Prayer Guide 09 January 2022

Sunday

This Prayer Guide is meant to be used as a tool to prime our hearts to pray and to help to teach us
how to pray the Word of God into situations and circumstances that we face individually
and as a community of faith. May it be used by the Holy Spirit to encourage us
in becoming a true ‘house of prayer for all nations’
(Isaiah 56:7; Mark 11:17)
Father, I praise You for You are God alone. This day, I confess that You are the Potter, I am the clay, and I submit to Your purposes and plans. In the midst of the circumstances in my life – no matter how chaotic or noisy, teach me to hear Your voice above all else, so that whether I turn to the right or the left, I will hear You saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it’.

Even when there seems to be no light, may I trust in You and rely on You. Keep me from providing my own light – from manipulating situations or defending myself, which is not light at all and leads to my ruin! Have mercy on me, Father! Remember my frailty.

Forgive me Father, for the times that I view difficulties in my life as punishment for sin, when Jesus has taken all of my punishment on Himself! Instead, strengthen me by Your Spirit to endure hardship in my life as loving discipline from Your hand. For I know that You discipline me for my good, in order that I may share in Your holiness. In the smallest annoyance, to the most overwhelming difficulty, may I submit to Your sovereign discipline, that it might produce a harvest of righteousness and peace in my life.  Train me by it Lord, for I submit to You.

I know, in my head, Father, that You are working all things together for my good, that I might become more like Jesus. But I confess, that I do not like the discomfort that I feel, and want to run from it! Nail my feet to the ground, Lord! Complete Your work in me! May I delight in Your path – the race that You’ve marked out for me. Turn my heart away from selfishness and my eyes from worthless things and renew my life according to Your Word. Align my heart with Your truth. For great and marvellous are all Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are all Your ways. You are King of the ages.

May I be one who always brings glory to Your name, for You alone are holy, and sovereign over all. You are sovereign over me, and this day I choose once again to submit to You and Your purposes.

Not my will, but Yours be done. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Isaiah 64:8; 30:21; 50:10–11; Psalm 103:13–14; Isaiah 53:4–6; Hebrews 12:7–11; Romans 8:28–29;Psalm 119:33–37; Hebrews 12:1–2; Revelation 15:3–4; Luke 22:42

Monday

‘ECB is a biblical community…’   Father, I ask that the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace increase among us. May we serve like Jesus and consider one another as more important than ourselves. May our hearts be knit together as one (Ephesians 4:3; Philippians 2:1–11).

Renew our minds, I pray. May we as Your people, turn from the philosophies and entertainment of the world and truly think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy – may this be the standard for what we allow into our minds and hearts (Philippians 4:8).

Tuesday

‘… of the nations to the nations…’   How thankful I am, for the privilege of worshiping with brothers and sisters from many lands. Thank You for this taste of heaven, Lord! May we increasingly put aside cultural preferences, I pray. Unite us under the banner and cross of Christ. May the Word of God be our one true standard!

Fill us with fresh passion for You and a hunger for holiness, that we would truly become those who seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Reveal to us I pray, the things that keep us from truly drawing near to You (Psalm 119:2; Matthew 6:33).

Wednesday

Prayer and Fasting Focus
‘… with prayer and the Word of God as our foundation.’   You have said Lord, that Your house is to be a ‘house of prayer for all nations’. Father, teach us to pray at ECB, to really enter into a deeper longing for you – greater faith, greater fervency. Make us to be a true house of prayer. (Mark 11:17) And Father, I ask that Your Word would dwell in us richly, that we would overflow with Your Word (Colossians 3:16; 1:19–20).

Father, strengthen us with power through the Holy Spirit in our inner being, and establish us in the love of Christ! I pray for those in our fellowship, who have never experienced earthly love, and therefore cannot comprehend Your great love! Set them free this day – remove all hindrances, that they might truly know Your love for them (Ephesians 3:16–17)!

Father, I ask that You breathe new Spirit-life into the ECB community of faith. As we gather on Sunday, may revival visitations of the Holy Spirit fall on us, – change us, renew us, I pray (Ezekiel 37:5)! May we not resist the Holy Spirit in any way.

Thursday

‘… We are called to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ…’

Lord Jesus, be exalted among us as we gather and worship, as we meet in homes, at our places of work, school and play. Be exalted, be glorified in our conversations, in the choices that we make, and the places we go. Whether we eat or drink or whatever it is that we might do. May we always be mindful that we belong to You, and do all things for Your glory alone (1 Corinthians 10:31).

I ask Father, that You reveal to us the ways we come near to You with our lips (what we say or sing in His presence), but keep our hearts far from You (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8) (Sit quietly and allow the Holy Spirit to show you these things…).

Father, I ask that we as Your people, will increasingly choose to put off the old self, and be made new in the attitude of our minds – that we might be like You in righteousness and holiness. Increase our hunger for You (Ephesians 4:22–23)!

Friday

‘… serve each other…’   Lord Jesus, teach us to follow Your example and serve one another. May we prefer one another out of love for You and serve one another with joy (John 13:1–5; Philippians 2:1–11)!

Holy Spirit, keep us from unwholesome talk, obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, but instead may we increasingly be those who build each other up as we speak to one another (Ephesians 4:29; 5:4).

I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ at ECB, those who are being tempted to turn from You and give into sin, strengthen them to stand firm! Make us strong in You and Your mighty power I pray (1 Corinthians 10:13; Ephesians 6:10) (Pray for those you know of by name who are in the midst of trials and temptations…)!

Saturday

‘… and reach the world.’   Jesus, You said that we are to make disciples of all nations – show us this way! Surely You have put us here in Bangkok at this point in time for Your plans and purposes – may we as Your people enter in with joy to all that You have for us. Increase the harvest among us! May many come to Jesus – and yes Lord, give us the nations (Matthew 28:19)!

May we, as Your people, have ears to hear what Your Spirit would say to us. Anoint Your Word – and may those who lead us in worship be empowered by Your Spirit, those who come tomorrow who do not yet know You, be drawn to You, and O God, pour out Your Holy Spirit on us! Renew us! Revive us! Change Us!

Revive the hearts of Your people across this city, I pray. Breathe the life of Your Spirit into dead places, into dry bones, that Your Church in Bangkok may rise up as a mighty army, proclaiming that Jesus is LORD (Ezekiel 37:4–14; Zechariah 2:5)!