I recently wrote a blog on the differences, and battle, between the rule of God and The World and its ways. This week I have developed this blog article into the basis for the daily prayers. The prayer for 31 January is the final one from our month of prayer. Pastor Leslie
January 31 – Heavenly Father, You are the creator of all things. As we finish this month of prayer and fasting – we close by praying into our relationships with each other, and others outside of church. All sorts of things hinder healthy relationships including distractions, lack of focus, and the issues around the power of ‘self.’
No matter our personality type or outlook on life – Jesus commanded us to love others as we love ourselves. Therefore, we pray into those issues that prevent us drawing upon Your love in order to then love others with Your love, and building healthy, strong and enjoyable relationships with one another.
We pray for those bound in ungodly fear, for those locked into a sinful lifestyle, for those bound by the fear of man or woman, for those careless about their faith, and for those broken by others; heal, redeem, deliver, and make whole all of these people, Lord, as our church engages with them online and in person.
This is especially important as we think about our mission statement of: ‘Developing a Whole Life Centre with a heart for the community where people meet God through Jesus, find life and make friends. A church that is willing to change and take risks in order to partner with God building His Church in Telford and the World.’
Lord God, enable us to live in 2022 feeding our souls as You call us to do, living out our faith before others, witnessing for Jesus, making disciples who make disciples, and building relationships that are rich, full of life, full of humanity, kindness and goodness, sharing with others that which enriches their souls, and is Christ glorifying. Amen
February 1 – There is a great difference between God and His goodness and rule, and that of the world and its power and allure. There is a battle raging between the forces of Christ and those antichrist forces arrayed against Him. It is a battle we all are involved in. The verses that have been on my mind for some time are 1 John 2:15-17.
1 John 2:15-17, NLT, ‘Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.’
The following prayer is developed from the TPT paraphrase version of these verses: Father, You tell us not to set the affections of our hearts on this world or in loving the things of the world. Your love and our love of the world and its ways are incompatible.
The world seeks to offer us things that are destructive to our spiritual lives and souls including ‘the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance.’ These things do not come from You but from the world. ‘This world and its desires are in the process of passing away, but those who love to do Your will – will live forever.’
We pray for the courage to live out the new nature You have planted in us in Christ – a nature based on righteousness and the Spirit’s power and presence. We ask for the grace to live, worship, serve and witness out of the reality of this new nature, and the biblical understanding and wisdom to apply these spiritual principles every single day. In Jesus’ name. Amen
February 2 – Father, You love the world in and through Christ. You created the physical universe, and all the systems of government and authority. In the Genesis 1 Creation account – You saw that Your work was good. You created everything to fit perfectly into Your plan, work as it should, and contain the seeds for future life, productivity and prosperity.
Lord, we acknowledge that Satan and the Fall into sin not only corrupted humankind, but also nature, and all the systems of authority which You originally had made as good. As the worldly systems and life developed and progressed, these were no longer good in a spiritual sense. They were corrupted, humankind sinners who then sinned, and all the power of death enshrined in the least sinful lie or act.
We pray today for those still caught in the trap of this world, sin, Satan and the power of self. Jesus and His victory on the Cross are Your divine answer to all these great issues. Father, help Telford Elim, in person and online, to preach, teach and minister these great truths. Open many hearts and minds to receive Your life giving words. In Jesus’ name. Amen
February 3 – Father, Your word teaches us that the world is the sphere of antichrist dominion – the realm that is not for Christ nor under willing submission to Him. It includes ‘all unbelieving and unspiritual people, and the social organisms of evil’ (Robert Law, The Tests of Life, 148).
The world its ways and power are diametrically opposed to You and Your word and ways. You tell us that love for the world and its systems is incompatible with love for You and Your authority in Christ, and His Kingdom order and rule.
As we grapple with these truths – guide us to a place where we can discern that which is off the world and destructive to our spiritual good, and that which is still good and will enable us to live lives that will honour Jesus, His name and will.
We pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us into Your truth. As we minister online and in person, and live for Christ – save many out of this world as they repent and believe in Jesus, and lead them into Your love, Kingdom and its spiritual life. Amen
February 4 – Father, there is genuine power in the world’s systems. It is the power to control, motivate and captivate people. Worldly rule is unrighteous in nature, prone to lust, antichrist in nature, and destructive for the souls of people.
Your word is so clear that lust itself is a sinful craving for things which are destructive to the soul, and our spiritual integrity. If left unchecked – lust is so powerful that it will shape our lives. I pray today for believers who are still controlled by their lusts or cravings. These have gained mastery over them, and they are subject to their whims and desires. Lead them into the truth of Your word, and may they embrace the new life You have deposited in them by Your Spirit.
I pray for those around us in our communities held by the pride of life which is all about power, status, and our importance in our own eyes. It is about what we have accumulated and possess, and about our standing in relation to other people. It is about the exaltation of self, and the drive in self to elevate itself and gain status.
Lord, will You break these evil strongholds through the ministries and witness of the people of Telford Elim. As we seek to live out Your truth and grace – protect us from the onslaughts of the enemy. We pray for breakthroughs into a new spiritual reality in all the areas mentioned above. Save, heal and deliver, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen
February 5 – Father, when Satan tempted Eve and then Adam, Genesis 3, there was real dark power in the temptations. Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was hanging on a beautiful tree, and the fruit looked delicious – good to look at, would make her wise, and she thought it would make her like You. However, what it really was about was replacing Your rule in her heart with the rule of Satan, sin, self and this world.
Lord, unlike Eve and Adam, Satan had no hold on Jesus. He was tempting One who could resist and turn the tables on Him bringing the full authority and power of Your word to bear on the Accuser. Lord Jesus, You exercised Your true authority and godly power in the battle with Satan, and You share that authority and power with us (Luke 10:19).
Father, we pray for Your Spirit’s fullness and help, Your word’s efficacy, and Your grace to step into that place of authority and victory over the lust of the eyes and flesh, and the pride of life.
We ask to live out our faith in Christ-honouring ways, obeying Your word, and exalting and glorifying the Lord Jesus thereby. That by living this way – You would use us to point many to the life of Christ, and the victory that He shares with us. Amen
February 6 – Father, the battle between the allure of the world and the power of Christ at work in us is a daily one. People talk about being true to themselves – that is being ‘real’ and acting as they believe their nature, desires and personality should.
In the world outside of Christ this will mean following the desires and outworking of the sinful nature; thank You that in Christ, our nature is renewed and the Holy Spirit is with us working in us so that this works out in our souls and bodies – therefore we develop and live out our faith in Christ-honouring ways.
Galatians 5:22-25 is an antidote to the allure of the world. NLT, ‘But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love [agape], joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. 25Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.’
Thank You because of the new nature born in us by the New Birth, and by Your Spirit and word’s ongoing work in us – we can be true to Christ, real as Christians loving Him and those we are in relationship with, and adhering to His teaching and commands.
I pray that because of Telford Elim’s ministry in person and online – that the work of the Spirit and word will help many to nail the passions and desires of the sinful nature to Christ’s cross.
I pray that they will open up to You the world of their inner passions, thoughts and desires, confessing them to You, and asking for cleansing, renewal, and Your mercy and grace. You are faithful and just and will forgive as they do so replacing these with the reign of righteousness in our lives. Hallelujah! In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen
