Encountering God in Prayer. Vernon. Prayer Guide For

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1 Prayer Guide For Encountering God in Prayer According to Tim Keller, prayer is a conversation that leads to encounter with God. The objective of this prayer guide is to guide you in genuinely encountering God. Throughout Paul s letters to the churches we find him praying for the people. His prayers can help us on how to pray and encounter God. His letter to the Ephesians is especially helpful as we see three different times he prays for them. In chapter one he prays that the people might encounter the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. In chapter three he prays they might encounter the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Then in chapter six he encourages them to be praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Praying these scriptures can be very helpful in leading you to encounter God. Each day read just three verses, meditate on those verses, and allow them to speak to you. I have put a few bullets under each verse. They are things that came to my mind as I meditated on the verse. Jot out your own thoughts and then pray it. Follow up on your prayer by contemplating how you might apply it. I am continually amazed that the Creator of all the universe, who is eternal and holy, longs for me to encounter him in such a personal manner. Let each encounter with God radiate from your life in a way that impacts others around you and draws them to know God too. Vernon

2 SUNDAY Ephesians 1:15 (ESV) For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, Fill me Lord with a growing faith Guide me to grow in genuine love for all believers Ephesians 1:16 (ESV) I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, Help me to be consistent in giving thanks for all things Lord, I give you thanks for these people in my life: Ephesians 1:17 (ESV) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, Lord, give me wisdom for every decision I need to make today Guide me in knowing you better each day MONDAY Ephesians 1:18 (ESV) 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

3 Flood my heart with light so I can understand the wonderful future you have promised Help me realize what a rich and glorious inheritance you have given to me Ephesians 1:19 (ESV) and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might Open my mind and heart to understand the incredible greatness of your power for me as a believer Guide me to draw on you power for serving others Ephesians 1:20 (ESV) that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, Keep me mindful of the greatness of your power that lives in me Forgive me for the times I ignore your power and trust in my own strength TUESDAY Ephesians 1:21 (ESV) far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. Keep in mindful that you are far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come Guide me to pray with confidence in your power

4 Help me to not be intimidated by the power and influence of the world or the prince of this world (Satan) Ephesians 1:22 (ESV) And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, Lord, I place my life today under your guidance Guide me to consistently seek your leadership as head of my life Ephesians 1:23 (ESV) which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Thank you for making me a part of your body, the church Fill me (control me) with your Holy Spirit WEDNESDAY Ephesians 3:13 (ESV) So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. Give me strength to never lose heart in serving you Help me to stand strong in times of suffering Ephesians 3:14-15 (ESV) For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, Lord, I bow before you as Father and ruler of my life I am grateful to be named as part of your eternal family

5 Ephesians 3:16 (ESV) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, Thank you for blessing me with the riches of your glory Guide me to grow stronger by your Spirit in my inner being THURSDAY Ephesians 3:17 (ESV) so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you, being rooted and grounded in love, I invite you to (dwell) be at home in every part of my life Let the roots of my life go down deep into the soil of your marvelous love and yield the fruit of your spirit Ephesians 3:18 (ESV) may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, Help me understand and experience how wide, how long, how high, and how deep your love really is I pray my love will be wide enough to love all kinds of people, long enough to be patient with everyone, high enough to genuinely love God and deep enough to trust God no matter what Ephesians 3:19 (ESV) and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Help me to empty my life to you so you can fill me with all your fullness

6 Guide me to experience your love which is beyond full comprehension and flow bountiful to others FRIDAY Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, Protect me from falling short of your marvelous plans for my life Help me to never underestimate your power that works within me Ephesians 3:21 (ESV) to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Guide me to live in a way that always gives you glory I pray your glory will be demonstrated in Briarcliff Church Ephesians 4:1 (ESV) I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, Thank you for calling me to be your eternal child Help me to live in a manner worthy of your calling

7 SATURDAY Ephesians 6:18 (ESV) praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Guide me to pray according to the leadership of your Spirit Keep me alert in perseverance and making supplication for all your saints (believers) Ephesians 6:19 (ESV) and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, Give me the right words to boldly explain the mystery of the gospel to those who are not followers of Christ Guide me to effectively proclaim the Good News to everyone from all walks of life Ephesians 6:20 (ESV) for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Protect me from allowing any circumstance to hinder me from fulfilling God s plan for my life Guide me to be a faithful and effective ambassador of Christ