Apr 24 – The focus of this week’s prayers are on: Setting People Free in Christ.

Father, it is one of the great promises in the Bible, ‘whom the Son sets free will be free indeed’ (John 8:36). This is a true freedom that transcends the freedom to act without compromise.

Lord Jesus, You were the freest person who has ever lived. Sin, fear and shame had no hold on You, the enemy couldn’t gain a foothold in Your life, and You were not controlled by any carnal impulse nor other person. Hallelujah!

In the context in which Jesus spoke and lived, it is freedom from the control and power of sin over our lives. If the power and control of sin is broken by Christ, and we able then to enter into His freedom – then we can also hope to be set free from the controlling spiritual forces of this world, including Satan.

Instead of living perpetually in fear of these elemental forces – we can live in the power of the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is Lord in our lives, and holds sway, there is Christ’s true freedom to do as You intend, and to be secure in Your Fatherhood.

May such a freedom be the people of our church’s daily experience. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Apr 25 – Father, there are so many people with barriers up in their lives separating them from Your light and freedom. Thank You for the important concept brought out by Paul in Romans 13:12, AMP, ‘The night [this present evil age] is almost gone and the day [of Christ’s return] is almost here. So let us fling away the works of darkness and put on the [full] armour of light.’

‘Put on the [full] armour of light’ is an unusual phrase. It is linked to Romans 13:8, ‘Owe no one anything except to love one another,’ which is the phrase upon which the rest of the chapter is built around.

Added into this mix is verse 14, ‘clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ’ NLT, or ‘put on the Lord Jesus Christ.’

Deliberately choosing to love others, putting on the armour of light, and clothing ourselves with Christ’s presence all come together – as does flinging away the works of darkness which bring us into bondage.

In essence, Paul is arguing that we have a choice each day. Either we allow the world to saturate our souls with its darkness leading to spiritual bondage, or we consciously act differently strengthening and developing Christ’s protection from the darkness. May we live in His freedom. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Apr 26 – Father, we pray about the three carnal or fleshy things Paul focussed on in Romans 13:13, and that need to be flung away from our lives. John Piper understood this to mean:

1. Wild parties and any level of substance misuse including alcohol, drugs, caffeine etc;

2. An excessive focus on sex, particularly promiscuity or immoral sex;

3. ‘Desires for attention, pre-eminence and control that produce quarrelling and jealousy.’

We pray that these will be flung away by anyone tempted in any or all of these areas in our church, in person or online. We also pray for a cleansing of Telford & Wrekin | Shropshire from these as the Gospel of Christ is preached, and many repent and believe into Christ in our Borough and County.

We pray instead that people will engage their minds in a godly way considering whose they are now in Christ, and how You encourage each believer to mature in Christ and thus stepping into His freedom. We pray that many in our communities will come to see Christ’s freedom at work in our lives, and yearn for His freedom in their own lives. Stir many to come to Christ. Amen

Apr 27 – Father, when thoughts come in any of the three areas mentioned yesterday from Romans 13:13, grant us the discernment and wisdom to recognise that we are being tempted to think in a worldly, carnal way.

Instead of allowing these thoughts to begin to turn us toward sinful actions – may the Spirit cause us to remember that ungodly thoughts are not sin, they only become sin when we start to dwell on them, fantasise about them, or agree with them and turn them into fleshy motivated actions, words or attitudes.

We pray for a turning to Christ at such times, and the strength and courage to overcome such thoughts and temptations through Jesus’ blood. Amen

Apr 28 – Father, again, we pray that You will not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil, including evil, fleshy thoughts. Teach us how to truly fill our minds with Christ.

As we digest Your word and prayerfully engage with Jesus – these builds faith. As we consider Your promises in Your word – these produces hope. Love is increased and matures as we draw closer to Christ.

The danger is that we do not deliberately clothe ourselves with Christ and His armour of light. Forgive us, Lord, when we fail to act.

Lord, so many Christians are walking around with gaps or holes in their armour of light. Instead of complete godly protection, there are areas of ungodly darkness; their spiritual protection is compromised and the enemy finds a way into their lives.

Satan cannot stand in Christ’s light, but he can certainly gain entrance into our lives through our failure to dress ourselves fully in the armour of light. Help each of us to focus on the imperative of dressing fully in the armour of light in Christ, and teach us how to do this each and every day. Amen

Apr 29 – Father, maybe some of our darkness and spiritual bondage is derived from one of the weaknesses mentioned in Romans 13:13:

1. Through deriving pleasure from the world’s entertainment;

2. Finding arousal to satisfy the needs of our senses in ungodly and Christ-dishonouring ways and places;

3. Pandering to the needs of self with its vanity, pride and ego which seeks to displace the Law of Love.

Father, I confess my sins of thought, word and deed. Forgive me also for not being wholeheartedly devoted to Christ and His Kingdom which at times has allowed evil to prevail, or darkness to gain a place in my life and bring me into spiritual bondage and apathy.

I pray to walk in the freedom from the power of sin which Jesus spoke about in John 8 – to step into the freedom from bondage which the Spirit desires to lead me into. Amen

Apr 30 – Father, I repent also of my own thoughtlessness and carelessness which has meant that I have not always deliberately chosen to love others, nor put on the armour of light each day, nor clothe myself with Christ’s presence. Cleanse and forgive me.

I plead the merits of the blood of Jesus which leads to redemption and wholeness. May the dark areas and areas of bondage in my life begin to be expelled, and Christ’s light and freedom fill every part of my life until I stand complete in His armour of light. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen