It Is Time To Pray

A little over four years ago the LORD allowed me to be a part of a prayer ministry in our small town.  We called this place the Prayer Closet.  I spent every weekday morning for nearly six months interceding for our families and pastors and leaders and protectors and nation.  Even though I speak to God almost non-stop throughout every day, this was the first time that I had ever intentionally, consistently interceded for people.  I will forever be changed because of this.  Now, God is calling me to intercede once again.  This time it is war.  

We are going to set up a War Room at our church.  You may want to do the same.  In our church we are going to set up notebooks.  These notebooks will contain scriptures and the people we are intereceding for.  I am going to write down the scriptures that come to my mind, but if you have other scriptures, will you please share them with me.  God said that He is ever looking over His word to perform it.  I want to give Him every opportunity to do just that.  These are the sections:

1.  Self
2.  Family
3.  Pastors and Spiritual Leaders
4.  Protectors and Defenders
5.  Authorities
6.  Front Line Warriors
7.  Healing
8.  Church Prayer Requests

Some of our prayers will be lists.  For example, I will list everyone in my family that I will intercede for.  The other prayer warriors will do the same; however, if we have someone that we want to concentrate on, we will fill out a form that has his/her name, spouse's name, children's names, description of who he/she is, and his/her needs.  We will also have a place to put a picture.  Then if a scripture comes to mind of what we want to pray over him/her, we will put that also.  All pastors, spiritual leaders, protectors, and front line warriors will have their own sheet.  

The following are scriptures that come to my mind when I think of praying for the people in these categories:


PRAYER FOR SELF:

LORD, in 2 Chronicles 7:13-16, You said, "At times You might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour our crops, or send plagues among us.  But THEN if we, Your people, who are called by Your name will humble ourselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, You will hear from heaven and forgive our sins and restore our land.  Then Your eyes will be open and Your ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.  For You have chosen this temple (me) and set it apart to be holy - a place where Your name will be honored forever.  You said that You will always watch over me, for I am dear to Your heart.

So LORD, I am asking that You would search my heart and know me.  Try my anxious thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me into paths of life everlasting.  God, I open my heart wide to You.  Search every part of who I am.  If there is anything in me that is displeasing to You, I ask that You would bring it into the light so that I can deal with it.  Expose my enemies.  Defeat them.  Let me crush them under my feet.  LORD, it is Your kindness that leads us to repentance.  I ask that You send Your kindness.  Make me holy.  Let every part of me be separated from this world and all that it has to offer so that I may bring honor to Your holy name.

I ask that You will create in me a cIean heart and an upright spirit.  Let every thought that I think and every meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight.  If it is true that You look favorably on me, let me know Your ways so I may understand You more fully and continue to enjoy Your favor.  And remember that this nation is Your very own people.  LORD, I pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources, You will empower me with inner strength through Your Spirit.  Then Christ will make His home in my heart as I trust in Him.  My roots will grow down into Your love and it will keep me strong.  LORD, give me the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is.  May I experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.  Then I will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.  

Father of glory, I ask that You would give to me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You.  May the eyes of my understanding be enlightened that I may know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of Your power toward us who believe, according to the working of Your mighty power which You worked in Christ when You raised Him from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.  And You put all things under His feet, and gave Jesus to be head over all things to the church.  That's me, LORD, I am a part of His body.  Fill me with all Your fullness and teach me how to walk in that fullness.  LORD, I want to know You.  I want to please You.  I want to make You happy.  Show me how.  I ask this in Jesus' name.  AMEN


PRAYER FOR FAMILY:

LORD, You said that You would lavish Your unfailing love for a thousand generations of those who love You and keep Your commandments.  God, I thank You that Your promises are "Yes" and "Amen".  It is Your desire that none parish, but all come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I want to thank You LORD for Godly inheritance.  You said, "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!  Thank You, LORD, that You have taught my heart to fear Your holy name.  Thank You that my heart wants to obey and honor You completely.  That is a work of the Spirit, and I rejoice in it.  I rejoice that this great love for You is passed down from generation to generation by Your Holy Spirit and through Your great and precious promises.  Now LORD, I am going to recite back Your promises to me for my family.  I speak these promises over all of my children and their spouses.  I speak these promises over my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren.  I speak these promises over a thousand generations because I do love You, and I do keep Your commandments.


LORD, in Isaiah 44, You said for me not to be afraid.  You said that You will pour out water to quench my thirst and to irrigate my parched fields.  And You said You will pour out Your Spirit obn my descendants and Your blessings on my offspring.  You said they will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank.  Some will proudly claim, "I belong to the LORD."  Others will say, "I am a descendant of Jacob."  Some will write the LORD's name on their hands and will take the name of Israel as their own."  Thank You, Jesus!


Then in Isaiah 49, You said, "See, I will give a signal to the godless nations.  They will carry my little sons back to me in their arms; they will bring my daughters on their shoulders.  "Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior?  Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go?  But the LORD says, "The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved.  For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children.  All the world will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel!"  Thank You, Jesus!


In Deuteronomy 30:6, You said, "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.  Isaiah 29:22-24  The LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the people of Israel, "My people will no longer be ashamed or turn pale with fear.  For when they see their many children and all the blessings I have given them, they will stand in awe of the God of Jacob.  Then the wayward will gain understanding, and complainers will accept instruction."


Isaiah 54:11-15  "O storm-battered city, troubled and desolate!  I will rebuild you with precious jewels and make your foundations from lapis lazuli.  I will make your towers of sparkling rubies, your gates of shining gems, and your walls of precious stones.  I will teach all your children, and they will enjoy great peace.  You will be secure under a government that is just and fair.  Your enemies will stay far away, you will live in peace, and terror will not come near.  If any nation comes to fight you, it is not because I sent them.  Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat."  

"And this is My covenant with them," says the LORD.  "My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you.  They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children's children forever.  I, the LORD, have spoken!"


PASTORS AND SPIRITUAL LEADERS:


Listen to me, all you in distant lands!  Pay attention, you who are far away!  The LORD has called ____________________________________ before his birth; from within the womb He called him by name.  He made ___________________________ words of judgment as sharp as a sword.  He has hidden _________________________________ in the shadow of His hand.  He is like a sharp arrow in God's quiver.  He said to ______________________________, "You are My servant, Israel, and you will bring Me glory."


________________________________ replied, "But my work seems so useless!  I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.  Yet _______________________________ leaves it all in the LORD's hand; He will trust God for his reward."


And now the LORD speaks - the One who formed ___________________________ in his mother's womb to be his servant, who commissioned him to bring Israel back to Him.  The LORD has honored __________________________________ and has given him strength.  "I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring My salvation to the ends of the earth."   The LORD, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations, to the one who is the servant of rulers; "Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.  Princes will also bow low because of the LORD, the faithful one, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."


"At just the right time, I will respond to you.  On the day of salvation I will help you.I will protect you and give you to the people as My covenant with them.  Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel and assign it to its own people again.  I will say to the prisoners, 'Come out in freedom,' and to those in darkness, ' Come into the light.'  They will be My sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare.  They will neither hunger nor thirst.  The searing sun will not reach them anymore.  For the LORD in His mercy will lead them; He will lead them beside cool waters.  And I will maike My mountains into level paths for them.  The highways will be raised above the valleys.  See, My people will return from far away, from lands to the north and west, and from as far south as Egypt."  Isaiah 49


May the Spirit of the LORD rest upon ____________________________, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.  He will delight in obeying the LORD.  He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.  He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited.  The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.  He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.  Isaiah 11


God I ask that You would give ___________________________ complete knowledge of Your will, and give him spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding.  Then he way he lives will always honor and please the LORD, and his life will produse every kind of good fruit.  LORD, I also pray that You will strengthen ___________________________with all Your glorious power so that he will have all the patience and endurance he needs, and may he be filled with joy, always thanking the Father.  LORD, may a Spirit of praise and thanksgiving be planted deep inside of _____________________________.  May it be a spring that overflows in every circumstance of life.  May it bubble over onto others.  I ask this in Jesus' name.  AMEN  Colossians 1:9-11