Participants:
Series Code: PHTDP
Program Code: PHTDP200007S
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00:14 Hi, welcome to day seven of Ten Days of Prayer.
00:17 A prayer plan from our friends at revivalandreformation.org. 00:22 Ephesians 6:18 says, 00:24 "Praying with always with all prayer 00:26 and supplication in the spirit, 00:28 being watchful to this in with all perseverance 00:31 and supplication for all the saints." 00:34 Prayer is challenging. 00:36 We cannot see God and most of us, 00:38 seldom if ever hear God, we cannot touch Him. 00:42 And it sometimes seems like answers are hard to come by. 00:45 We also have many questions about how prayer works 00:48 or why it doesn't seem to work. 00:50 Listen to this testimony and see if you can relate. 00:54 "I remember praying as a young man 00:56 and growing frustrated. 00:58 I would often get drowsy 00:59 praying with head bowed and eyes closed, 01:01 and sometimes my mind wandered to a list of things 01:04 I needed to do 01:05 instead of talking with the Lord. 01:07 Songs like Sweet Hour of Prayer were a mystery to me. 01:11 How can anyone pray for an hour? 01:13 I can hardly pray for 15 minutes. 01:15 In fact, one survey shows 01:17 that the average time pastors spend in prayer 01:20 is around 7 to 10 minutes each day. 01:22 I feel, I felt guilty of all things 01:25 that a pastor should be committed to, 01:27 prayer is the most important of all. 01:29 While thoroughly studying the subject of the Holy Spirit, 01:32 I came across this text, Romans 8:26. 01:36 'And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. 01:38 For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. 01:42 But the Holy Spirit prays for us 01:43 with groanings 01:45 that cannot be expressed in words.' 01:47 I did not fully understand this verse at the time 01:49 but it was clear that 01:51 the Holy Spirit would help me with prayer. 01:53 That one thought alone began to transform my prayer life. 01:57 God had promised to help me pray. 01:59 So I began to claim that promise 02:01 with all my heart. 02:02 When I got drowsy, I claimed the promise. 02:04 When my mind wandered, I claimed the promise. 02:07 Gradually, the quality of my prayers 02:09 and the quantity of time I spent in prayer improved. 02:13 Also, as I spent more time in prayer, 02:15 personal challenges improved 02:17 or went away and miracles began to happen. 02:21 I can't explain why but it seems to be true. 02:23 The time spent in prayer is just as important 02:26 as the quality of what we say. 02:29 Even though prayer is still a challenge 02:31 sometimes I find that the time goes by more quickly 02:34 and I don't have trouble with sleepiness 02:36 or mental wandering. 02:37 I know God hears my prayers 02:39 and I know He will answer in His own good time 02:42 and in His own way. 02:44 So biblically speaking, 02:45 I believe to pray in the Spirit 02:47 means to put forth human effort 02:49 to improve our time in prayer 02:51 while trusting the Holy Spirit to inspire and to empower us." 02:57 Now perhaps you struggle with your prayer life. 03:00 Here are a few practical ideas to improve your prayer life. 03:04 Pray through Scripture, 03:06 read a text and pray to the Lord 03:08 about what you just read. 03:10 The hymnal and other song books contain many prayers. 03:13 Use those prayers to help you know 03:15 what you want to say. 03:16 Singing is another form of praying. 03:19 Journal your prayers, 03:21 many people enjoy writing out their prayers 03:23 and they find that it helps clarify their thoughts 03:26 and express themselves more thoroughly. 03:29 Find a prayer partner 03:31 that you can pray with in person 03:33 or over the phone. 03:34 If you want the Holy Spirit to work, 03:38 prayer is vital. 03:39 Jude 20 reminds us that we build up our faith 03:42 by praying in the Holy Spirit 03:45 and Ephesians 6:18 encourage us to pray in the Spirit 03:48 with all kinds of prayer and requests. 03:52 You may ask what is praying in the Spirit? 03:56 I would say in simplest terms, 03:58 it's the opposite of praying in the flesh. 