DAYS OF PRAYER FOR FIVE PEOPLE

Transcription

1 DAYS OF PRAYER FOR FIVE PEOPLE

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3 HOW TO PREPARE "Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." 1 Peter 4:7b NIV84 Scripture tells us prayer requires a particular kind of selfdiscipline and focus. Here are a few simple things you can do to eliminate distraction and create space to pray for the next 21 days. Set an appointment with God. Put it on your calendar. Choose a time and place where you can be free from distraction. Then keep your appointment. We call this chair time. Be ready. Have pen and paper or a note-taking device with you. Jot down what you feel like God is saying to you each day. Remember. Take a moment of quiet to remember and reflect on the good things God has done for you. Repent. Examine yourself. Ask God to forgive you of any sin you find in your heart. Read. Finally, read this daily devotional, pray for the Five. FIVE NAMES 3

4 DAY 1 A DESIRE TO KNOW JESUS. 4

5 POINT TO PONDER If you have a real, authentic relationship with Jesus, you know itʻs not because you chose Him. Not only did He choose you, He gave you the desire to choose Him. Some people call that idea God s irresistible grace. It may be the most powerful force in the Universe. And without it, the five people you re praying for are lost and without hope. Scripture tells us in Philippians 2:13 NLT that it is God Himself who gives us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Jesus, Himself, said, No man can come to Me unless the Father gives him the desire to come to Me. (John 6:44 NLV) Let that be your Day One prayer God, give them the desire to know You! VERSES TO READ John 6:44 Philippians 2:13 Ephesians 1 Psalm 139 PRAYER TO PRAY Heavenly Father, Jesus said that no one comes to You unless You first give them the desire and power to do it. I pray right now for <name the five people on your list>. Draw them to closer to Jesus. May they encounter His love. Give them the desire and power to choose You! Begin to transform their hearts today. In Jesus name, amen. 5

6 DAY 2 AN OPEN DOOR OF FAITH. 6

7 POINT TO PONDER The writer of Ecclesiastes said, There is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven. This includes a personʻs salvation. Before Jesus began His ministry, John the Baptist preached, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel. (Mark 1:15 ESV) Itʻs no coincidence that God has led you to pray for the five people on your list. It means He has already been at work preparing this season for them to meet Jesus. Acts 14:27 ESV says And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Our Day Two prayer is that God would open a door of faith for the five people on your prayer list. Pray that they walk through that door and not miss this appointed season to meet Jesus. VERSES TO READ Ecclesiastes 3 Acts 14:27 Mark 1:15 Matthew 4:17 PRAYER TO PRAY Father God, I trust that the Holy Spirit is already at work on behalf of <name your five people>. Open a door of faith for each of them. Give them to power to turn to You and begin to follow Jesus today. In Jesus' name, amen. 7

8 DAY 3 LET THEM SEE. 8

9 POINT TO PONDER Spiritual blindness is a real thing for people who don t know Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4:4 NLV says, The eyes of those who do not believe are made blind by Satan who is the god of this world. He does not want the light of the Good News to shine in their hearts. Understand that the people you re praying for in this season have an enemy who is working to keep them from seeing who Jesus really is. They may reject the Bible or the Gospel because they simply canʻt see it. They may be suspicious of your faith, but it's because of spiritual blindness. Pray, then, that the light of Jesus would shine in the darkness. Pray that blinders would be removed and that they see the real Jesus. No more spiritual blindness. This is our prayer for your five people today. VERSES TO READ Hosea 4:6 Matthew 15:14 1 Corinthians 1: Corinthians 2:4 2 Corinthians 4:4 PRAYER TO PRAY God, I pray that You give <name your five people> the power to see Jesus. May their spiritual blinders be removed. Let them see the majesty, beauty, and glory of Your grace, today. In Jesus name, amen. 9

