Jul 17 – The focus of this week’s prayer letter is on deepening spirituality.

Father, thank You for the example of Paul; his passion was to win people for Christ, but he also invested his time, energy, abilities, spiritual gifts and example in order to establish them in the faith.

Becoming established in the faith is a wonderful goal for every Christian, and for every Church to seek to facilitate and encourage in its people. It can be a rocky, challenging and winding road to get to the place where we are firmly established in Christ; a place where our identity is truly tied to His.

I pray today for the grace to press through until all that I am is laid on the altar for Christ; the state of being in which my identity is truly united with Jesus. Amen

Jul 18 – Father, Paul invested of himself into the people he was reaching out to with the Gospel, and then into the new churches he established. He preached, taught, ministered, worshipped, worked, served, led, and challenged the church rebuking when needed, but always praying wholeheartedly for them.

He invested all that he was in Christ, all that he had learned from Christ, and all that he understood from Scriptures into his churches, and his key apostolic delegates such as Timothy and Titus.

He partnered with You in seeking to establish the Kingdom, and in ensuring that the Church could understand what was needed in order to be citizens of Your Kingdom. May such wholehearted commitment and understanding be the hallmark of our church, in person and online.

We pray for the further development of structures in our church that enable the passing on of a strong Pentecostal theological basis, a sound spirituality, and a vibrant Spirit-filled lifestyle to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Jul 19 – Father, as we are praying about issues surrounding developing a deeper spirituality, we bring to You the barriers to such a life in me.

First, I bring to You any cultural factors which may be hindering my commitment to Christ.

Secondly, the societal factors I recognise that I am a product of the society I live in.

Thirdly, the personality factors which can create blockages in my spiritual development.

I thank You for those words in 2 Corinthians 5:17 about me being a new creation in Christ. This new life within, in Christ, means that the old inherent, engrained life no longer is the controlling nature within.

Thank You for the new start at the New Birth. I proclaim that the New Birth has established a new life within me. I no longer have to be tied to the life of sin, to be defined by the culture I grew up in, nor to the values of the godless society I grew up in.

Christ has set me free from the rudimentary elements of darkness and spiritual bondage in my spirit.

May You help me to apply develop this new life

1. that is, in my relationships both with myself and others, 2. in my mind being renewed in Your word, 3. in my emotional life becoming free from the governing principles of this world including the healing of any destructive or damaging memories, 4. and my will coming more and more fully under the lordship of Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Jul 20 –  Father, thank You for these words in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, NLT, ‘Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life [or as the NKJV renders it, ‘that if One died for all, then all died’]. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died & was raised for them.’

May the love of Christ be the major controlling and motivating factor in my life, and in our Church.

Anything that hinders the love of Christ being supreme – may that be exposed and redemptively dealt with so that Christ’s freedom and His cleansing blood may enable me to receive fully of His love to develop self-control, and to motivate my thoughts, words and actions in Christ-honouring ways. Amen

Jul 21 – Father, the idea of no longer living for self but living for Christ, 2 Cor 5:15, is a wonderful one. Forgive and cleanse me when I have made it all about me, and not You.

I recognise that many times I have consciously decided not to do the right thing, or the godly thing either because of time constraints or because of my weakness.

I pray for the establishment of a godly mindset which prioritises living for Christ. May this also be at the heart of our Church and its spirituality. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen

Jul 22 – Father, at the heart of Pentecostal spirituality is the belief in the Baptism or Filling of the Spirit. This is the experience that radically changed the early church.

If we are praying for the development of a deeper spirituality individually and corporately, then cultivating the life of the Spirit within is so important.

We acknowledge that the Spirit is our life – we also confess that, at times, we hinder His desire to release more of His power and love into our lives because of worldly mindedness, lack of faith, and lack of devotion and worship.

Teach us to number our days or to know the brevity of life. We only have a certain allotted time on this earth. What is really important? What should we prioritise?

Lord, I believe that deepening our spirituality should be one the major priorities for our lives. I commit myself to do that today. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Jul 23 – Father, living the life of faith gains strength when we deliberately and consciously choose to submit to the Lordship of Christ, and seek to live out the impact of those encounters with Christ through the Spirit in our Monday to Saturday lives.

It includes praying quietly and maintaining our communion with You in the workplace, office, recreational space, home and out in the community; and living a Spirit-filled life which produces life-giving water which can satisfy the inner, soul longing of the thirsty, the lost and the faithless.

I choose to drink the water of life which Christ offers, but also desire that out of my life will flow the life of the Spirit to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen