Through the Scriptures 31 DAYS TO A DEEPER PRAYER LIFE For those who have little time for praying on a consistent, regular basis, and also for those who love spending much time in prayer each day. Esther Wong
Copyright Esther Wong 2006 Originally published 2006 by Attributes Pte Ltd, 22 Kallang Avenue, Hong Aik Industrial Building #05-04, Singapore 339413 This edition published 2008 by CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP, UK. Registered Charity No. 294387. Registered Limited Company No. 1990308. The right of Esther Wong to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of CWR. See back of book for list of National Distributors. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 2004. Copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Other quotations NKJV: New King James Version, 1982, Thomas Nelson Inc. Concept development, editing, design and production by CWR Cover image: Photodisc Internal images: Brand X, Creatas, Design Pics, Digital Stock, Photodisc Printed in China by 1010 Printing ISBN: 978-1-85345-473-8
PRAYER is our lifeline to God. Every born-again believer who desires to grow in God understands the significance of having a strong personal prayer life every single day. Esther Wong has prepared and written a unique and thoughtfully planned one-month devotional filled with biblical verses of praise and adoration to God. She will take you through each day of the month with particular emphasis on certain areas of need in your life. And she will also lead you to pray for others including loved ones in your family, those in your workplace and for those around the world. I believe that as you follow through this devotional, your life will be enriched with the goodness of God as you remember His faithfulness in every area of your life. You will be clothed with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Most of all, my prayer is that by using this prayer guide you will grow closer to Jesus and realise how the mercies of God are, indeed, new every morning. Rev Kong Honorary Senior Pastor of City Harvest Church, Singapore IT HAS BEEN A JOY and a privilege to have known Esther and her husband, Rev Canon Dr James Wong, since they first came to CWR to train in the field of Christian counselling. Esther was often seen on her prayer walks in the early hours of the morning around the lake here at Waverley Abbey House. 3
PRAYING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES I am honoured to be working with both Canon James and Esther in bringing CWR s ministry into Singapore in recent years, and now to be able to make available this invaluable aid to extending our prayer lives. I pray it will greatly enhance your prayer life and help you to grow closer to Jesus by praying daily, according to Scripture. Mick Brooks Chief Executive, CWR Acknowledgement All glory to God for His infinite mercy and love! I would like to acknowledge and thank the CWR team, Miss Christina Tan for typing, all my prayer partners, and my husband for his love and prayer support. This book is a tribute to our good friend and encourager, the late Selwyn Hughes, founder of CWR. 4
Introduction There was a season in my life when I felt inadequate in my own prayer life, and I echoed the same request that the disciples asked of Jesus: Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples (Luke 11:1). I needed to be taught how to pray so I started to read books on the topic of prayer and they were all so inspiring. Praying the Word, as shared by a few authors, drew my attention and as I put this into practice, I learned to pray more effectively and with anticipation each day to hear from God through praying with scriptures. Biblical prayers are scriptures prayed back to God. Praying scriptures on a regular basis implants biblical truths into your heart and mind for daily living. I learned the ACTS pattern for daily prayer very early in my Christian life and I have since applied this pattern daily in my prayer time. The acronym for ACTS is A Adoration C Confession T Thanksgiving S Supplication Using this formula prevents my mind from wandering and the Word for the Day section has particularly been helpful in listening to the Lord. I find it especially helpful to use this pattern on a bimonthly or quarterly basis you soon get familiar with those Scripture passages! Each day brings new areas of prayer for personal needs and new themes for the intercessory prayers. It is helpful to keep a journal of your daily prayer time and to look back to see how God moves through your prayers. 5
PRAYING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES Prayer Guide I would like to share with you some tips on how to begin using this book. Every prayer time begins by focusing on God Himself, and never on your needs or problems. You reflect on His goodness, grace, holiness, mercy, love, might, power and dominion. Read the assigned text. Pause: Pick out the lines that appeal to you just open your heart to acknowledge the many aspects of God through the assigned text. Journalling: It is often helpful to jot down your reflections it is so refreshing to centre on God and not on your problems or needs. Sometimes you may be led to sing an appropriate song in adoration to God. God is GREAT and God is GOOD! Confession This is to remind ourselves how we have fallen short 6