10 DAY 4 BETTER RELATION- SHIPS. 10

11 POINT TO PONDER Few things can impact a person s heart more than their relationships. Scripture says, Don t be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV) When Saul met Jesus, God had prepared a community of people for him to connect with. The first of those people was Ananias. Ananias was a follower of Jesus who had good reason to be afraid of Saul, since it was well known that Saul was a murderer of Christians. But God gave Ananias boldness, and Saul found a friend that would accept him into the community of Christ followers. When you think of the five people on your list today, pray for their relationships. Specifically, pray that as they leave their old life behind, that God prepares a community of better relationships on the other side. VERSES TO READ 1 Corinthians 15:33 Acts 9 Proverbs 27:17 James 5:16 PRAYER TO PRAY Lord Jesus, today as I lift up <name your five people> I ask that You prepare divine appointments for them send people across their path to show Your love to them. Send better relationships into their lives. Give them the power to move out of the wrong ones and draw closer to You. In Jesus name, amen. 11

12 DAY 5 HEARTS TURNED TO TRUTH. 12

13 POINT TO PONDER Follow your heart sounds like a nice idea, right? The problem is, our hearts lead us down the wrong path. Jeremiah 17:9 KJV says, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?. Proverbs 16:25 NIV says, There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Follow your heart leads only to heartache and chances are, the people you re praying for have experienced this firsthand. As you pray for them today, pray that they begin to disbelieve the follow your heart narrative. Pray that God begins to turn their hearts to Jesus and His Truth. Only Jesus knows their deepest desires and their biggest disappointments. Only Jesus can truly help them discover their God-given purpose. VERSES TO READ Proverbs 14:12 Proverbs 16:25 2 Timothy 2:25 Jeremiah 17:9 Proverbs 21:2 PRAYER TO PRAY Heavenly Father, I pray that You would turn the hearts of <name your five people> to the Truth. May they see the emptiness of other worldviews and begin to put their trust in Jesus. In His name I pray, amen. 13

14 DAY 6 CIRCUM- STANCES FOR HIS PURPOSE. 14

15 POINT TO PONDER Just before some people meet Jesus, their circumstances improve. Others find themselves in a season where things get worse before they get better. In any case, God uses their circumstances for His purposes. Romans 8:28 NLV says, We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are chosen to be a part of His plan. In Acts 9, Saul had an encounter with Jesus that left him blind. Yet, God was at work in Saulʻs heart. While he didn t stay blind for long, his temporary discomfort helped him transition out of his old life and move toward his new life in Christ. Ask God to work in the lives of the people youʻre praying for. Pray that He does what only He can do use their circumstances for His purposes. VERSES TO READ Acts 8 9 Romans 8:28 Psalm 135:6 Daniel 4:35 Luke 1:37 PRAYER TO PRAY Almighty God, nothing is impossible with You! You work all things together for Your purposes. Today I pray for <name your five people> orchestrate their circumstances so that their hearts are prepared to hear the Gospel. In Jesus name, amen. 15

16 DAY 7 INFLU- ENCED BY GOOD WORKS. 16

17 POINT TO PONDER Jesus made an astonishing promise in John 14:12 ESV when He said, Whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. What makes this astonishing is He made this promise to whoever believes. You and I were created for good works. Our words of encouragement, generous gifts, and acts of service carry on and extend the ministry of Jesus on planet Earth. But Jesus also taught our good works draw people to Him. Matthew 5:16 ESV says Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven. Pray this today for your five people that they might be influenced by your good works and those of other Christians. VERSES TO READ John 13:35 Ephesians 2:10 John 20:21 23 John 12:13 14 Hebrews 12:2 PRAYER TO PRAY Dear Jesus, we know that You are the Author and Finisher of a person's faith. Orchestrate great works in the lives of <name your five people>. Use those good works to influence them for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' name, amen. 17

