensitive to what I read, watch and listen to for how it might corrupt my thinking? Are there recurring thoughts that I know I should not be thinking, but which I am unable to banish? Am I faithful to my wedding vows in thought?

7 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. Psalm 119:14 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105 Have I neglected the study of God s word? Am I content to just read the word without God applying it to how I live? Do I pride myself on Bible knowledge, looking down on those who do not know as much as I do? Do I doubt the authority and sufficiency of the Bible? For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 In what ways does fear hinder my obedience to God? Are there conversations I have been putting off because of fear? How are my relationships characterized by power and love? In what ways do I need to be more selfdisciplined? My money? My time? My health?

8 Ask God to cleanse you of sins you still might not know about. Ask God to forgive you for the sin you commit habitually and to give you an obedient heart. Ask God to incline your heart daily to His word and give you a teachable spirit. Ask God to give you a burden for lost people. Ask God to make you a person of prayer. Ask God to make you a person of daily, hourly worship. Ask God to make you passionate for His glory. Ask God to make our church a place of humility and power. Ask God to make the vision clear for our church and show us how to live it. Ask God to give us vision victories to celebrate. Thank God for the gift of forgiveness through the death of His Son on the cross! Thank God that nothing is impossible for Him! Thank God for the revival He is giving to His church!