Prayer To Reform My Identity

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PRAYER TO REFORM MY IDENTITY

Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindess, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24

‘Boast’ (Halal) ~ to shine, to flash forth light

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         Lord, You say that You feel delight when I boast about knowing You and think little of this world in comparison.  I want to be that taken with You, to feel deeply when I think about belonging to You.  Oh, find delight in what I am confessing.

         Forgive me for considering myself wise, for feeling pretty good about how much scripture I know. Anything I’ve grasped, You have revealed to me.  In Your mercy, You gave me spiritual sight.  I was ignorant and blind on my own.

         Forgive me for believing I am somehow significant because others turn to me for help and guidance. You have brought them to my door to find Your Spirit – resident in me.  Even that I can not take credit for.

         Forgive me for enjoying the praise of others for external things that will pass away; for the warmth of my home, decorating, outward appearance and style of clothing. I have often acted as if these define me but I will have none of them when I stand before You.  I will only be defined by whether or not we are Father and daughter.

         Forgive me for feeling proud of my accomplishments and wanting others to notice them. Deliver me of my need to be vindicated from past rejections.  Break me from my addiction to the praise of others. You are not impressed with anything but the pursuit of You.

         Help me absorb the meaning of Jeremiah’s words. When I erase my maiden name, when I erase my married name, when I come before You as simply a daughter whom You created, it is only about You and me.  To be able to say that I know You is a sensation that will last for all eternity.

         Let my awe increase so that foolish appetites decrease.  In Jesus’ name, Amen

 

Prayer For Your Children’s School

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PRAYER FOR YOUR CHILDREN’S SCHOOL

The prayer of a righteous person is effective as it is working. James 5:16

‘Effective’ ~ engaged in, intensifying, working in a situation which brings it from one stage to the next.

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I praise You for Your promise that the prayers of the righteous will be effective as they do their work. I am not investing time or crying tears in vain. Encourage me with the truth that these prayers will go out and continue to work far beyond the time I am speaking them. Use these prayers as a catalyst to display Your power and glory.

  • I pray in advance for my children who will feel the pressure of their peers.  Help me raise up Daniels!  Infuse my children now with the strength to stand boldly, to be filled with your Holy Spirit so that your voice will be heard in a godless place. Help me teach them to be kingdom warriors; tough enough to stand and tender enough to bring the broken to Your embrace. I pray this scripture over each of my children ~ “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” I John 4:4
  • Lord, I pray that You will remove the demonic glitter from drugs and alcohol.  Let their eyes perceive things as You see them. As they are faced with temptation, in Jesus’ name, I restrict the enemy from deceiving them.  May they see the evil and run to You.
  • I am not the only one praying for my children in this school. I pray that You would make all your intercessors divine strategists, ‘wise as serpents while harmless as doves.’ Cause us to see the spiritual carnage of the school as Ezekiel saw the carnage in the valley of dry bones. May we rise up to say, “Prepare to hear the Word of the LORD.”
  • I pray that You will touch the hardened hearts of students who don’t know you, the ones who have only seen evil in their homes and in their world. Awaken them to righteousness and hope in the face of Jesus Christ.
  • I pray for each student who lives, privately, in a war zone. Cup Your hands around their spirits, return their innocence and protect it so that they can trust You and believe Your promise of salvation.
  • I pray for each student who is a church-going Christian and is half-asleep. I say to them, in Jesus’ name, “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14 I ask Your Spirit to say to them ~ “Be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom we shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:15
  • I pray for their Principal ~ that he will be influenced by Your Spirit to rule wisely and justly. Clothe him with power and peace. Gift him with faith, courage, and savvy to know how to advance the kingdom of heaven within his sphere of influence.
  • I pray today what Jesus prayed, over each child and each faculty member. “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
  • I pray for revival in our school. “Deliver us from the power of darkness and convey us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:13 I pray for eyes to be opened to see Your glory, Your signs and wonders, and Your power. Let them see the forces of darkness tremble and flee.
  • Finally Lord, I enforce the victory of Calvary over this school. I pray that Satan and all his angels will be prevented from acting out all they are plotting from the gates of Hell. Bring the execution of his plans into a state of confusion. You rule by Your might forever. You keep watch over the nations. Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Psalm 66:7 In Jesus’ name, Amen

Prayer To Discern What Is Hidden

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PRAYER TO DISCERN WHAT IS HIDDEN

Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word! Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word. Psalm 119:169-170

‘Give me understanding’ ~ to finally realize, have skill with concepts, perceive with accuracy.

