Category Archives: Prayer

When the Process is Painful

Because it isn’t if the process is painful. It will always be when, and that should change how we pray.

When we pray make me holy. Make my spouse holy. Make my children holy – then we must be willing to go through the pain of how God puts holy into us. But the hard part isn’t our pain, it’s watching those we love go through the painful process of God answering our prayers for His will be done in our family as it is in heaven.

Because for God’s will to be done, ours can’t be, and a human will in the process of dying is hard to watch.

Asking God to bring a prodigal to their senses.

Praying that those we love would walk free from fear and anxiety.

Asking God for more of His presence.

We know it isn’t a magic wand that brings the answers to our prayers. It is a powerful God and a good Father, who is committed to the process of forming Christ in us.

Which means unholy things get confronted.

Prodigals land at the end of themselves and the end of self is a painful place.

Fear and anxiety aren’t vanquished, they are faced, because trust is a choice we make in the face of something that feels more familiar.

The things we surround ourselves with must be removed, by us, to make room for more of His presence.

Wounds get opened so they can be cleansed so that the healing we prayed for can come.

Can deliverance and freedom come instantly by the hand of God? Absolutely.

But staying free is a process that involves our will and that process can be hard, because our flesh has to die in order for us to stay free, and man, that hurts.

I said all that to say this –

We pray for the outcome. God chooses the process. We cannot control it, and it will do no good to pray for God to skip the painful parts.

He loves us too much to say yes to that.

One last thing…

Not all answers to prayer are painful. God is so good, so gracious, and so merciful it’s ridiculous. But when we ask Him to do a work in us, or in the people we love, that makes us more like Jesus, you can bet something will have to die with the answer to that prayer.

A painful process is an indicator that God is doing something good. Keep praying!

Forty Days of Praying the Word of God: Day 39

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

Lord, we need Your Spirit to come upon us today. I pray for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit over, in, and through Your Church in this generation. I pray we will stop being witnesses to what the world is doing around us, and will instead become Your witnesses, in our own nation and to the ends of the earth. I pray that we will stop talking about what politicians are doing and begin to speak of what You are doing in the earth right now. I pray for those of us who feel powerless, to receive afresh the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim Your truth.

I pray that as Your Church seeks You in this hour, You will begin to shake the room and fill us afresh with Your Spirit, Lord. And I pray we will then have courage and boldness to proclaim Your name to the nations. That we will speak Your truth, and tell of Your awesome power and Your wonderous deeds. I pray that, under the power of Your Spirit, Your Word will go forth, running swiftly through the streets of our nation, compelling hearts to turn from darkness to light.

Father, I pray for the power of Your Holy Spirit to fill our pulpits and our homes. I pray that every crooked place would be made straight, everything hidden will be brought to light, and that Your Church would walk and talk as those baptized into Your death, and raised up to Your life, holy and clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Lord Jesus, I am asking that You breath upon Your Church again, filling us with Your Holy Spirit and power. Renew us, refresh us, and fill our cups again. Holy Spirit, teach us, remind us, and point us toward home, toward the throne of our Father.

Empty us of ourselves, and fill us with Yourself.

In the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Forty Days of Praying the Word of God: Day 38

“ Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? For what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” 

2 Corinthians 6:14-15

Lord, I pray for an increase in our obedience to Your whole word, including in the area of our alliances, partnerships, and marriages.

I pray that we will stop seeking common ground, and yoking ourselves with unbelievers. May we stop trying to partner righteousness with unrighteousness. I pray that we will be a people who set themselves apart, not as better than, but as different from. May every relationship we have with those in the world be redemptive, and gospel driven.

I pray we will be in the world, but not of it. That we will not allow ourselves to become conformed to the systems and ideologies of this world, but will continually seek transformation through the renewing of our minds by Your word. (Romans 12)

I pray that we will not compromise in order to keep from being hated by this world, but that we will rejoice in being identified with our Savior, who was hated first. May the love of God being poured out through us have priority over the approval of man being poured out on us. (Matthew 5; John 15)

I pray that nothing the world offers us will entice us, but that we will find all we need in You. May we find life and joy in You alone. (Psalm 16; John 10)

I pray that more and more, You will have a set apart people for Your own, a holy people that You have called out of the world, rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of Your Son. A people who love You and who love the people of this world as You do, but who have come out from among them. And from that love, may we go back out into the world to give them the good news of Your love and redemption.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Forty Days of Praying the Word of God: Day 37

“And a woman in the town who was a sinner found out that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house. She brought an alabaster jar of fragrant oil and stood behind Him at His feet, weeping, and began to wash His feet with her tears. She wiped His feet with the hair of her head, kissing them and anointing them with the fragrant oil…

…When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner…

…Therefore I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Luke 7:37-38, 47

Lord, You are so worthy of every last drop of us, every bit of our worship, all of our adoration.

I pray that, with full abandon, disregarding reputation and audience, I will love You with all that I am. I pray that nothing will be too costly to pour out for You and that I will gladly let the world watch my devotion to You. I pray that mine will never be a hidden love, and that I will never hold back because of who is listening and watching. I pray that I will always be willing to push past shame, push past what others think, to make my way to the feet of my Savior and love Him much.

