Jun 15 – This week we are praying for freedom from seven bondages that can grip people’s lives.
Father, the freedom to be who You made us to be is only possible by being in a living relationship with Christ, following Your pathway for life and discipleship. To be united to Christ as His son or daughter, to follow Christ as His servant, to worship in Spirit and truth – amongst other biblical principles for life – these are the ways to true biblical freedom. I pray for those who are affected by a restless spirit which seeks to draw them away into bondage to the flesh, sin, Satan and the world – I pray for their freedom in Christ.
Sometimes restlessness comes from You – perhaps to redirect our lives into Your will. A restlessness for more of You, and a deeper walk with Christ, always leads to godliness, a closer walk with Jesus, a better, more open and effective partnership with Your Spirit – I submit to You Father, and ask that You will direct my steps in the pathway of holiness.
I pray for those who are caught in the downward spiral of disengaging from fellowship – of drawing away from the community of faith. I also pray for those who are unwilling to whole-heartedly obey and follow You; may those caught in Satan’s snare of thinking that true fulfilment is found in self-fulfilment be awakened to the truth of what You desire for them – a revelation of what true freedom in Christ really means. At the heart of the Gospel call, is a call to love one another and remain in true fellowship with one another within the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
The same as with breaking all unbiblical bondages – the first requirement is to be awakened to the fact that we are living in a place of bondage. This is always a place where sin deceives turning us away from Your will. It is a place where we are walking in darkness, not in Christ’s true light.
If there is an area of darkness in my life, I ask for Your forgiveness and commit to follow the biblical pathway of repentance and the opening up of that area to Christ’s light. I pray for anyone in bondage to a restless spirit which prevents them settling into a godly manner of life to which You are calling them – set them free and instead may they become vibrant, Spirit-filled ambassadors walking in freedom in Christ. May the reality of the adventure of faith, and the contentment of godliness replace the restless spirit which in times past has driven them, often, out of Your will and into a place of spiritual darkness and death. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Jun 16 – Father, Your word says that, in a sense, all believers are pilgrims and strangers on this earth awaiting their heavenly home. However, we pray for those who are seeking to fill a void in their lives outside of Your Son – many of them rootless and lost, set them free. Lord, so many are constantly wandering from a place of Holy Rest of the soul, from the chance of being truly rooted in Christ into a barren place of bondage to this world, of unholy discontentment, and fleshy, carnal cravings.
We also pray for those who are looking for fulfilment in the wrong places because of false teaching or false promises which are not based in Your word, nor ever were from You. Ultimately, everything that is good for us is found in You Lord Jesus. We proclaim that being firmly rooted into Your life and salvation is best for us. I declare this to be true, and for the power to live out this truth.
May the rootless find their foundation for life and for rest of soul in You. May Your Word’s gracious power bring the blessing of entering into spiritual stability in the power of the Spirit, rooted fully in Christ, and living in the reality of this today and every day. Amen
Jun 17 – Father, we pray for those in bondage to a God-dishonouring lifestyle. These are days of an intense assault on biblical morality and ethics. Few live a life shaped by the Bible’s teaching. Many deny Christ, are held by ungodly forces, enthralled by the pushers of sensuality, and advocates of soulish principles for life.
You call Your people to be saints! May we be a church that strives for godliness, conforming to Your Word and will; a church where holiness, striving daily by seeking to be filled with the Spirit and Your word, to be more holy in thinking, speaking, acting and reacting are taught, preached and modelled. We pray to be a church filled with many people living lives in line with Your word – a church where Christ is lifted high, lauded and extolled. May we be anointed by Your Spirit to be effective witnesses to the blessedness of living a life that pleases You in Christ.
Grant us an attitude of mercy and grace for those who are not yet as godly, nor holy, as Your word would require. Enable us to engage in spiritual warfare by Spirit-led prayer, the power of worship, the transforming power of the application of Your Word, and by being conformed to the Kingship of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Guide us when to confront God-dishonouring lifestyles under the leadership of Your Spirit, while remaining sensitive to the Laws of Love and of Grace in dealing with those in the bondage to an ungodly life. Lord, may our lives be righteous and fruitful – we compelling witnesses to the life transforming power of Christ today. Amen
Jun 18 – Father, break the power of idolatry in our nation. The 2nd commandment says not to make idols for ourselves, not to bow down to nor worship any such object or philosophy. We know idols can come in many guises, but ultimately, they all lead us away from worshipping You, in Spirit & in truth, into the bondage of false worship.
