“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Righteousness!

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
Philippians 3:8-9 (NIV)

Our prayer focus this week is about the righteousness of God that ought to be reflected in our life.  Yes, it is true that the Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.”  But that is a statement made about our own ability to be, and become, righteous.  We are not righteous, but we can be declared by God to be righteous because of our faith in the power of Christ’s blood to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  As you pray this week, ask God to help recognize, and admit, that you will never become righteous through your own efforts or deeds.  Pray that your obedient response to God’s Word would be what you rely on fully for righteousness to be credited to you by God.   Pray for a unity of spirit among believers in general and among your church family in particular.  

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) 

Please spend time praying each day about the righteousness God desires for you to have through the power of His Spirit.

Sunday: Pray for your church, its staff and leadership, and for all of the preaching and teaching that takes place.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.  

Monday:  Protected by Righteousness.  Pray that your heart would be protected by righteousness as you put on the full armor of God.  Pray that the righteousness you have in Christ would serve as you protection against the attacks of the evil one.  “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”  Ephesians 6:14-15 (NIV)

Tuesday:  Pursue Righteousness.  Pray that you would be active in pursuing a life of righteousness along with others who seek God.  Pray that your pursuit of righteousness would include a deliberate fleeing from evil desires.  “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”  2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)

Wednesday:  Trained in Righteousness.  Pray that you would be a good student of God’s Word so that it is used accurately in your life.  Pray that the training in righteousness you receive from God’s Word would equip you for every good work.  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) 

Thursday:  Harvest of Righteousness Through Discipline.  Pray that you would accept God’s discipline as a means of producing righteousness.  Pray that you would share with others the peace that you have because of God’s discipline.  “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”  Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)

Friday:  Live for Righteousness.  Pray that you would understand the price paid to declare you righteous.  Pray that you would live for righteousness by dying to sin daily.  “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”  1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

Saturday:  A Home of Righteousness.  Pray that your eyes would remain fixed on a home of righteousness.  Pray that your desire for that home would lead you to pursue God’s righteousness each day.  “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”  2 Peter 3:13 (NIV)