This is the 8th day of Lent on this 40 Day Prayer Journey. The Lenten Season (February 18 to April 4, 2015) is a time of repentance, self-examination, fasting and prayer in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter). You may see the prior post. Hopefully each of you will join me in this 40 Day Prayer Journey. Step into this forty (40) day prayer journey and adventure of repenting and praying toward the desires and promises of God to enable us to grow in our spiritual walk.
United prayer can bring powerful results. Pray with purpose, biblical promise and passion. Let’s all continue with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14a) during this Lenten season.
Scripture makes prayer a priority of the church. The Lord said “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples”. (Isaiah 56:7 RSV).
Love and pray fervently,
Linda Fegins
What follows is a suggested format for the journey. You may need to modify it to fit your schedule or medical restrictions. You are encouraged to use a journal or notebook to write your reflections, what the Lord is speaking to you, your prayers and/or prayer requests.
During the Forty Day Prayer Journey it is suggested that you:
1. Fast at least one day per week preferably Wednesday (see information on fasting included in this packet). Alternatively, you can fast a food or activity the entire Lenten season. See Fast Guidelines.
2. Select a Prayer Partner or two (Triplett) to pray together at least once a week as you determine for your schedule.
3. Daily pray the intercessory daily prayer focus and prayer points for that date. Read the Bible and the scriptures.
4. Read the scriptures listed in the daily prayer focus. Answer the questions in your journal if there are any for that day and write down your reflections. Meditate on the Word each day.
5. Make an entry in your journal each day or as led by the Holy Spirit. Make sure you the complete the “Something to Act On” exercise section where it appears from time to time in the daily prayer focus.
.
40 Day Prayer Journey
DAY 8 – February 25 Love the Lord With All Your Heart
Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Matthew 22: 34-40
Repent: Of not loving God with all your heart, soul and mind; of allowing other things to fill and occupy your life.
Pray:
• Ask God to search your heart and to reveal to you any sin for which you need to seek forgiveness.
• Intercede for your church and the churches in our community to be filled with fresh love for God and to demonstrate the love to others.
• Pray that the love of Christ will compel believers everywhere to share the gospel with others in love.
• Ask God to give you clarity about your purpose.
• Pray for a deeper relationship with Christ through prayer and to help you pray consistently.
• Pray for Youth – Psalm 144:12 – that they will commit themselves to Christ; for moral strength to choose wisely; for older mentors; for friendships with those who are following Jesus, for good relationships and open communication with parents.
•
Something to Act On: Write down all the ways you can that show the Lord that you love Him with all your heart.
DAY 9 – February 26 Seek the Lord With All Our Heart
Scriptures: Deut. 4:39-40; Heb. 11:6
Repent: Of not consistently seeking after the Lord to know Him, His ways, and His will. Repent of seeking after the ways and approval of man.
Pray:
• Ask God to search your heart and to reveal to you any sin for which you need to seek forgiveness.
• Intercede for family members, friends and neighbors that they may began to seek to know God and have a desire to walk and talk with Him.
• Pray for a deeper relationship with Christ through prayer and to help you pray consistently.
• Pray for Families Gen. 28:14 – For God centered relationships among family members; for families broken by divorce to be healed; that Christ’s forgiveness would occur among family members; that parents will teach their children in God’s ways of living and that families would pray together.
• Pray for the community and our city to turn from wicked ways and to seek the Lord
• Pray for those who are unemployed and those burdened by debt.
•
Something to Act On: Write down what you want to lay aside and to stop doing. Now write what spiritual things you want to rise toward thinking and walking in to please God and to be more like Jesus.
DAY 10 – February 27 Maintain a Clean Heart
Scripture: Psalm 66:18-19; Mark 11:25-26
Repent: Of failing to forgive another and holding malice in your heart. Or repent if you know that you have offended or hurt someone.
Reflect: Is there any area in your life about which you need to release bitterness, or have refused to forgive someone or sinful areas which you need to release.
Pray:
• Pray for your enemies and ask God to release you from any unforgiveness.
• Confess any sin that the Spirit brings to your attention.
• Ask God to search your heart and life and to reveal to you any sin you may need to deal with.
• Ask God for spiritual blessings, for ministry opportunities and empowerment for service.
• Pray that the gospel may reach, touch and renew the hearts and minds of people without hope in our world today.
• Forgive and pray for those who have offended you and hurt you.
• Pray that your church and the churches of the city be filled with a love for the Word of God and to receive the Word with joy.
• Ethnic Communities: Psalm 22:27 – that God would bring racial harmony; that long standing offenses may be healed by the forgiveness which begins in Jesus; that Christians show honor and act in Christ’s reconciling power; that many churches would demonstrate the redemptive purpose of God in the beauty of the distinctive languages and cultures.
• Pray for President Obama and his family.
Something to Act On: Meditate upon the scriptures for today. Now write down the names of persons you need to forgive. Ask yourself what role you played in the matter and confess that you had a part in creating the disagreement. Ask God to forgive you. Pray for each of the persons you named.
DAY 11 – February 28 Wait on the Lord
Scriptures: Psalm 62; 2Thess. 1:2-10
Repent: Of anxiety and impatience; of activity born of the flesh to make something happen and not born of the Spirit unto faith; of looking to anyone or anything else for what only God can supply; and of trusting human strength.
Pray:
• Pray for forgiveness and a fresh leading by the Holy Spirit to patiently wait on the Lord.
• Pray for the church and yourself to be still and know that the Lord is God and that He will be exalted among the nations.
• Pray for yourself or _____ to trust fully in the Lord knowing that He knows the times and the seasons and is able to accomplish that which concerns you today.
• Ask God to bring deep conviction of sin, spiritual brokenness, a holy fear of God and genuine repentance among His people. (2 Corinthians 7:10).
• Pray for unity and cooperation among the ministries and leaders.
• Pray for Michigan leaders and Governor Snyder.
• Sick People: For God’s healing touch to be upon the sick of the community; that they will be comforted; that they will grow in character as God walks them through the ordeal; that God will provide for their financial needs; for their care givers.
•
Something to Act On: Meditate on the scripture. Write down what you need to put in the hands of God and wait on the Lord for an answer to enable you to rise to the spiritual ways of the Lord rather than you acting in your flesh.
Linda Fegins, “The Prayer Leader” serves as prayer leader and teacher/trainer on the “Prayer Boot Camp” with the Global Missions Prayer Force and as a guest intercessor and volunteer for Girlfriends Pray a global prayer ministry. She served as Prayer Coordinator for over 13 years( later Director over the Prayer Ministry) for the Lydia Circle Christian Business and Professional Women. As part of the Lydia Circle she has lead over a dozen prayer boot camps, and has lead prayer services and workshops in the Bahamas and in South Africa and was on the prayer team of a medical missions trips to Jamaica under the leadership of Rev. Jackie McCullough. She is also a member of the National Church Prayer Leaders Network and serves as the Prayer Leader of the Intercessory Prayer Ministry of her church.
• Confess the ways that you have been complacent about sin and not appalled that His Holy name is defiled.
• Confess any sin that the Spirit brings to your attention.
• Ask God to reveal to you a new understanding of repentance and His holiness.
• Express to the Lord your desire to repent for the sake of His holy name.
• Ask God to search your heart and life and to reveal to you any sin you may need to deal with.
• Repentance means to change your mind and be determined not to do the sin again. It means to turn and walk the other way and that we are sorry about our sin to the point of grief. Ask God to open your eyes, ears and heart to feel real sadness and sorrow about your sin and to turn your heart and mind to repent. Thank Him for the gift of repentance.
• Pray for God to strengthen your prayer life and deepen your relationship with Him.
• Pray for your Pastor and His family.
Something to Act On: Write your own prayer of repentance to the Lord.