An Ongoing Prayer of Submission, Wisdom, and Spiritual Warfare

Lord Jesus, I come to you this morning seeking to know you more deeply, to surrender my life and will to yours today, to walk in the Spirit as He enables me, to die to self and take up my cross daily to follow you in all my ways even to the point of death.  I pray for wisdom and to have a heart for the lost with an urgency because the days are evil: wisdom to know your will of why we’re here in this town and wisdom to know how to proceed in praying about being aware of the schemes of the devil and understanding the signs of the time.  Father, please teach me.   

I pray that the veil that is over this place by the principalities and powers of this area be broken and lifted that the truth of your Word would go out with great power and understanding.  I stand against them in the power of your might and authority that you have given to me as a believer and submitted follower of Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior.  By the authority of Jesus Christ I command them to be broken and the veil be lifted that the truth of the times comes forward so that true believers become spiritually prepared and that unbelievers would come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Father, help me to separate my preconceptions and any false beliefs from the truth of Your Word.  Help me to grow in the Spirit.  I ask that you teach me your Word that I might rightly divide the Word of Truth. 

Father, please give us understanding and insight into your word.  Give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church today that they be ready for the things that are coming on the earth physically and spiritually.  Give us protection from any lying spirit that would seek to deceive.  Open our eyes that we may see the great distress of the world.  Open your word to us with understanding of the prophecies that you placed there that we could have eyes to see and ears to hear what you are saying to the church today.  Also, show us the distress and signs in the heavens that are about to come upon the earth.  

Father, I thank you for prayers you have already answered and how you have brought my wife and I into a closer relationship with you.  I pray that you would unite us in mind and spirit to be useful servants.  Thank you in advance for hearing and answering these prayers today.  I pray that these things all be done in Your way, Your time, according to Your will, to the glory of Your name. 

I pray all of this in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Things to Ponder and to Study:

1.  “…making the most of every opportunity for the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16 NIV1984)

2.  Be aware of the schemes of the devil.

“…in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (2Co. 2:11 NIV1984)

3.  Understand the signs of the time and prepare our hearts to know, accept, and serve Jesus now for the time is short. 

“1  The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.   2  He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3  and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.    4  A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”   Jesus then left them and went away” (Matthew 16:1-4 NIV1984).

The Pharisees missed Jesus because of incorrect theology which led to an inability to correctly interpret the signs of the time.  I don’t want to do the same! 

Father, please help me to not hold dogmatically to MY interpretation of Scripture but to have a teachable spirit.

4.  “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (Rev. 12:11 NIV1984).

5.  John wrote in 1 John 3:18 NIV1984 “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth…” 

What did he mean by that and how can I personally apply it to my life? 

How does that fit into this conversation of denying myself, taking up my cross daily, and following Jesus?

A Prayer for Humility

As I was praying all of these things the Holy Spirit reminded me of my tendency to become proud when God allows me some insight into His word. 

Father, please help me to continually submit my will to yours, deny and die to myself, crucify my flesh, and walk in humility.  Let everything I say and do come from a heart of humility that seeks to bring honor to you.  I pray in Jesus’ name.

Amen.