Jul 27 – The focus of this week’s prayer letter is again on Keeping the Soul in Good Spiritual Health.

Father, as we continue to pray about the spiritual state of our souls – we give You thanks for the hope that Your Son brings. You call us to develop into godly people – people who reflect Your character, and be holy as You are holy – people who reflect Your presence. It is only in Christ that this is possible.

We humble ourselves before You, repent of anything in our lives that is contrary to godliness and holiness of life, and ask for the mercy, truth and grace we need to guard our lives from that which would cause sin, self, Satan or the world to gain mastery over us.

We proclaim Christ as a King and Lord of our lives. As we again use Proverbs 4:23, NLT, ‘Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life,’ as a basis – we ask for spiritual discernment and Your truth to be enshrined at the very heart of our lives.

We pray for insight and the ability to recognise the dangers our soul faces, and to our spiritual health and Christian integrity, from unguarded carnal moments. These moments are when we indulge the flesh allowing the enemy to gain a foothold in our lives. Holy Spirit, please teach and equip us to be spiritually secure in this area so that we are good at walking in the light with Christ, and practising the spiritual disciplines which are good for our souls. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen

Jul 28 – Father, we pray today for those whose lives are categorised by Selfishness; those who base everything in life around themselves, and who love themselves excessively enthroning that self-love in their hearts. You call us to love others just as much as we love ourselves, and to enthrone Christ in our hearts. Love for our Saviour must come first.

Lord, may the methods of controlling others that are so often at the heart of a selfish person’s relationships, be clearly seen for what they are – ungodly and unholy. Expose the anti-Christ teaching and nurture given by many parents in our communities who teach their children according to the pattern of this world. We pray that as Christians, in our church, we may raise our children in godly, Christ-honouring ways. We pray for a heart-changing encounter with Jesus, the Great I AM. May many in our communities and nations have such a redemptive encounter. Use our church to bring Your truth in these matters to many in person and online.

We pray for any believers in our Church who still struggle with selfishness – may they have encounters with Christ, His authority and love which lead them to lay their lives down on the altar before Him; these divine encounters have the power to break selfish tendencies.

In Him, we live and move and have our being. We pray that each one of us in Telford Elim will be focussed and committed to Christ’s cause, to developing a godly character and holy nature, and whole-heartedly committed to that which is good for our souls fully surrendered to His purposes. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Jul 29 – Father, we pray for those whose lives are all about their own Needs; those who base everything in life around fulfilling those ‘needs’ – including some who put the needs of others above their devotion to Christ. Your word says that You will supply everything we need – ‘And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19). Teach us how to depend on You so that You will supply all our needs.

Lord, many are also insecure about their value as a human being, or a false, negative outlook on their own self worth, or the fact that they may not love themselves as You love them. We pray that these negative outlooks will be redeemed and overcome as they grow in grace and faith. We pray today that they will have a true estimation of their value in Christ – in Him we are the apple of Your eye; may everyone of us know how valuable we are in Your eyes – Christ died to redeem sinners. May each one of us come to love ourselves as You love us with agape love in Christ.

As we pray about that which is good for our souls – fill us with Your Spirit of Adoption. As the Spirit of Adoption fills each of us, we will come to a place of abiding security in Your love, and acceptance of Your commitment to us in Christ.

We pray especially for those who have a great well of natural love within which means they cannot help meeting other’s needs, even to their own detriment. Its source, human nature, no matter how noble its motives, is derived from within, is soulish and base in nature, and ends up meeting needs outside of Your Son’s all encompassing grace.

May the Need-Focussed people we are praying for be filled instead with Your agape love. We pray for life-changing encounters with Your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Adoption. We declare that as they do so He will eventually fill that inner void as they yield more and more of their lives to Him. As transformed and redeemed people –  they then can serve Your purposes and genuinely help others in need through Christ their Saviour. As Your Spirit fills them to overflowing – may the overflow of the love of Christ truly bless others in need. Amen

Jul 30 – Father, we pray today for those with a Cold Heart. If any are morally questionable, even dangerous in a group setting because their conscience is seared, may this be clearly understood and appropriate safeguards put in place.