We also pray for those in our church, town, county and nation who are either openly, or inadvertently, worshipping an unbiblical philosophy, another person, thing, or even false god. Open their eyes, Lord, so that they may see Jesus the Creator, know Him in truth, and worship Him as their only Lord and God.
Idolatry always opens the door to Satan and his darkness. It leads people into bondage to demonic forces. May the liberty that comes from Your salvation, true worship in Spirit and truth, and doing Your will, spread out from the people and ministries of our church, in person and online, leading many into true freedom in Christ – into a lifestyle free from bondage to material things, people, false philosophies or false religions. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Jun 19 – Father, we pray today for the exposing and breaking of the bondage of the curse of false prophets who are shaping our age in antichrist ways. Throughout the Old Testament, You warned Your people not to listen to nor obey false prophets. These were people didn’t truly know You, and were speaking words which were not from You. Yet, many of their followers loved such words because it fed their carnal, soulish minds and hearts. That is, the false prophets reinforced the notion that they didn’t need to fully submit to You nor change their lives to live in faith and obedience to You. Instead, they encouraged people to continue in their religious, carnal, ultimately unregenerate and soulish ways.
Lord, today, false prophets fill our media, education systems and businesses teaching a Christ-dishonouring way to succeed and live well in this life. We pray today for those who are under the sway and inspiration of these dark, evil men and women of sin and rebellion – grant us the words of deliverance and truth which will lead people to Your truth, and ultimately to salvation in Christ. Expose the false prophets and bring them in repentance to Christ, and to obedience to biblical truth.
Enable us as a church to feed people Your true words which are fresh Bread and living Water to the soul. Enable us to overcome, in Christ, the evil, God-dishonouring inclinations of the hearts of those who oppose Your word, will and ways. As these are exposed – may many repent, and be healed by Your salvation in Christ. Help us to be a church of discernment confronting the teaching of false prophets when necessary, and always seeking to possess a true Spirit-inspired prophetic ministry. May such ministry in our church set many free in our Communities, Borough and County, nation and the nations, both online and through person to person ministry. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Jun 20 – Father, thank You that You are a compassionate and forgiving God. We pray for the breaking of the bondage of unforgiveness. So many today blame You for the bad things that have happened either to them or to others, and, as a result, are angry with You; yet, You are the God who loves them so much and who opens Your arms of love and compassion to each one of them through Jesus.
Grant us the revelation we need to be equipped to be a church who offers them the Cruciform Christ – Your Son who walked in pain and experienced intense, substitutionary suffering for the sake of our freedom from self, sin, the world and Satan. Bring a healing into their lives through the blood of Jesus. May those who are angry with You seek Your forgiveness and find Your Fatherly love and grace. Bring biblical wholeness to them so they can forgive and be forgiven through the means of Your word, the ministries of our church, and person to person ministry. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Jun 21 – Father, break the bondage of a wrong understanding about Your Church. Today the Church is often mocked, ridiculed and marginalised from the public discourse. Instead of being at the forefront of shaping Societies’ understanding of, and response to, the great issues of the day – Your Church is largely ignored. Yet, Your Church is the bride of Christ, and the defender and advocate of Your truth.
Lord, You love Your Church so intensely. Many the hate and anger of those who oppose Your Church be exposed for what it is – a hatred of Christ and His light in His Church. Some have had bad experiences of church – Lord, whatever the cause of their pain, bring them back to You and to true fellowship with their brothers and sisters. If humility and forgiveness are needed, supply the mercy and grace they need. Others blame the Church when in fact it was their own unwillingness to submit to You, and their fellow brothers and sisters in it, which was the issue.
Whatever led to this anger against Your church, Lord, may there be a great awakening which leads to Churches which are a blessing, prayer dynamos, and powerhouses of worship, discipleship, service and outreach. May the angry become the contented in Christ, belonging to His Church, belonging and connected to a local church because of Your Spirit’s intervention and ministry in their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen
