Aug 3 – The focus of this week’s prayer letter is again on Keeping the Soul in Good Spiritual Health – particularly praying about our minds.

Father, as I pray about those issues that can affect my soul, I recognise the importance of praying for my mind. There are things that can become a stronghold in the mind – as I pray, guide me this week by Your Spirit.

The way my mind operates is complex. Transforming my thinking by Your Word and Spirit are such an important part of successful Christian living. If I do not take the time to discipline, to biblically reshape and spiritually develop my mind, then my thinking is adversely affected. Unruly thoughts, ill-disciplined thinking, and destructive ways can ruin my spiritual walk.

Paul’s injunction, in 1 Corinthians 10:5c, is still vital, ‘bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.’ I bring my mind to You today. You intimately know my every thought both those thoughts renewed in Your Son, and those still subject to the pattern of this world.

Lord, You know how far I have come in the process of sanctifying, renewing my mind in Christ by Your word and Spirit. There are still trigger points which take me into confusion, fear, doubt and defeat. Teach me so I know and understand the temptations and pathways of testing by which Satan comes against me. I bring my mind to You – may my mind, my thinking and my processing of the events of life please and honour Christ.

My mind is a battleground – this has a huge impact on the course of my life. If I fill it with Your word and practice the Spiritual Disciplines – then I will follow Your pathway of mercy, grace and victory in Christ. I pray for each one in our church, both online and in person – that our minds and thinking will greatly honour Christ. Amen

Aug 4 – Father, I bring the realm of my memories to You. Memories are such potent things which have a really strong impact on how I feel I am doing, and on who I perceive myself to be. The pool of memories that are held in the reservoir of my mind can either give me confidence in my identity, and in Your dealings with me – a well-spring of life, or leave me feeling broken and uncertain about my place in You – a cesspool of decay.

I pray today for a healing in the realm of any of my memories which are not yet subject to the Lordship of Your Son, which are still controlled by either my sin or the sin of another, or which raise the spectre of the trauma of a past event or events. I pray equally for many that our church is reaching online – bring healing to their memories.

Teach me how to sanctify my memories – that is to allow Your Spirit to transform the world of my memories into one which is faith-filled – a realm wherein I am at peace with my past because of the blood of Christ, and able to make new, faith-filled, sanctified memories for the future. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Aug 5 – Father, I bring the world of my imaginations to You. Imaginations/fantasies have the power to steer me into a carnal way of thinking and looking at life. If my imaginations are wholesome and focussed on the dreams and visions derived from Scripture – then they have the power to engender faith and propel me towards Your Light and Life; if they are polluted and full of the desires of the flesh and mind – then they propel me towards sin destroying my spiritual strength, affecting the health of my soul, and robbing me of Your joy.

Teach me how to discipline the world of my imaginations/fantasies, to open them fully to the Light of Your Spirit and word, refuse the carnal, and instead to focus on pleasing You in every part of my mind. I pray again for a cleansing of the imaginations of many in our nation so that their hopes and dreams for the future are fully surrendered and open to the rule of Christ. Amen

Aug 6 – Father, I bring my thinking again to You. As I think things through – I pray that my conclusions and deductions will be shaped by the Bible, my devotions, and by fellowship with others in our church. The world, sin, self and Satan want me to always arrive at a conclusion which avoids the way of the cross, exalts self-reliance, and develops a mistrust of You.

Instead, I seek to embrace the way of the cross, reject self-reliance, seek to follow the pathway of humility and grace, and choose to trust You in everything. I pray against the constant pressure to conform to the pattern of this world’s thinking: it wants to introduce a note of scepticism, doubt and unbelief concerning the Bible, its veracity and trustworthiness.

Expose the emptiness of the underlying strongholds of the mindsets behind Humanism, Reason, Atheism, Pluralism, Consumerism and Secularism. Instead, may the glory, and immeasurable value, of a biblically-centred faith and outlook on life be brought to the fore in our nation. Save, heal, cleanse and renew the mindset of our nation so that it honours Christ, and follows His ways. Amen

Aug 7 – Father, I bring the whole area of pain to You. Physical pain has a profound effect on the mind. Prolonged exposure to pain, whether low-level or much stronger and debilitating, is hard to cope with, wears a person down, is exhausting, reduces the ability to function effectively, and often leads to mental ill health.

I pray for anyone I know today who is in this situation. Many times You use our experience of pain to do some of Your greatest work in the mind and life of a person – thank You for those seasons when You have renewed and refreshed my soul through the pain in my life.

I pray for those experiencing pain and the impact that has on their minds and thinking: If it is induced by their lifestyle – grant that one a revelation of what they could start to do to change their habits, to become more biblically wise in lifestyle choices.

If it is because of illness or disease – I pray for much grace, Your healing touch, and victory over it; if it is symptomatic of a deeper, underlying issue – may that be exposed and a redemptive transformation take place. I pray for the healing of pain through the ministries of our church – whether physical, emotional, mental or relational. As people engage with us – may they find the supernatural power of the Spirit at work bringing healing and wholeness. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen

Aug 8 – Father, I pray today about how pressure and stress affects me. Thank You that You have designed the human mind to cope with amazing amounts of pressure. In fact, pressure is often a catalyst for positive advances and leads to us producing our best results.

However, when pressure becomes so intense and prolonged that we feel it is endless, beyond our ability to cope with – it becomes unhealthy stress. Teach me how to stay on the right side of this line between good pressure and bad, stress inducing pressure.

Lord, the opposite is also a problem – lack of pressure which can lead to mind numbing boredom and a lack of motivation. If a person’s job, or work, is too easy, undemanding and boring, then the opposite stress can begin. This is the stress of trying to survive endless hours of tedium – this also is bad for our minds.

I pray for anyone I know today who is struggling to cope with stress – no matter the source. I pray for three things:

1. That the difference between pressure and stress will be clearly understood
2. That those living with unhealthy stress will be able to open up and share how they feel with a view to getting help and support
3. That the importance of living with a renewed mind – renewed by Your Word and Spirit, and by our worship and devotion – will become the aim of each person in our church, and all who are joining us online. In Jesus’ name.  Amen

Aug 9 – Father, Satan is waging an all-out war in order to captivate, capture and control our minds. He seeks to hold the decision making processes of the human race in bondage to darkness, sin and the power of self. He is not content to simply destroy any mention of, or regard for, Christ – instead he himself wants to receive that praise, honour and worship which is Your Son’s due. He is jealous of Christ, our relationship with Him, and of how good it makes us feel when we walk with Him.

As Satan’s strategies work themselves out – more and more people’s lives are destroyed, and more and more people’s minds are blinded to the joy, wonder and forgiveness possible by salvation in Christ. As the Age of Grace and Redemption move towards Christ’s Second Coming, it is not sufficient for Satan to remain as the unseen power behind many of the world’s systems and powers; no, Satan will want to come more and more to the fore so that his power and ingenuity are lauded and properly appreciated by the world.

May our church be able to preach and teach this truth so that we understand the times we are living in. We give praise, honour and glory that Satan’s revealing will not be on his terms – Lord, it will always be on Your terms. I pray that the UK will be one of the places in the world where Satan’s true evil, pernicious and destructive nature, and the cost of following his ways, is fully understood. Whereas Satan’s ways are destructive, evil, unclean and antichrist in nature – Your ways are life-giving, pure, holy, and Christ-honouring.

We pray that Christ will be lifted high, and multitudes come to trust in Your Son having their minds renewed in Him, and their souls blessed as they follow His way of the cross. Amen