Category: Customized Prayers

Why are you in despair, O my soul?  And why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.  I remember Thee from the land of the Jordan.  Psalm 42:5-6

         Lord, I want to pray like the one who wrote this Psalm.  When his heart failed because He couldn’t see Your power, he stopped the cycle of despair.  He preached to his own soul.  He told himself to hope.  My faith is not based on what I can see or perceive.  Can I see into the heavens?  Can I see the future?  I am mortal and live in the moment.  You are eternal and live in eternity.

         The one who wrote this Psalm hopes in You as he remembers You from the land of Jordan.  I follow his lead!  My hope is in you.  My expectation of You working all things for good is solid.  My faith that You are aware and working behind the scenes may be tenuous but I strengthen the cord of my faith with the promises of Your Word.  I remember what You have done for all my spiritual ancestors.  You did not fail even one of them and You will not fail Your children in the midst of devastating news.  You reign and You answer the prayers of the saints.

         Lord, take me back to one time in our story when Your intervention and power overwhelmed me.  Make my heart re-live the memory.  “Remember and review,” You told the children of Israel.  So, as I remember a piece of our story today, I see that I despaired for nothing.  My faith in You was well founded.  Every promise I hung on was true.  Everything the enemy told me about You was a lie.  Everything I worried about, You provided for.  For every crisis of faith, there was a Word from You.  I remember – and my despair is stilled.   In Jesus’ name, Amen

PRAYER TO SEE JESUS

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

How my eyes need to see Your glory, Jesus.  Since my eyes are the window to my soul, my soul is ravaged by what I see here.  Brokenness is in my view.  People I love need You and they have not yet turned toward You.  I am watching them self-destruct, trying everything except falling to their knees for Your salvation.  My soul is so affected by their story.  I need a new glimpse of You.

Open my eyes.  Break open the heavens.  Show me Your glory.  Help me hear Your voice where I’ve never heard it before.  Help me see Your face where I’ve never looked before.  As much as my mortal body can take, let me be stunned by You.

I know what I am asking, Jesus.  Seeing Your glory means that I may see truth I’ve never seen before.  But You will never bring any truth, even truth that is painful, without wrapping it in the language of grace.  If I can just experience You, I am willing to hear anything because Your love catches me when I fall.

No one tells the truth like You.  No one is gracious like You.  No one is glorious like You.  Let me see so much of Your glory today that my soul is captured and wordless.  Invade my theology with personal experience.  In Jesus name, Amen

PRAYER FOR WHAT TO DO – WHEN

There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven – A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up.  A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.  A time to be silent and a time to speak.  A time for war, and a time for peace.  Ecclesiastes  3:1-9  (assorted verses)

Time ~ Destined, to make ready.

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I come humbly to You asking for direction today.  Today is a new day.  The things that you kept me from doing yesterday might be Your will today.  You have destined me to take action where, before, You did not.  You have released me to move where, before, I was standing still.  Show me where.  Show me how

Am I to give birth to a dream, an idea You planted in my spirit?  Or has the dream run its course?  Has its effectiveness passed?

Where should I plant the Word strategically by using my mouth?  What should I tear down by speaking Your Word – to bring something unholy to ashes?  Show me how use the Sword of Your Word to sever.

Where should I admonish so another may gain wisdom?  Is it time to wound another so that You may heal?

Is today the day to speak where I have been silent?  Until now, You have put a check on my mouth but everything is for a season.  Are you releasing me speak Your words?  Only Your Words, Lord Jesus.

My heart embraces easily, sometimes too easily.  Have I have embraced indiscriminately and now it’s time to shun embracing?  Are there unholy soul ties that need to be severed?

You are so uncomfortable when I make peace where there should be war.  And how you grieve when I make war in the church when there should be peace.  Show me what is appropriate for this season.  You made war – and You made peace.  I need to follow Your lead while You were on earth and never stop praying.

For the season of ‘today’, I listen to only You.  My mouth is Yours.  My energy is Yours.  My mind is bound to Yours.  Order my steps and give me courage for hard obedience.  I stop now to be silent and listen for Your answers.  Amen

2 Timothy 4: 16 – 17 “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me.”

Strengthen – To cause another to be able.

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Jesus, I remember Your story.  The Spirit drove You into the wilderness for forty days, after Your baptism, to be alone.  You were tested and none were there to stand with You.  You had the Word in Your mouth and the strength of Your Father in prayer.  That was all and that was enough.  He made You able to defeat Satan in some vulnerable moments.

Your way was often solitary as You withdrew to lonely places to pray.  (Luke 5:16)  I am Your disciple and sometimes, though surrounded by people, I am in a solitary place too.  Your disciples slept while You agonized in prayer. I am also often alone at night; kept awake by things which need prayer.  I’ve thrown myself on Your mercy to give me strength where I had none.

Today, in my lonely place, stay with me.  Where I faint, give me wings like the eagle. (Is. 40:31)  Where I am frozen in place, melt my reservations.  Where I am wordless, make me fluent.  Where I an unable, make me able.  Strengthen me, Lord, and have mercy on me.  I am not forgotten.  You have not withdrawn to sleep like Your disciples did.  You are a Savior who never sleeps nor loses His vigilance.

As I awake, You are aware of my needs.  Pour supernatural strength into this child.  Amen

PRAYER FOR THE WEARY INTERCESSORS

And he [Gabriel] said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and humbling yourself before God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia [demonic being assigned to rule Persia] has been withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me.  Daniel 10:12-13

Heard ~ to listen, give heed.  To consent, agree.  To grant a request.

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Lord, I am getting weary in prayer.  My heart has been pouring out its distress for so long that it appears You aren’t listening.  But You sent Gabriel to speak to Daniel, to let him know that You heard His prayers and were answering them. You are a God who listens well.  I am not a voice You hear in the distance, one who is just making noise.  Your ear is bent to hear the faintest whisper.  Everything that weighs on my heart is important to You.  Rebuke my enemy when He accuses You of being passive.  I am sorry for every time I believe his lie.

Father, give me endurance!  There are battles in the spirit world being fought over my prayers.  The kingdom of darkness is threatened by Your miraculous answers.  Help me remember that when You appear to be silent, things are never quiet.  Speak truth to my heart so that my trust is not shaken. Continue reading “Prayer for the Weary Intercessor” →

PRAYER FOR THE FRUSTRATED

He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.  He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me.  Psalm 18:16,19

Drew me ~ To provide safety from a potentially dangerous situation.

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            Lord, I am confined.  I’m in the company of those with whom I cannot talk freely.  I’m weighing my words.  When I speak, I am not known nor understood.  I have little influence.  The wisdom that comes from You is not wanted and without it, there will be calamity.  I see it coming.  The consequences of unbelief and rebellion will fall upon those who despise Your ways.  I am so frustrated.  I have attempted, over and over again, to speak for You.  They have rejected You and me. I feel like a modern day O.T. prophet.

I am struggling with rejection, Jesus.  I know it is You they hate but they do not know that.  I am the one they contend with.  I am the one they ridicule.  You have prompted me to speak, to sow seeds of righteousness, but this sprinkling of Your Word has fallen upon spiritually deaf ears.  You said, “Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.”  John 3:19

My frustration is robbing my joy.  My lips are shut.  Anger is simmering.  Where can I go with my complaint?  King David knew and assured me that You would come to me from on high.  You would draw me out of this place for spiritual rest.  You would, and are, providing emotional and spiritual safety from this dangerous situation.  You are opening the prison doors of limited language and inviting me into a broad and spacious place where my words are welcome.  I hear Your voice, “What’s wrong, child?”  Oh, not to weigh my words.  With You, I can be myself without a second thought of rejection.  You are my refuge.  I can speak freely, cast words to the wind, and You are not shaken.  You hold my life, and the ones who have driven me to You, in the palm of Your hand.

Grow me to see this situation as You see it.  “Your Word is perfect and restores my soul.”  Psalm 19:7 So, speak Lord, into my tears.  Mend the ragged edges of my soul.  It feels battered and weak.  Restore me so that I may live.  Renew me so that I can speak for You again and not grow weary of spreading Your fame to a wicked and perverse generation.

“You have answered me in the day of trouble!  You have set me securely on high.  You have sent me help from your sanctuary and supported me from Zion!”  Psalm 20:1-2   Since You, my God, are for me, whom shall I fear!  Amen

PRAYER FOR A FRIEND

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

Abound ~ Exceeding, multitude, numerous, overflowing.

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Lord, You can see Your child. She needs You to break through the barriers to her faith.  She’s tired, ready to cave in.  Afraid to hope.  Afraid to feel the pain of waiting for you.  The ability to endure no longer exists.

Hope has been smashed.  She has no joy and no peace in believing that You are true to Your promises.  She has not felt the power of the Holy Spirit in a long time.

First, I ask that You deliver her from evil.  Send Your angels to wherever she is right now and fight against what she cannot see.  Defeat her enemies and put a blood covering over her.  Restrict all enemies from speaking to her and moving against her.  In the authority of Christ Jesus, I cancel their plans to lie, steal, kill and destroy her faith.

I bind her mind to Yours.  Be large in her, Holy Spirit.  Every prayer that has been spoken over her, bring to full budding and blossom.  Continue reading “Prayer For A Friend” →

PRAYER FOR THE FUTURE

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.  Isaiah 43:18-19

Make a way ~ To put in place, cause, set.

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Jesus, I’ve been sitting at Your feet for a long time.  You’re the best teacher I’ve ever known.  You know when to reveal a truth and when to ask leading questions so that I discover divine wisdom.  You are not a God who delights to see His children flounder.  You promise very clear direction and have so many creative ways to bring the answers to us.

I learned that You can do a new thing no matter how old I am.  I learned that just because things have always been a certain way doesn’t mean they will stay that way.  I learned that just because people have always acted a certain way doesn’t mean You can’t change them.  I’ve seen You turn my life upside down, changing me from decades of hopeless thinking.  I’ve seen You deliver and heal people I love; some even in their old age.  You do make a way in the wilderness.  You are the God of new things.

I am at a new faith crossroads.  I’ve never been in this particular place before.  Whatever has been familiar and predictable is missing.  It looks like the land of no provision, a desert, and the answers for how to make my way is unclear. I’m afraid. I don’t have the power to transform the landscape of nothingness.

I spread out the future before You.  There is a harvest and I am Your laborer.  It is clear that, though I see a desert, You are making a new road.  Put up road signs so that I don’t miss it.  Let me hear the sounds of a roaring river, the rivers of Your provision.  When my faith would fail me, I review our history.  You have never failed me!  You are wealthy beyond measure to give whatever I might need on this trek into unfamiliar territory.

I’m looking for the footprints of sandaled feet.  I follow You – and I know that I don’t need to see down the road.  You do.  Show me the next step. Amen

PRAYER FOR BOLDNESS

And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.  Eph. 6:19-20

Boldness ~ Speak freely, confident, established, daring.

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 It’s been a setup, Lord.  I’ve been told by many not to speak.  My ideas have not been mainstream.  My spiritual insights have often been stretching to those who heard them.  My boldness slowly corrupted over a lifetime.  You are the only true healer of timidity.

I draw close to You to rebuild what has decayed.  Make me into a confident child of the kingdom.  Put Your words in my mouth.  Give me opportunities to test them out so that I can know that they work by experience, not hear-say.  Make my speech sharp as an arrow.  Let my words be clear, not cobwebbed.  Help me be direct and true, sincere and Spirit directed.

When bold, Lord, I will be like You.  I will attract others or repel them.  I will be popular or ridiculed.  I will be loved or hated.  When You spoke, they said You had a demon.  They insulted You and called You an illegitimate child.  They pulled out all the stops to discredit You.  I should not be surprised if boldness brings severe reactions.  Give me grace.

When I am timid with Your testimonies, forgive me.  When I am bold to say You are the Christ, the only way to God, empower me.  I follow Your lead, Lord.  When rejected, You ran to Your Father.  When I am rejected, I run to You.  You are my great High Priest; touched by my every weakness.

Satan would celebrate when my mouth is shut up tight.  Open it, Lord.  Make me eloquent with the mystery of the Gospel.  When You do, some will believe when You open their eyes.  Others will crusade against You, and me.  When I am rejected, live through me.  You told the truth and most hated You.  Then You gave Your life for them.  Only Your Spirit can fuel such a life in me.  Amen