Father, may the Church become abandoned to You. I pray that You will draw us back to this kind of love, to be a people that weep over You. A people pouring out all they have over You, because You are worthy of everything. Worthy of nothing held back.

Open our eyes again, Lord, to the truth that we have been forgiven much. May our sins never be disregarded, seen as little that we have been forgiven. Oh Lord, remind us again and again that we are the woman with the alabaster jar, sinners forgiven much.

May we love You like that, Lord. Emptied of pride, emptied of self. Risking scorn and disapproval. Our grateful hearts on full display as we pour ourselves out on You.

May we love much.

Forty Days of Praying the Word of God: Day 36

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Romans 12:9-10

Father, teach us to love well. Teach us to love true. Help us to stop feigning love, and run to You, our one true source of love, to teach us true love. I pray that our own kind of love will diminish, as Your love fills us and begins to overflow from us. I pray that every motive of our heart will be love for You and love for others.

I pray that we will not say we love You, but refuse to hate sin. I pray that from a place of love, we will speak truth, and from a place of love we will give grace, without offering compromise.

I pray that our love for one another would not stop with our words, but would be demonstrated in our actions. Lord, bring forth devotion in Your children, a devotion to You and to one another. I pray that we will begin to lift our brothers and sisters in Christ above ourselves. I pray for a self-sacrificing love to being to fill the hearts of Your people, a love that compels us to lay down our own interests and our own comfort for the sake of the Body of Christ. Fill us with a love that propels us to leave our comfort zone, to leave what brings us security and go to the uttermost for those You call us to serve.

I pray that we will stop re-enacting Your foot washing, and start doing our own by serving one another from a place of sincere love. I pray that the sound of grumbling and complaining will stop in the camp of God’s people, and that we will embrace our call to love and serve one another with joy.

I pray that we would not jockey for position or status, but that we would desire to see others lifted higher than ourselves, because we love. I pray we would step back and urge others forward, because we love. I pray we would give the most and the best away to others, because we love. I pray that we will fight for our brothers and sisters and not against them, because we love. I pray that we will always make room and make time, because we love.

And in the Name of Jesus, I pray You will do all of this, in me. Amen.

Forty Days of Praying the Word of God: Day 35

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.“

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Father, I pray that You will stir up the gifts in Your Body. May we begin to rightly walk in the gifting of Your Holy Spirit, boldly, with humility.

I pray that those who have been given the message of wisdom and of knowledge would submit themselves to You and open their mouths to speak what You have given them.

May those who have the gift of faith, and of healing and miraculous power, step out with boldness. I pray that those with extraordinary faith will begin to encourage Your Church, and raise her faith level. I pray for healing and miracles to come forth through the vessels that carry Your gifts.

I ask that You would purify those who carry prophecy, Lord, that they would speak Your words and not their own. Holy Spirit, prophecy to us, and to the world, through those You have filled with the gift of prophecy.

Pour out discernment, tongues, and interpretation as You will, Lord, for the common good.

Holy Spirit, cause Your people to move as one, built up by the gifts You have distributed. I pray that You will make us as an orchestra Lord, many parts working together as one Body. I come against the schemes of darkness that intend to twist the gifts in the Church, to cause harm and not good with what You have given, in the Name of Jesus.

Cleanse us from anything that gives credit to ourselves for what can only come from You. Cleanse us from our need to be seen and heard and approved of by others. Cleanse us from insecurity that makes Your gifts about us, and not about the Body.

Purify us Lord, cleanse us from pride, or anything else that makes what is holy within us to become unholy through us.

In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Forty Days of Praying the Word of God: Day 34

“He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then He gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 8:3

Thank You Lord, for every word that comes from Your mouth. Today, I pray we will hunger for it like never before. May Your people crave the sustenance of truth found only in Your word.

Father, I pray that we will feel the sharpness of the living Word, that it would pierce us as it discerns our every thought and motive. I pray for a humbling of our own opinions, Lord, that we would bring our own thoughts and perspectives into submission to Your word. {Hebrews 4:12}

I pray that Your Church would come into unity under the Word of God, that the enemy’s schemes to divide us and confuse us would be turned against him, as the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and ears to the scriptures. I pray that we will begin to rightly handle the Word of Truth, and that we would closely watch, guard and protect our doctrines. {1Timothy 4:16}

Lord, may our hearts burn within us in the presence of Your word. May we, like David, love Your statutes, and may they be our meditation. I pray Your Word will be a lamp unto the feet of Your people, Lord, and that the ways, thoughts, and opinions of this world have no influence, hold no sway over us. I pray that Your Word will teach us, correct us, and train us in righteousness in ever increasing measure, so that Your people will be fully equipped and competent for the work that lies ahead. {Luke 24:32, Psalm 119:97, Psalm 119:105; 2Timothy 3:16-17}

Father, I pray that in every pulpit, in every place where Your people are gathered, Your Word would have full reign, be the final authority, and the plumb line of truth. I pray that Your Church will carry Your words within her, buried in her heart, treasured and pondered, and loved.

May we feast on Your word, and live.

In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.