Oct 5 – This week the blog, ‘the four opponents’ is the basis for our prayers.

Father, as we pray this week – we recognise that the best defence against Satan – and each of the other three opponents we face as believers: sin, the power of self, and the world – is to walk closely with Christ filled with Your word and Spirit.

We pray for those who are overly preoccupied with the enemy, and his ways, are seeing Satan behind every bad thing, and every difficult thing. Lord, although it is wise to recognise Satan’s opposition, and his hatred of us when we are in Christ, and to prepare our spiritual defences against each of the four opponent’s attacks – it is best to keep our eyes on Jesus, not on Satan, nor anything else. As Christians, He that is in us is greater than He that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

We also pray for those whose lifestyle and lack of commitment to their own discipleship leaves a door open to allow Satan entry into their lives, and to gain a foothold and create havoc and destruction. Satan to Jesus must bow!

We pray for a breakthrough into a new revelation of Christ in each of our lives, for sanctification and maturing faith, a fuller understanding of Your word and the principles in it, and a new insight into how to submit to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Oct 6 – The four opponents we face: sin, the power of self, Satan and the world – two are within: sin and self, and two without: Satan and the world.

Father, each of these opponents is a threat to our personal and corporate spiritual well being. We give You thanks and praise that although they are interlinked – they are finite and limited foes; Christ has conquered all four. Although finite and limited, they are too strong for us in our own strength. We worship bowing down in gratitude because in Christ, and the finished work of His Cross, there is the provision for victory over each opponent as we walk with and follow our Saviour in Your Spirit’s fullness.

Lord, the best defence is to be lay down one’s life as a living sacrifice on the altar before You. This is the place where it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. As we pray today for ourselves and others, guide us into a place where we can be truly accountable to You, and our brothers and sisters.

Lord, thank You for the spiritual armour You provide – we pray that Telford Elim, and each church represented by those who pray with us, will move into a new season of equipping believers to live under the covering of Your armour – able to stand for Christ in every setting, and each and every day. In His wonderful name. Amen

Oct 7 – Father, sin is inborn in the Adamic nature. Human beings are fallen beings – sin includes rebellion against You, and disobeying Your will, word and ways, and is at the heart of the life of the one not yet saved in Christ. Your word has many words for sin. Sin is all-pervasive and is destructive wherever it manifests; all sin is sin no matter whether a slight indiscretion right up to murder, and no matter who is impacted by it, for first and foremost – all sin is against You.

Even as Christians, we still sin, and self still exerts its influence, but these are now unnatural thoughts, acts and ways; however, we have the opportunity to act in accordance to our new nature in Christ. In Christ, each believer is a spiritual person. We pray that – because of the ministry of Telford Elim and each person in our church, and each church represented by those who pray these prayers – many will fill their lives with Your word, follow Christ each and every day, and live in Your Spirit’s fullness and by His guidance.

We pray for those struggling under the weight of sin, suffering from guilt or shame because of it, those caught in a recurring sin in their lives – grant them the light and revelation that in Christ they can find forgiveness. May they follow the biblical pathway of confession and repentance before You – then Your forgiveness will flow as they are open and honest before You.

Enable Telford Elim and each church represented to be good at preaching, ministering and leading people to a new place of victory over sin through Christ the Redeemer and Saviour. Amen

Oct 8 – Father, in the life of the non-Christian, sin’s presence means that ‘self’ is dominant.  Depending on the nature of the person, self can either manifest as selfishness or self-interest, or as need to help others and express self’s goodness or love; yet self, before Christ, is an unruly and ungodly master.

In fact, self is antichrist in nature enthroning something other than Christ on the throne of our soul: emotions/heart, mind, choices/will, relationships. Self enthrones itself and expresses its worship – every human being is designed to worship – in idolatry, religious observance, cultic practices, devotion to a philosophy, cause or movement, and in the pursuit of its passions.

When a person gives his or her heart and life to Christ – self is dethroned and sin loses its natural control. Sin and self can still affect the Christian, but now our inclination is to practice righteousness and enthrone Christ.

Holy Spirit, enable us to live lives that enthrone Christ, establish His righteousness, and proclaim the Gospel to many across our town and nation and beyond. Revive us Lord, and usher in a Great Awakening drawing multitudes into the Kingdom throughout our nation – multitudes of men, women, young people and children who go on to become great disciples who make many disciples; a church of hundredfold fruitfulness. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen

Oct 9 – Father, the world is generally opposed to the true life of righteousness and obedience to Christ, Your word and Spirit. The world seeks to establish the Kingdom of self, driven by the passions and inclinations of the sinful human heart, and reflects the nature and reign of Satan.

The world is both our abode, the place we live in, and a controlling mindset – it seeks to control our thoughts in anti-Christ ways. There are still pale reflections of Your nature, the Creator in its societies, cultures and governance, but these are disjointed and fragmented reflections of who You really are.

Only in Christ, can the world’s societies, cultures and governance be redeemed and begin to truly reflect the goodness, righteousness, love and justice of the Creator. We pray for Christ’s redemption to flow here in Telford, Shropshire, the West Midlands, UK and every nation represented by those praying these prayers. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Oct 10 – Father, Satan is Your, and our, arch opponent. The name Satan literally means the opponent or hater. The devil is very crafty, he muddies the water about his existence and seeks to convince people that he, and his demonic forces, are not real, or are only a part of the horror movie genre. Satan sows the lie that You are not real – that there is not a heaven to be gained through Christ, nor a Hell to avoided.

The devil is real, and seeks to rob people of their peace of mind, kill the desire for Jesus, and destroy the hope of living a life that will glorify Jesus. James 4:7, ‘So humble yourselves before God (Submit to God). Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,’ – Holy Spirit teach us how to effectively apply this verse.

Father, teach us how to truly submit to You, to Christ, to Your word’s truth, to Your Spirit, and to Your will in every area of our lives. As we do so, biblical submission equips us to be wise and able to resist sin, Satan and his temptations, the passions of self, and the power of the world. Satan is not an innovator – he mimics or copies Your ways, he is a master counterfeiter; he works in unrighteous, devious ways instead of Your righteous, truthful ways.

We pray that we will be so filled with Your word and Spirit – that we will be able to spot Satan’s counterfeit attempts. As we walk hand in hand with the Lord Jesus, His life of true victory over Satan, the hater of our souls and lives, will manifest in and through our church. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Oct 11 – Father, some say the four great human weaknesses are: Money, Sex, Power and Pride. That each of us is particularly susceptible in at least one of these areas. Holy Spirit, enable me to learn where I am particularly susceptible and prone to the temptations that arise from our four opponents.

As we focus on filling our lives with the godly, opposite of whichever one we are susceptible to – we will become spiritually stronger and more able to guard our heart in that area.

We pray for any who are open to the love of money, enable them to develop a godly, generous spirit living with open hands and an open heart, and filled with Your Spirit’s power and word, thus enabling them to overcome the love of money. Fill many with Your love through the ministry and people in Telford Elim – it is Your word, love and grace that has the power to work in and through their lives bringing many into a place of victory and freedom in Christ.

We also need to stay away from that which inflames our weaknesses recognising that no matter how mature we are in the faith, we become what we feed our minds and fantasies with. Father, we give You thanks, praise and all the glory that in Christ, and because of the finished work of His Cross, You have made provision of that which we need to live a life of righteousness, dethroning the power of self, resisting the devil, and faith that overcomes the world. We pray that we will rise and live out Christ’s victory each and every day.

We pray for any struggling against these opponents – grant them the grace, wisdom and biblical insight and understanding to step into the true freedom Christ promised and Your Spirit delivers. May Telford Elim, and each church represented by those praying this prayer, preach, teach and minister so many men, women, young people and children are led into this victorious life. In Jesus’ name. Amen