04:01 I think we all know what it feels like to be dead 04:04 in our prayers and how difficult it is 04:08 sometimes to pray as we've talked about, 04:10 to be tongue tied. 04:11 I know that feeling. 04:13 With nothing to say, 04:15 having to force ourselves to try to pray. 04:19 Well, to the extent that it's true of us, 04:21 we are not praying in the Spirit. 04:26 You might recall those conversations 04:27 that you've had with someone very special to you 04:30 where the words just flowed from your heart, 04:33 right through your mouth. 04:34 To me that's similar to praying in the Spirit. 04:38 Your heart and your passion become evident. 04:40 And it's like the Holy Spirit 04:41 notices that you really mean business. 04:47 That's my take. 04:49 The bottom line is the importance of prayer. 04:54 Luke 6:12 tells us that 04:56 Jesus continued all night in prayer to God. 04:59 And 1 Timothy 2:1 reminds us that 05:03 prayer is the most important thing we can do. 05:08 And Luke 18:1 says we will be blessed 05:11 if we persist in praying without losing heart. 05:23 Sweet hour of prayer 05:27 Sweet hour of prayer 05:32 That calls me from 05:36 A world of care 05:39 And bids me at 05:43 My Father's throne 05:48 Make all my wants 05:53 And wishes known 05:59 In seasons of distress 06:06 And grief 06:08 My soul has often 06:13 Found relief 06:18 And oft escaped 06:22 The tempter's snare 06:27 By Thy return, 06:31 Sweet hour of prayer 06:42 Sweet hour of prayer 06:46 Sweet hour of prayer 06:50 The joys I feel, 06:54 The bliss I share 06:58 Of those whose anxious 07:02 spirits burn 07:05 With strong desires 07:09 For Thy return 07:14 With such I hasten 07:19 To Thy place 07:22 Where God my Savior 07:26 Shows His face 07:30 And gladly take 07:35 My station there 07:39 And wait for Thee, 07:44 Sweet hour of prayer 08:06 So let's take time to pray. 08:11 Dear Father, make me a person of prayer 08:17 and use me to bless the people in my life. 08:26 Lord, please pour out Your Holy Spirit on me 08:29 and give me strength to, 08:33 to pray without ceasing. 08:44 Lord, please rebuke Satan and the evil spirits that 08:47 desire to keep me in bondage. 08:52 Lord, remind me that I have the victory over sin 08:55 through the power of Your blood. 08:59 With the strength of the Holy Spirit, 09:02 I will walk in that victory. 09:10 Thank You for prayer, God. 09:13 Thank You for hearing our prayers. 09:18 Father, I pray for our children. 09:24 Lord, I ask that You would save our grandchildren 09:27 and our children. 09:30 Lord, send every angel heaven can spare 09:34 to guide our children into everlasting life. 09:39 I ask, Lord, that You would break 09:40 Satan's power over them. 09:45 Help them to see Your goodness 09:49 and give them a spirit of repentance. 09:59 Lord, I ask that You would bless our pastors, 10:02 our teachers, our evangelists, 10:05 members all over the world 10:11 who are striving to serve You. 10:16 Lord, remind them of the power of prayer. 10:23 May the united force of Your people 10:25 rise up to heaven 10:26 in a mighty chorus of praise and intercession. 10:35 Lord, help us to realize there is power in prayer. 10:43 Lord, we pray for Your protection 10:46 for those who are vulnerable, 10:50 especially for children and for teenagers, 10:53 God, we asked You to guard them 10:57 from those who would seek to exploit them. 11:07 Those who satan uses to harm our children. 11:19 Lord, wrap a hedge of protection 11:22 around the minds of our children, God. 11:30 Father, I ask that You would raise up 11:32 urban missionaries to plant churches 11:35 for the 806 people groups in the 20 countries 11:39 of the inter-European division. 11:46 Lord, please raise up 11:47 an army of workers to plant churches 11:49 for the 948 people groups in the 38 countries 11:54 of inter-American division. 11:58 Father, as I read these numbers and as I lift them up to You, 12:03 it's impossible for me to fathom 12:10 the number of people 12:13 that need to know You. 12:16 But, God, my greatest prayer, 12:21 my greatest desire is that 12:23 You would fill me with compassion for the lost. 12:30 Lord, give me a hunger to spread the gospel, 12:37 to pray for my fellow man. 12:44 God, I lift up those who are diagnosed with cancer. 