PRAYER GUIDE of the glory and character of God. Pray through the text and allow the Holy Spirit to search your soul for forgotten incidents, for being ungracious, for being harsh, legalistic and so on. Unless sin is confessed, our souls are broken down. Repentance This section offers a reminder from the Word that you do not justify your sins by blaming others, circumstances etc. You repent and receive forgiveness. Pause/Journalling: Sometimes you are required to make restitution. Write down what you need to do as a response to your act of repentance. When repenting, consider these two facts: 1. I am a new creation. 2. I must change for the better. I have the resources to change from one degree of glory to another, so I choose to change with the help of the Holy Spirit. Personal Needs These are prayers which express your dependence on God and your desire to reach a higher level of maturity in your spiritual life. 7
PRAYING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES Pause: Believe that God is listening to your request as you open your heart to Him. Your special concerns are His concerns too. Commit the day s activities to God: I will not move unless He goes ahead of me. Ask for His direction. Journalling: Record your petitions by jotting them down and note at least one area of growth in your life to rejoice in. Intercession Prayers for others focus on their needs and wellbeing. You are standing in the gap for people close to you, those who are just acquaintances or for others that you know little about. Some prayers are spiritual warfare prayers leading to a breakthrough in their lives. Pause: God is sovereign He is all knowing, He is all wisdom and He is able to do all things. Journalling: Jot down names and special concerns. Give thanks for answered prayers. Sometimes God may direct you to change the course of your prayers. Be persevering in prayer, and rejoice in God s wisdom and ability to answer all prayers. 8
PRAYER GUIDE Word for the Day Read through the text and be open to God s special word for you for that day. Pause: Read through the words again and meditate on them as an exercise for the day. Journalling: Note what God has to say and thank Him for speaking to you. Thanksgiving and Worship This is an expression of your thanksgiving for who God is and what He has done for you. It is also thanksgiving in anticipation that the God who loves you will deal with your requests wisely. This is faithbuilding in action. Pause: Let the Holy Spirit bring to memory some special occasions or events for thanksgiving to the Lord. Journalling: Record an incident when you felt the hand of God was upon a particular situation. Thank Him also when He shows His wisdom and answers your prayer in a different way! 9
PRAYING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES On some days, you may be led to sing songs expressing your joy in thanksgiving. Prayers to Encourage These are prayers and statements of Scripture for ending your time of devotion on a high note. Pause: End on a victory note. This scripture reminds you of the victorious God you have just spoken to! Prayer changes you! Let me share with you a simple song that I learned in my youth at St Hilda s School: Day by day, dear Lord of Thee Three things I pray To see you more clearly To love you more dearly To follow you more nearly Day by day Day by Day Words and music by S. Schwartz (taken from the prayer of St Richard of Chichester) 10
Day 1 Through the Scriptures Adoration O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you! You show unfailing love to thousands, but you also bring the consequences of one generation s sin upon the next. You are the great and powerful God, the Lord of Heaven s Armies. You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You see the conduct of all people, and you give them what they deserve. Jeremiah 32:17 20 Pause: Add other thoughts of adoration. Confession The human heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards according to what their actions deserve. Jeremiah 17:9 10 Pause: Let the Holy Spirit search your heart for wrong secret motives and confess them before the Lord. 11
PRAYING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES Words of Repentance Who can command things to happen without the Lord s permission? Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. Lamentations 3:37,39 40 Prayers for Personal Needs Pray for spiritual victory over worldly ambitions victory to overcome lustful desires of the flesh continuous growth in the Lord physical health and strength other matters of concern prioritising activities for the day Journalling Record the names of those for whom you have prayed, thanking God for answered prayers. Intercession Pray for other believers, especially those with whom you are in close contact your neighbours work or ministry associates those going through difficult times 12
Day 1 Share each other s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 Word for the Day If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:12 13 Thanksgiving and Worship Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:8,34 13
PRAYING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES Prayers to Encourage This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. Psalm 91:2 4 14