We pray also for those who are hard hearted, distant and unsympathetic judging other people harshly; again for those who may not really love themselves, nor anybody else. Lord, You know how they have become Cold Hearted – and are able to change their hearts in Christ.

We think especially of any who may have been abused, or neglected, or traumatised at some point, or experienced deep disappointment, or grew up with a lack of parental love or discipline. If there are any in our church, in person or online, or whom we know, in such a state – grant us a great well of compassion, wisdom and spiritual power to minister wholeness to them in Christ.

Grant the ‘Cold Hearted’ an encounter with Your holiness/presence with its fire and purity which can truly melt the coldest hearts. You call us to love You, ourselves, and others out of the measure of Your love for us in Christ – such a warm, passionate love. Thaw out the cold hearted through salvation in Christ, and melt their hearts so that they are renewed by the New Birth, and given that new heart and attitude to life that comes only through Christ. Amen

Jul 31 – Father, as we pray for good spiritual health – thank You for the power of Worship to melt our hearts and to truly connect us with Your heart. Thank You for the peace on the inside that keeps our souls; thank You that when we keep up regular contact with You through Bible reading and devotions – You, the God of peace, keep our souls in perfect peace.

Thank You that as a result of living worshipful lives, our love for You grows, we can truly love ourselves, and love others as You call us to do. Lord Jesus, this is Your desire for Your disciples, and Your pattern for living – may this lifestyle be the norm in our Church.

We proclaim that our example in living and facing life’s challenges with thankfulness, prayerfulness, praise, worship and godly sincerity will create many new disciples as people access our church in person and online. We declare that as a result many, many people, tens, hundreds and thousands will live Christ-honouring lives, worshipping You with passion, depth and understanding, and living in relationship with You and others as the true followers of Christ should.

Grant us all a deepening encounter with Your Father heart which always leads us to become more spiritually mature, more worshipful, and more committed to the cause and service of Christ. Amen 

Aug 1 – Father, as we continue to pray this week about the spiritual health of our souls – we pray for those who live with the controlling effects of unsanctified fear. Unsanctified fear is any fear that prevents us living by faith in full assurance of Your love and the fullness of life Christ gives. It is the opposite of Your fear – living in Your fear is a blessing and helps us to live thoughtful, devoted and whole-heartedly committed lives before You.

Unsanctified fear causes us to take our eyes of Christ and put them on that which causes us to fear. To live under the control of unsanctified fears is not Your will for our lives. If the heart is controlled by unsanctified fear, then life’s journey and experience is not according to righteousness, peace and love in Your Spirit.

Only mature, agape love can drive out that imposter with its controlling fears and replace it with a godly confidence and faith. As a result of the ministry of our church, those who minister in it, and the ministry of all who belong to it – may there be breakthroughs in many lives overcoming and dispelling anxiety, depression and unsanctified fear. May a new, secure and Bold, Faith-filled spiritual life develop. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen

Aug 2 – Father, we pray for the Foolish of Heart today – we remember that we all were once outside of Christ, foolish and driven by the impulses of the human heart and the world around us. So many times we made bad choices ending up broken, disappointed and dispirited. Many times we ended up blaming our own woes, and the world’s woes, on everyone but ourselves.

You – through your beloved Son, revealed the truth about our hearts and faithless outlook on life – it was a foolish way to live, worldly minded, and opposed to Christ’s way. Help us a Church to extend the hand of grace and mercy to all who are outside of Christ. We pray for redemption and salvation to flow through our church, and the people in it, to multitudes of men, women, young people and children.

The power of the Spirit and Gospel overcomes the foolishness of the human heart. For any in our Church still subject to seasons of foolishness, grant them the gifts of insight, godly knowledge and wisdom, and the gift of connecting with godly, wise, more mature believers.

Only Your wisdom can drive out human and the world’s foolishness. May You also grant revelation from Proverbs 4:23 which leads to a well-guarded heart making the right decisions, having a good attitude to life which will lead to right choices, right decisions and good, godly discipleship growth. This is good for our souls, is attractive and inspiring to others, and leads to lives well lived in Christ. Amen