12:51 Lord, I ask that Your healing would flow upon them 12:54 and that Your grace would be outpoured to them 12:56 and that your peace would saturate the very room 13:01 that they are in right now. 13:06 God, we know that treatment 13:10 for disease 13:13 can be financially devastating. 13:21 So I ask that, God, You would, 13:25 that You would do a financial miracle, Lord, 13:27 in the lives of those 13:30 who are having to pay for their treatment. 13:52 Father, it's likely that 13:55 there are those who are watching 13:56 that have been hurt 14:02 by family or by maybe friends, even strangers. 14:11 People who've been hurt by co-workers 14:17 and unfortunately, even by church leaders. 14:26 God, I asked that You would grant us 14:29 grace to forgive them, 14:33 to forgive them even if there hasn't 14:35 even been an apology. 14:41 Lord, we know the forgiveness that we've received from You, 14:46 so I ask that You will help us to forgive others. 14:50 Teach us to walk in mercy, 14:52 not to be easily offended, Lord. 14:58 May our words be encouraging. 15:04 Help us to leave all judgment in Your hands. 15:13 Mainly for fear that we would be found guilty 15:17 of the very thing that we accuse others of. 15:27 Along with those who have heard us, 15:31 God, we pray for 15:35 those that are in abusive families, 15:40 especially the children that are in abusive homes. 15:43 I ask God that You would be their protection, 15:48 for couples 15:49 who are in abusive relationships, 15:52 abusive marriages. 15:55 Oh, God, I pray that 15:56 You would please 16:00 give them the wisdom to seek help, 16:03 to find a way out of this abusive situation. 16:11 Help them find freedom and safety, God. 16:19 Lord, the pressures of life are weighing 16:22 a lot of people down these days 16:24 so much so to the place that some people have 16:28 even developed a case of insomnia. 16:32 I lift these people up to You, Lord. 16:37 Show them that they can go to You in prayer. 16:41 As they're lying there in bed awake at night, 16:48 that they can turn their cares over to You 16:50 knowing that You care for them. 16:58 And, Lord, remind us all that if we pray, we shouldn't worry. 17:06 And if we worry, then why pray? 17:21 Sweet hour of prayer 17:25 Sweet hour of prayer 17:29 Thy wings 17:31 Shall my petition bear 17:36 To Him whose truth 17:39 And faithfulness 17:43 Engage the waiting soul 17:50 to bless 17:51 And since 17:54 He bids me seek 17:58 His face 18:00 Believe His Word 18:04 And trust His grace 18:10 I'll cast on Him 18:15 my every care 18:21 And I'll wait on thee, 18:25 sweet hour of prayer 18:39 God, I have family that need Your salvation. 18:43 They don't need religion, 18:45 they need a relationship with You, Lord. 18:50 Lord, I ask that You would reveal to them 18:52 that You are the way and the truth and the life. 18:56 Holy Spirit, I ask that You will make us mindful 18:59 of our need for You. 19:04 And, Jesus, as we lift You up, 19:05 You said You would draw all men unto Yourself. 19:09 Be magnified, oh Lord, and save our loved ones. 19:17 Lord, I pray for those who are persecuted, 19:19 the persecuted Christians. 19:23 I ask that they would understand 19:25 and find peace in Your sufficient grace, 19:29 even in their times of persecutions. 19:35 Those who are facing physical threat, 19:38 who are put into scenarios 19:39 where they must make instantaneous choices 19:42 under great pressure. 19:45 Lord, I asked You to help them 19:46 understand the promise of 2 Corinthians 12:9, 19:50 which says, "My grace is sufficient for you. 19:55 For my power is made perfect in weakness." 20:02 Lord, help the persecuted to look to You in those times 20:05 and to find that grace. 