“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

This week’s prayer focus: Pray Submissively!

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”
Hebrews 5:7 (NIV)

As we continue a #PraySTRONG emphasis, over the next weeks I will expand the original #PraySTRONG prayer guide to spend a week focused specifically on each point.  This week we will be praying about submission and how it looks from God’s perspective.  Praying submissively takes work because both the praying part and the submissive part are under constant attack from our enemy.  Since God’s view of submission may not look like the world defines it, we would do well to learn from the One who “was heard because of His reverent submission.”  As you pray this week, ask God to help you grow in your understanding and willingness to live a submissive life.  Pray that you would learn submission not just in your interactions with God and others, but in the content and expectations of your prayers.  Pray for a greater understanding of how a lack of a submissive spirit can hinder your prayers.  Pray for the courage to wait on God to lift you up when your submissiveness to others is taken advantage of.  Pray for a spirit of unity among brothers and sisters in Christ as we grow in our love for one another.  Pray each day for the individuals of your congregation and for the body of Christ as a whole.

Missions Focus:  Pray for the work Tom Lemler is doing with Impact Prayer Ministry.  Pray for the effectiveness of the Impact Prayer Ministry resources as they are used around the world.  Pray for increased opportunities and support that will allow Impact Prayer Ministry to do all that is within God’s will.

“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 pray each day for God to help you grow in the submission that leads to a stronger prayer life.

Sunday: Pray for your church staff, the preaching and teaching that takes place, the church leadership, the volunteers that are helping in so many areas, the spiritual and financial health of the congregation, and the work of the missions ministry of the church.  Pray for me (Tom Lemler) and the work of Impact Prayer Ministry.

Monday: Submit to Governing Authorities.  Pray that your submission to governing authorities would come from a recognition of God’s authority over all things.  Pray for wisdom to know how to live submissively when authorities are not always godly.  “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”  Romans 13:1 (NIV)

Tuesday: Submit to One Another.  Pray that your reverence for Christ in all things would help you submit to others.  Pray for a submissive spirit that looks out for the needs of others above your own.  Pray that you would not take advantage of the submissiveness of others.  “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  Ephesians 5:21 (NIV)

Wednesday: Submit to Discipline by God.  Pray that you would accept God’s discipline as the live-giving correction it is meant to be.  Pray that your response to discipline would help others to know the love of the Father.  “Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!”  Hebrews 12:9 (NIV)

Thursday: Submit to Leaders.  Pray that your submission to leaders would make their work a joy.  Pray for godly leaders who lead out of their full submission to God.  “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”  Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

Friday: Submit to God.   Pray that you would submit to God in all things so that the devil has no foothold in your life.  Pray for the humility needed to see everything from God’s perspective.  Pray for a greater understanding of how your submissiveness to God helps you to resist the devil.  “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  James 4:7 (NIV)

Saturday:  Submit in Humility.   Pray that you would be filled with humility and grace as you learn to submit to the wisdom of those who are older.  Pray about how you will interact with others in a submissive way as you experience God’s grace.  “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”  1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)