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         I have a huge decision to make, Lord. I know in my spirit that something is wrong with a certain situation, Lord. I have no peace in my spirit. The weight of indecision is crushing me. When I think about it, I can find what appears to be righteous but is it all a smokescreen? Is it really of Your kingdom or is it all unrighteousness? I know that the evil one is good at masking what is unholy. My discernment can be skewed. May it not be!

         God, I cry out for understanding. I need to come to a divine realization about what is really happening. I need to be skillful with the concepts of the kingdom in order to diagnose it correctly. I need to perceive what is in front of my eyes with Your wisdom. Help me see behind all the posturing and pretension.

         I am grateful beyond words that my cries are not made in vain. They do not dissipate into thin air. They come directly to You and You listen compassionately. You are vested in every care that concerns me. You love the prayers of Your children. You take pleasure in answering and giving wisdom to those who seek it. I am the seeker today. I am the one pleading for deliverance from what is elusive and obscure.

         Let the truth come forth as arrows coming to my heart. Let me rejoice in the relief that truth brings. Melt away the stress of indecision. Put an end to the wrestling that has plagued me day and night. Bring deliverance and then give me the courage to act on whatever truth You reveal. I am bold because I stand as one loved, and as one holy, in Your presence. All because of Jesus.

         Let my soul live and praise You, and let Your rules help me. Psalm 119:175    In Jesus name, Amen

Prayer For The Future

Published on by Christine Wyrtzen1 Comment

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

Clinging To Truth is Clinging To Jesus

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CLINGING TO TRUTH IS CLINGING TO JESUS

Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.  Jude 1

Jude was the brother of James (James the less) and Simeon, and all three were the half-brothers of Jesus.  They had at least one thing in common; they did not believe that Jesus was the Christ until they were older.  Blood relatives can be blind to anointing. Proximity yields a normalcy that obscures the signs of kingdom greatness. In spite of rejection, they all became bright lights after fully receiving the love of Christ.  Their passion for Him was stunning. They defended the faith and were martyred by people in far off lands, people who were hostile toward the Gospel.

Jude’s only letter was short but powerful.  He wrote generally, to the church at large, about the deterioration of doctrine.  He just about begs his listeners to defend the faith, to contend for it vigorously at all costs, even unto death.  He was clear to convey that when you and I defend doctrine, we defend Truth and Truth is a Person.  When we err from any one important tenet of the faith, we mar the face of Christ.

Today’s church is weak in theology. And, if weak in theology, absent in faith. We must know Jesus’ history, understand the sweeping narrative of Scripture, and become intimately acquainted with the backbone of our Rabbi’s faith if we are to possess the steel foundation that endures challenging times.  If our doctrine is mushy, so is our faith and weak is our light. Continue reading “Clinging To Truth is Clinging To Jesus” →

Can Words Really Crush My Spirit?

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CAN WORDS REALLY CRUSH MY SPIRIT?

A soothing tongue is a tree of life but perversion in it crushes the spirit.  Proverbs 15:4

         We often don’t equate words with weaponry. The idea seems overly dramatic yet anyone who has suffered the long-term effect of others hurtful attacks can attest just how much damage words can inflict.

         I am struck by the strong language of Solomon’s words.  Perverse words don’t just sting or cause someone to wince.  They have the ability to crush the spirit. The recipient of a tirade can tell you what happens to their body as the words come at them.  I hear many wives and husbands say that a bitter confrontation with their spouse leaves them physically weak.  As the barrage of accusations is spoken, they feel themselves sinking in spirit.  Some are even reduced to a state of wordlessness.

