“A Lifestyle of Prayer”

Knowing the Submission!

“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)

This week we will focus on praying about submission from God’s point of view and how it is a practice we all should participate in as we seek to be more Christ-like.  The Bible says that Jesus was heard by His Father because of His reverent submission.  Yet submission is a word and topic that we tend to avoid in the church and in our personal lives because it may sound demeaning to give up our rights in preference to someone else.  As you pray this week, ask God to help you understand the importance and value of submission to God and to one another.  Pray that you would be confident in God hearing your prayers and petitions as you grow in your submission to Him.  Pray that you would know the salvation found in  Christ as you submit to His will and His way.  Pray that the way you submit to God would be evident in the way you submit to others.

“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 know how to live with a submissive spirit which represents and reflects Jesus well.

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 that you would grow in your understanding of how God uses governing authorities even when you don’t agree with them.  “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 that God would help you value others in a way that builds them up.  Pray for the humility needed to see all individuals as people created in the image of God.  “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 for the courage to welcome discipline from God as an act of His love.  “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 are easy to submit to as they fully submit 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 that your submission to  God would give you the courage to resist the devil and all his temptations.  Pray for a continued growth in seeing how your submission to God helps you to resist all that is evil.  “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 that God would lift you by His grace as you learn to humble yourself before Him and before one another.  “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)