Prayer Guide 1 A Ministry of Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International 12
Welcome! T his prayer guide is intended to help you focus on praying for God to do His renewing work within and through you as you experience Ignite! Consider taking some time each day to pray for your church and the Ignite event which is scheduled. Allow this guide, as well as the Holy Spirit, to give direction to your prayers. As you pray, keep a current church directory with you and pray prayers of blessing on each person/ family. A Ministry of Presbyterian-Reformed Ministries International Be reminded of the early church who... all joined together constantly in prayer (Acts 1:14) as they waited for the promise Jesus had made them. Then, after the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost they were characterized in Acts 2 as devoted... to prayer. May God enrich the time that you spend with Him as prayer increasingly becomes as much a part of your life as the air you breathe. May He fan into flame the gift that is in you (2 Timothy 1:6) and open your eyes to all that He has created you for as His church! Come, Lord, renew your church as you use us in REACHING THE LOST and BRINGING RESTORATION TO THE BROKEN! 2 11
Days Twenty-Five through Twenty-Eight Prayer and Abiding in Christ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:7-8) In what ways are you as a church abiding in Jesus Christ? Praise God for those ways. Pray that you ll continue to grow in abiding. Think of the ways distance may have grown between you and some other member of your congregation. Spend time praying for God to close that gap. Pray that as God speaks you hear him and that the community and world would experience Him through your obedience. Days One through Four God s Invitation to Prayer Spend time interceding for the members of your Jesus said: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20) Lift up your pastor(s) in prayer. As you intercede for the church, ask the Lord to impart a deep hunger among the members to know, understand and obey the Scriptures. Pray for each member to grow as an effective witness to the love and truth of Jesus Christ. Ask God to fill the church with the wisdom, strength and conviction needed to obey his will. Pray for the leaders of your church, asking God to give these individuals the insight needed for leading the church into further obedience to Jesus Christ. 10 3
Days Five through Eight Clothed in Prayer Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God... (Hebrews 10:19-22) True renewal always results in an outward witness to the world. Part of this witness is prayer for those who have not yet come to truly know and serve Jesus Christ as Lord. Paul instructed Timothy: I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone.... (1 Timothy 2:1) This exhortation includes people who have not yet surrendered to Jesus Christ. Begin to intercede for some of those you know who have not yet experienced the saving grace of our Lord. Ask God to show them their spiritual need and the life he offers in Jesus Christ. Who are some of the individuals for whom the Lord is calling you to intercede? Continue in prayer for your pastor, as well as his family. Lift up the Christian Education ministry of the church. In addition, ask the Lord to continue to give his guidance to leaders in the youth ministry. 4 Days Twenty-One through Twenty-Four Listening in Prayer And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18) Scripture is very clear. We have a spiritual foe who works to confuse, distract and hinder the forward movement of the church. Pray for the spiritual protection of this church. Pray for the members to be filled with God s Spirit for serving Jesus Christ. Continue to intercede for your pastor, as well as the elders and deacons and various teachers. Continue to pray for the church to be filled with love and power for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Pray that any strongholds of spiritual darkness in the area will be exposed and brought down. In particular, lift up the families of your church. Pray for love, forgiveness and devotion of the Lord to abound. Pray that God would open your spiritual eyes and ears so you can see and hear His marching orders for your church. Holy Spirit, come and teach how to look and hear. 9
Days Seventeen through Twenty Praying for the World Praying for your church This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10) Lift up the surrounding community. Ask the Lord to bring his conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment. Pray for the ministry of compassion and healing to flow through the life of the congregation. Continue to lift up the youth ministry of the church. Pray for more workers. Praise God for the many ways the Lord is working through this church. Think about the foreign missions your church supports. Get out a map and locate those countries and pray specifically for the missionaries serving there. Continue to pray for the expansion of God s Kingdom in all the world. Pray for the missionaries laboring to plant churches worldwide. Pray for a spiritual awakening to sweep through the population. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill and flow through the worship of the church. As the people lift their voices in praise to God, pray for people to be drawn to the only true God. As the church worships, pray for the Holy Spirit to break down spiritual barriers and cause healing, evangelism, deliverance, conviction and love to saturate the people. Specific prayer for the church Jesus said: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8). As you pray for the church, ask the Lord to extend the ministry of Jesus Christ through the church for meeting the needs of people in love, prayer and compassion. Seek God in prayer for: 1. The spiritual growth of each member. 2. Many more people to come to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord this year through this church. 3. Many to catch the vision for the kind of spiritual growth that comes through small group ministry. 4. The Lord to give every member the opportunity to bring at least one friend to worship this year. Who would you invite? Pray for them. 5. For a majority of the church to participate in some form of Bible study. 8 5
.Days Nine through Twelve Praying According to God s Will Praying for your church This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15) Special concerns for your church Continue to pray for your pastor(s). Lift up the overall worship ministry of the church. Pray for the gifts and guidance for effective ministry. Think about those people who are not in leadership, who in fact may seem invisible to the body. As their names and faces come to mind, pray for them. Pray for the entire church to have a clear vision of the Lord s calling for ministry and worship. Pray for each member to further mature as a follower of Jesus Christ. Days Thirteen through Sixteen Together with God in Prayer Praying for your church But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:6) Continue in prayer for the Session/Council/ Consistory and all leaders. Ask the Lord to bring to the leadership a clear conviction of God s will for the church. Continue to intercede for your pastor(s). Continue to lift up the youth ministry of the church. Continue in prayer for those who do not yet know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Continue in prayer for the worship ministry of the church. Continue in prayer for the youth of both the church and the community. Continue in prayer for the various churches in the area. 6 7