         But here’s how insidious it is. Many suffer from verbal abuse and are completely unaware of it because it can happen without shouting and without nasty name-calling.  Here are some signs if you suspect this is happening to you. Continue reading “Can Words Really Crush My Spirit?” →

Singing a Solo in Modern Day Babylon

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SINGING A SOLO IN MODERN DAY BABYLON

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”  How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! Psalm 137:1-6

The dusty scroll of an old violin rests in the middle of a musical score. Only one line of music is in focus.         Not all Psalms were written by David. This one was written by a Jewish exile living in Babylon. Having seen his homeland destroyed and taken as a captive into the foreign culture of the Babylonian Empire, he struggled to find his voice and get his spiritual bearings. His new homeland was corrupt and excessive and the people of God stuck out like sore thumbs. They were invited to sing their simple songs of faith to the taunts of the crowd, not unlike the Jews who were made to perform in the camps for Nazi soldiers. Brilliant violinists, violists, cellists, and bass violin players formed string quartets to pacify the military tyrants who despised them.

       This week, our song was rendered just as peculiar against the backdrop of the Supreme Court ruling. As we continue to witness the rapid decline into the abyss of godlessness, we know that we must not conform. God’s grace will enable us to stand and to sing. Our allegiance is to the kingdom of heaven and the culture of holiness.

       For many of us, depression is near and inviting. Admittedly, there is emotional and spiritual adjustment for what we’ve witnessed and what we know will come next. But in our grief, God invites us to sing the songs of the exiles. We are clearly outsiders here and the brunt of society’s jokes but our voices must not be silenced. The noise of evil must not, and cannot, prevail over the praise of God’s people.

         It’s not time to close the piano lid. It’s not time to retire the pen of the poet. It’s not time to put away the instruments. Never has the music of faith been more important and never are the songs sweeter than when saints raise their joyful voices with tear stained faces.

You are my joy. Let my hope sing. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Unfinished Grief

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UNFINISHED GRIEVING

We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope.  I Thess. 4:13

Anyone who has said goodbye to a parent, a child, or a sibling in death, can stop grieving too soon. Perhaps the pain is too frightening.  It appears as an abyss of unfathomable depths.  Someone said to me recently, “If I start crying, I won’t be able to stop.”   This is usually how true grief feels.  It overwhelms us with its power. Continue reading “Unfinished Grief” →

God’s Wisdom ~ Prepare Your Answers

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GOD’S WISDOM ~ “STAND FIRM”

My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him.  Psalm 89:28

Consider your feet.  Upon whose word are you standing?  In life, you will be asked many questions.

Who are you?  Why do you believe that?  What possible reason would cause you to think that?  Do you really believe you’re making a wise decision?

You can plant your feet on many kinds of turf.  Convenient answers.  Popular answers.  Evasive answers.  But none will be solid ground. These are the times you must dig your heels into the soil of my kingdom.  Feel the earth settle around your shoes.  Each time you give an answer that is Spirit founded, your way will be marked with a security that comes from walking in the light of My favor.  Your words may sound incredulous to others, even gain you great unpopularity, but you will know the peace of Jesus as He modeled solid theology and spoke truthful words all the way to the cross.

 

Emptying My Heart

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EMPTYING MY HEART

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8

         How many people exist with whom you can speak freely – without a filter? With whom can you pour out your heart and know that divine wisdom is hearing it, filtering it, and responding to it? Precious few. To speak freely is a gift rarely experienced.

I had a conversation recently with a ministry acquaintance and well-trusted friend. Though I only see her once a year, my trust in her walk with God goes deep. I met with her to seek her wisdom on an issue that required feedback of someone with a true prophetic gift; one who could discern the mind and heart of God on a matter. At the beginning of our time together, I expressed my gratitude over the fact that for several hours, I could pour out my heart in safety. I wouldn’t have to weigh my words and hold anything back.

‘Pouring out’ in Hebrew means what it portrays. To empty oneself of something. I’ve been surprised just how often this phrase is used in scripture. A dependent prayer is described as the ‘pouring out of one’s soul’. God also says that ‘He pours out His wrath’. That’s sobering. And how about this? God says that He will ‘pour out His Spirit on the house of David’ and they will finally be able to see ‘whom they have pierced and weep bitterly.’ Zech 12:10

Remembering the day I poured out my heart to a trusted woman of God made me ask myself if I feel that freely with God. Continue reading “Emptying My Heart” →