18 DAY 8 LORD, HAVE MERCY. 18

19 POINT TO PONDER Jesus is going to return for His people just as He promised in Revelation 22:12. We can hardly wait to see Him! But we also want more people to come to faith in Christ before His return. Scripture tells us that God Himself knows this tension. 2 Peter 3:9 ESV says, The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. The fact that Jesus has not returned means there is hope for the people on your prayer list. God has been patient with them. Pray that God continues to be patient. Pray that He shows mercy to your friends and family that have not yet chosen to follow Jesus. VERSES TO READ Matthew 18:11 14 Matthew 18:23 27 Romans 2:4 Romans 10:12 13 PRAYER TO PRAY Father God, in Your wrath, remember mercy. <Name the people on your list> have not yet chosen to follow Jesus. They have not yet repented of their sin. I petition You on their behalf. Continue to be patient with them until they turn their hearts to You. In Jesus' name, amen. 19

20 DAY 9 GRANT THEM REPENT- ANCE. 20

21 POINT TO PONDER Over these 21 days, as you pray for the five people on your list, ask God to do a work in their hearts. Know that this can happen all in a moment's time, but for most people it happens here a little, there a little. In other words, it's a process! Repentance is part of that process. And only God can give a person the power to repent. In 2 Timothy 2:25 26 ESV Paul told Timothy, God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the Truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. Pray that God does this for the people on your list, today. Pray that He leads them through the process to know Him through repentance. VERSES TO READ Matthew 3:8 2 Timothy 2:25 26 Acts 20:21 Romans 2:4 PRAYER TO PRAY God, I know that even now You are leading <name your five people> through a process. Would You grant them repentance that leads them to know Jesus? Give them clarity and understanding today. In Jesus' name, amen. 21

22 DAY 10 FREEDOM FROM SIN. 22

23 POINT TO PONDER One of the recurring themes you see in the Old Testament is the Israelites repeating their mistakes. Their terrible choices would get them in a mess, God would rescue them, and they would go right back to the same behavior. They knew right from wrong better than anyone. They even had a way to be forgiven. They were just overpowered and outmatched by sin. Jesus changed all of that. Romans 6:14 ESV says, For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Then Romans 6:17 NLT says, Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Some of the people on your list may suffer from addiction. Some may stumble through other repetitive, habitual sins. Jesus not only wants to rescue them, He wants to transform their lives and give them freedom from sin. Let this be the focus of your prayer today. VERSES TO READ 1 John 3:6 7 1 Peter 4:2 2 Corinthians 2:14 Galatians 4:4 5 PRAYER TO PRAY Lord Jesus, You make all things new. Today, I pray that You transform the lives of <name the people on your list>. Give them freedom from sin. Free them from the chains of addiction. Rescue them from the grip of sin. In Jesus' name, amen. 23

24 DAY 11 MAKE THEM NEW. 24

25 POINT TO PONDER One of the consequences of a person choosing not to repent of sin is that their heart becomes hardened toward God. Ephesians 4:18 ESV says, They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. Jesus doesn't just modify a person's hardened heart, He totally transforms it. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19 ESV) Make this your prayer for the people on your list today God, give them a new heart! VERSES TO READ Proverbs 28:14 Zechariah 7:12 Romans 2:5 1 John 3:17 PRAYER TO PRAY Lord Jesus, today I pray for <name your five people>. I ask You to forgive them of their sin, remove their hard hearts, and give them soft hearts toward You. In Jesus' name, amen. 25

26 DAY 12 FAITH TO BELIEVE. 26

27 POINT TO PONDER Salvation does not cost anything, but it does require something. It requires faith. Hebrews 11:6 KJV says, But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. A person's relationship with Jesus is a free gift on the basis of faith. But faith is not something we can conjure up on our own. Faith to believe is, itself, a gift. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV) Salvation and the faith to receive it have both been purchased for us by Jesus. Ask God to give your five people believing faith that leads to salvation today. VERSES TO READ Ephesians 2:8 Hebrews 11:6 John 4:10 Romans 10:9 10 PRAYER TO PRAY Father God, I thank you that every good gift comes from You. Give <name the people on your list> the very faith You ask them to have in order to follow You. May they begin to experience that believing faith by Your grace today. In Jesus' name, amen. 27

28 DAY 13 POWER TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. 28

29 POINT TO PONDER Sin is what separates us from God. But sin is not just doing bad things, it's also not doing good things. James 4:17 NKJV says, Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Jesus not only makes a way for us to be forgiven of both active and passive sins, He gives us the power to do what's right. Ezekiel 36:27 MSG says, I ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. Today's prayer is that God would equip the people on your list with the power to do what's right by giving them His Spirit! VERSES TO READ Galatians 6:10 Proverbs 3:27 Philippians 2:13 Acts 10:37 38 PRAYER TO PRAY Heavenly Father, today I pray that you make it possible for <name your five people> to do the things You created them to do by giving them Your Spirit. In Jesus' name, amen. 29

30 DAY 14 TURN THEIR HEART TO YOU. 30

31 POINT TO PONDER Selfishness is the default setting of every human heart. We have to train ourselves to put other people's needs above our own. The problem with our selfishness is that it pulls us away from God and hurts the people around us. James 3:16 HCSB tells us that where selfish ambition exists there is disorder and every evil thing. Only a heart that has been radically transformed by the Gospel can uproot selfishness and its destructive power. The young Psalmist prayed, Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! (Psalm 119:36 ESV). Pray this for the people on your list today God, turn their hearts to You! VERSES TO READ Philippians 2:3 2 Timothy 3:2 Ephesians 2:3 Judges 17:6 Matthew 23:25 PRAYER TO PRAY Dear God, I ask that You forgive me of my own selfishness. Create in me a clean heart. Let me regard other people as more important than me. And as I lift up <name your five people>, I pray that You incline their hearts to You as well, and not toward selfish gain. In Jesus' name, amen. 31

32 DAY 15 SEND LABOR- ERS. 32

33 POINT TO PONDER Jesus came to seek and save people who are lost. But He partners with us in the finding process. Matthew 9 NKJV shares the story of how Jesus was moved with compassion for multitudes of people who were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then Jesus tells His disciples to pray a specific prayer for the lost, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. God has a plan to bring the good news of Jesus to the world. And His plan is us. Pray that God would send His laborers to the people on your prayer list. Pray that their words of encouragement and acts of service will impact your five people in this season! VERSES TO READ Matthew 20:1 16 Luke 10:2 Romans 10:14 Mark 16:15 PRAYER TO PRAY Lord Jesus, I pray that You send people across the path of <name your five people>. Send people who can influence them. Send people who will point them to You! In Jesus' name, amen. 33

34 DAY 16 EXPERI- ENCE GOD'S KINDNESS. 34

35 POINT TO PONDER The woman caught in adultery was brought to Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees (religious leaders) to be publically executed by stoning. To everyone's surprise, Jesus looked at the woman's accusers and said, He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first. (John 8:7 NKJV) This act of kindness set the woman free and put the selfrighteous leaders in their place. But Jesus didn't leave the woman in her sin. Go and sin no more, He said. Romans 2:4 ESV says that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. We all deserve judgment. Thank God for His kindness. And pray that your five people experience that kindness today. Pray that His kindness leads them to repentance. VERSES TO READ John 8 1 Peter 2:3 Romans 12:2 Titus 2:11 14 Acts 3:19 PRAYER TO PRAY Heavenly Father, Your kindness has changed me. Thank You for rescuing me from the judgment I deserved. Today I pray that You do the same for <name your five people>. Show them the riches of Your kindness and draw them to repentance. In Jesus' name, amen. 35

36 DAY 17 SPIRIT OF ADOPTION. 36

37 POINT TO PONDER Adoption into God's family is a pretty big deal. Theologian J.I. Packer says, We are not fit for a place in God's family; the idea of His loving and exalting us sinners as He loves and has exalted the Lord Jesus sounds ludicrous and wild yet that, and nothing less than that, is what our adoption means. So the Gospel is not only freedom from sin, it is also adoption into God's family. Romans 8:15 ESV says, For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ʻAbba! Father! John, the disciple Jesus loved, said it this way, Behold what manner of love the Father hath given unto us, that we should be called children of God! (1 John 3:1 NKJV) Pray this for the people on your list today that they behold God's love and receive that spirit of adoption into the family of God! VERSES TO READ 1 John 3:1 Romans 8:14 15 Galatians 4:4 5 John 1: Corinthians 3:21 PRAYER TO PRAY Father God, I thank You for making a way for me to be adopted into Your family! Give <name your five people> that same spirit of adoption today. Make them Your sons and daughters as they behold Your amazing love. In Jesus' name, amen. 37

38 DAY 18 AN EN- COUNTER WITH GOD. 38

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40 DAY 19 A CHURCH TO BELONG. 40

41 POINT TO PONDER We are not just called to believe in Jesus. Romans 1:6 NIV tells us we are called to belong to Jesus Christ. What does that mean? It means we are to be part of something bigger than our individual faith. God created us to belong to His family. Ephesians 1:5 NLT says, His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. Belonging means being part of a local church. There, God uses relationships to help sharpen us, train us, and equip us for God's purposes in our lives. But belonging is not about membership, it's about ownership we each have a part to play in God's family. Pray for the people on your list today that God prepares a local Church, a family of faith to which they can belong. VERSES TO READ Ephesians 1:5A 1 Corinthians 12:27 Isaiah 60:1 Ephesians 4:15 16 PRAYER TO PRAY Lord Jesus, You are the head of the Church. I pray that You not only call <name your five people> to believe in You, but call them belong to the family of God. Prepare them to find their place in a life-giving local church. In Jesus' name, amen. 41

42 DAY 20 THAT SOMEONE TELL THEM. 42

43 POINT TO PONDER When a person chooses to follow Jesus, we know that God has been at work in their life for some time. Many people will have played a part in that decision. The Apostle Paul says, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (1 Corinthians 6:9 NIV) Over the last three weeks, you've played a significant role in leading the five people on your list to Christ. It may be time for someone to clearly present the Gospel to them. Romans 10:14 NLV says, But how can they call on Him if they have not put their trust in Him? And how can they put their trust in Him if they have not heard of Him? And how can they hear of Him unless someone tells them? Whether it's you or someone else, pray that God makes a way for someone to tell your five people the Good News of what Jesus has done for them. VERSES TO READ Acts 8:26 40 Romans 10:14 1 Corinthians 6:9 Romans 3:3 Romans 10:9 10 PRAYER TO PRAY Lord God, today I pray that You prepare the way for someone to introduce <name your five people> to the real Jesus. Open their hearts to receive You. In Jesus' name, amen. 43

44 DAY 21 GET THEIR ATTEN- TION. 44

45 POINT TO PONDER Here we are at Day Twenty-One! Trust that God has already done a work in the hearts of the people on your list, just as He's done in your own heart these last three weeks. Trust that God wants your five people to know Jesus even more than we want them to. We've done our part, now watch God do His! Acts 16:14 ESV says, The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. Make this your Day Twenty-One prayer. As the Gospel is presented to your five people, by you or someone else, pray that God gets their attention. Pray that He opens their hearts to the Gospel and they meet the real Jesus. All the promises of God find their yes in Him. VERSES TO READ 1 John 5:14 15 Acts 16:15 Acts 4 2 Corinthians 1:20 PRAYER TO PRAY Lord Jesus, I trust You to do what only You can do open the hearts of <name your five people>. Cause them to pay full attention to whatever presentation You send their way. May their hearts be like fertile soil to the seeds of Your Word. In Jesus' name, amen. 45

46 DAY 22 & BEYOND YOUR BOLD- NESS. Now we pray for you. In Ephesians 6:19 GW, Paul asked for people to pray for Him as He shared the Gospel. Also pray that God will give me the right words to say. Then I will speak boldly when I reveal the mystery of the Good News. As you continue to pray for the people on your list and as you look for an opportunity to tell them you've been praying for them for these last 21 days, we are praying for you. This is our prayer that God will give you the words to say so that you can speak with boldness. Then when the opportunity comes, know that God has prepared you to play your part. We believe His Spirit will guide you through each step of the way. In Jesus' name, amen. 46

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