20:16 May they find peace and that promise that 20:22 they will go on and boast more gladly 20:25 of their weaknesses so that Your power, 20:30 Christ, will rest upon them. 20:38 Again, Lord, as, as we have already 20:44 so many times in these past few days 20:46 we pray for our world leaders, 20:51 God, we know that healthy relationships 20:53 are key to solving problems. 20:59 And around the world 21:01 we know that it's easy for tensions to build 21:06 when dealing with politics. 21:08 So we pray, Lord, that those who are in authority 21:14 would have the wisdom to approach the relationships 21:17 that they have with, with kindness 21:20 and with an attitude of openness. 21:27 God, guide their conversations with Christ-like love, 21:31 with humility, give them the ability 21:33 to understand each other, to disagree agreeably, 21:37 as to not make matters worse. 21:48 For those countries who are under different, 21:52 less democratic forms of government, 21:55 God, I ask that You would grant wisdom to their leaders, 21:58 turn their hearts to You 22:00 and give them a hunger to serve godly. 22:05 We know that there is nothing impossible with You. 22:21 Jesus, 22:23 You're my firm foundation 22:28 I know I can stand secure 22:33 Jesus, 22:35 You're my firm foundation 22:39 I put my hope in Your holy Word 22:45 I put my hope in Your holy Word 22:52 I have a living hope 22:57 I have a future 23:02 God has a plan for me 23:07 Of this I'm sure, of this I'm sure 23:13 Jesus, 23:15 You're my firm foundation 23:19 I know I can stand secure 23:24 Jesus, 23:25 You're my firm foundation 23:29 I put my hope in Your holy Word 23:35 I put my hope in Your holy Word 23:41 And Your Word is faithful 23:46 And mighty with power 23:52 You will deliver us 23:57 Of this I'm sure, Of this I'm sure 24:02 For Jesus, 24:05 You're my firm foundation 24:09 I know I can stand secure 24:14 Jesus, 24:16 You're my firm foundation 24:20 I put my hope in Your holy Word 24:25 I put my hope in Your holy Word 24:42 Father, thank You for being that firm foundation 24:47 in an otherwise shaky world. 24:53 We know we can count on You, God. 24:55 And I want to lift up a shout of praise. 25:01 Shout of praise to You, oh, God. 25:04 For the way that You are working in our lives, 25:08 for the victories that You're winning, 25:11 for the lives that You are healing 25:13 through the prayers that we have prayed 25:15 over these days, 25:16 for the blessings and the miracles. 25:19 God, I glorify You for being the lifter of our head, 25:22 the joy in our hearts. 25:24 Thank You, Lord, for bringing us through trials. 25:30 For the lonely nights that You have seen us through. 25:34 For the torment and the weary battles 25:37 that You have brought us through, God. 25:39 You are our strength. 25:44 And Your name is matchless, Lord. 25:47 We lift Your name high. 25:49 We bless You, Father. 25:54 Isaiah 54:17 says that, 25:56 "'No weapon that is formed against you will succeed. 26:00 And every tongue that rises against you 26:02 in judgment, you will condemn. 26:06 This peace, righteousness, 26:08 security and triumph over opposition 26:11 is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. 26:14 And this is their vindication from Me,' says the Lord." 26:18 And in 2 Peter 2:9, it says, 26:22 "The Lord does not slack concerning His promise 26:25 as some men count slackness, but He is long suffering. 26:31 He's not willing that any should perish, 26:33 but that all should come to repentance." 26:37 So don't give up praying. 26:39 Don't stop praying for your loved ones. 26:42 Don't stop believing for that need in your life to be met. 26:50 Put your hope in God. 26:53 He is your firm foundation. 26:57 Let faith arise in your soul. 27:03 For His Word is faithful 27:08 That He is mighty in power 27:13 We have His Word. 27:14 It says... 27:16 God will deliver us 27:19 Of this you can be sure 27:22 Of this I'm sure 27:24 Oh, Jesus, 27:26 You're my firm foundation 27:30 I know I can stand secure 27:35 Oh, Jesus, 27:37 You're my firm foundation 27:41 I put my hope in Your holy Word 27:46 I put my hope in Your holy Word 27:57 Be sure and join us again tomorrow 27:59 for day eight of our Ten Days of Prayer. |
Revised 2020-04-09