Praying in the Spirit is not an acquired skill but rather the fruit of a nurtured relationship with God WG

II Corinthians 5: 4-5 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee

The more we walk in the Spirit the more we groan for that perfection that will come when we are with Jesus. Prayer is the response of our desire that groans to have more of God so that His life will flow through us bringing His peace and righteousness to triumph over chaos and wickedness.

Preparing our hearts for the ministry of intercession: Confession and Repentance

Without fear let us confess the sin that shames us, and then confront it in the name of our Mighty Redeemer. The same light that shows us our sin and condemns us for it will show us the way out of it, into the life of liberty that pleases God. Andrew Murray

The church has put confession and repentance on the shelf because we have become comfortable with sin. This sad truth is reflected in our prayerlessness and lack of passion for the things of God.

Romans 7: 22-25 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Insight: Paul is acknowledging the reality of sins presence because of the flesh. But He is also pointing us to our victory over sin which comes through Jesus Christ. Sincere confession and repentance keeps our heart sensitive toward the sinfulness of sin and its offense to God.

Prayer prompt: Acknowledge your wretchedness apart from Christ and ask the Lord to reveal anything in your heart that is an offense to Him. Confess in agreement the sins that the Holy Spirit reveals and ask the Lord to give to you a repentant heart

Praise

Psalm 68: 1-3 Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.

Standing in the gap for Pastors

The pastors who are true men of God are positioned to have the greatest influence upon our society. Through the preaching and teaching of Gods word and being an example in holy living, the pastor has the opportunity to influence generations for Christ.

I Timothy 4: 6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

Insight: The characteristics of a good minister of Jesus Christ are enumerated in this verse: 1. Instruct the brethren 2. Nourished in the words of faith3. Good doctrine4 Obedience to Gods word

Prayer prompt:

Ask the Lord to help His pastors to be faithful to instruct the brethren in the truths of Gods word. Pray that these men will make prayer and the study of Scripture a priority in their life so they will be nourished in the words of faith. Pray that they will be careful to teach the truth and not fall into error. Also pray that they will be obedient to the teachings of Scripture.

Prayer for Gods People

One of the greatest challenges for Gods people is to function as a body where each one does their part in the work of ministry. Consistent corporate prayer focusing on Scriptural truths that define Gods purpose for the church is the means through which this corporate unity and ministry is birthed.

Scriptural principles from John chapter seventeen that outline Gods purpose for the church:

John chapter seventeen is our Lords prayer to the Father before He was betrayed and crucified. In this prayer He prays for His disciples and for all future believers.

First: To be in Intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ

John 17: 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Insight: This was Christs first petition to the Father in regard to His followers. Our greatest quest both individually and corporately should be to know God with growing intimacy. It is through our knowing Him personally that His wisdom fills our heart and lights our path. The journey of knowing Him involves growing in our knowledge of His word and application of His truth. It also involves private prayer and seasons of public corporate prayer.

Prayer prompt: Ask the Lord to work in the lives His people to deepen our understanding and knowledge of God in a heart transforming manner.

Second: To stand firmly upon the word of truth He has given to us

John 17: 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You and they have believed that You sent Me.

Insight: It is through Gods word that our faith is established, strengthened and maintained. We are to be students of the word, stewards of the word and proclaimers of the word. The word of God is the foundation of all our beliefs about God, His character and His purpose. We are to be faithful to stand upon the foundation of Gods word and never compromise when pressured by the world to conform to their system of beliefs.

Prayer prompt: Pray that we as the people of God will stand firm upon the truth of Gods word. Pray that the Lord will deliver us from falling into the trap of convenient faith that discards those truths that place us at odds with society and even our government.

Third: That Christ will be glorified through through His people

John 17: 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.

Insight: As the special blood bought possession of the Lord Jesus Christ we are to bring Him glory. His presence, power and purpose should be the driving reality of our life individually and corporately. Therefore we have a obligation to scrutinize everything we do as a church to ensure that it is in harmony with Gods word and that its final objective is to bring glory to Christ.

Prayer prompt: Pray that God will give wisdom to the leadership of His Church so that they can safeguard the doctrinal and moral integrity of the Church. Pray that the greatest desire of Gods people will be to be faithful to the truth God has revealed to us through His word.

Praying for the Lost

Lostness is a spiritual problem stemming from a deceived heart and a blinded mind. At the point in which a person understands that their lostness is a direct result of their rejection of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, then the door is open for that person to come to Christ.

John 3:17-19 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Insight: Lost people often accuse believers of condemning them and tragically some who profess to know Christ do speak words of condemnation against lost people. However, Jesus tells us that He did not come to condemn but rather to save. We lean from the above passage that those who are lost are already condemned and they also are objects of Gods wrath. Their condemnation is not because of their deeds as much as it is their rejection of Christ. We also learn that mans natural tendency is to turn away from the light of Gods truth and this is so because the Bible tells us that their deeds are evil.

Prayer prompt: Pray for those you know who are lost. Ask the Lord to open their eyes to the plight of their spiritual condition. Pray that the conviction of the condemnation they are under will resonate in their heart. Ask the Lord to grant them faith and repentance.

Open prayer time!

Lets give God praise!

Amazing GraceEric NordhoffQuietime: Hymns, track 1/11, disc 1/12007Classical262496.16eng - iTunPGAP0eng - iTunNORM 000001EC 0000024C 00002A79 00003555 00022478 00037949 00007F7F 00007FA1 00022478 00022478eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 00000924 0000000000B094CC 00000000 005009CC 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000eng - iTunes_CDDB_1AB094B0B+178602+11+150+19831+37390+51391+74027+82847+99684+112078+122032+133161+157304eng - iTunes_CDDB_TrackNumber1Amazing GraceRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano Music2008-08-20T07:00:00Zgipm@windstream.net 2011 Autumn Hill Records2012-03-06 22:55:49TuneCore:isrc:USTC608453012:256Amazing GraceRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano Music2008-08-20T07:00:00Zgipm@windstream.net 2011 Autumn Hill Records2012-03-06 22:55:49TuneCore:isrc:USTC608453012:256Amazing GraceRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano Music2008-08-20T07:00:00Zgipm@windstream.net 2011 Autumn Hill Records2012-03-06 22:55:49TuneCore:isrc:USTC608453012:256Amazing GraceRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano Music2008-08-20T07:00:00Zgipm@windstream.net 2011 Autumn Hill Records2012-03-06 22:55:49TuneCore:isrc:USTC608453012:256Amazing GraceRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano MusicRelaxing Piano Music2008-08-20T07:00:00Zgipm@windstream.net 2011 Autumn Hill Records2012-03-06 22:55:49TuneCore:isrc:USTC608453012:256Amazing GraceEric NordhoffQuietime: Hymns, track 1/11, disc 1/12007Classical262496.16eng - iTunPGAP0eng - iTunNORM 000001EC 0000024C 00002A79 00003555 00022478 00037949 00007F7F 00007FA1 00022478 00022478eng - iTunSMPB 00000000 00000210 00000924 0000000000B094CC 00000000 005009CC 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000eng - iTunes_CDDB_1AB094B0B+178602+11+150+19831+37390+51391+74027+82847+99684+112078+122032+133161+157304eng - iTunes_CDDB_TrackNumber1