Greetings to you if this is your first day to join the 40 Day Prayer Journey or if you started with us earlier. 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. I pray each of us rise spiritually in the ways and mindset of Jesus Christ.
During the Forty Day Prayer Journey it is suggested that you:
1. Fast at least one day per week preferably Wednesday. Alternatively, you can fast a food or activity the entire Lenten season.
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.
DAY 16 – March 5 Seeking to Rise Spiritually in Corporate Worship and Prayer
Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 5:2-14; Acts 4: 23-31; Heb 10:19-25
Pray:
• Pray for our worship services; pray that the Spirit of praise and worship come from sincere hearts and that we will see the manifestation of mighty works.
• Pray for church members to increase in their participation of true corporate prayer and seek to gather together for corporate prayer.
• For you and church members to open our mouths to praise and pray to the Lord in unity.
• For the rich and religious who have a hard time trusting the Lord.
• That members of your congregations will seek the Lord in one accord.
• For a fresh passion for worship among the believers and that the walls of division created
by personal preferences and styles which do not honor the Word of God to be torn down.
• For your churches, locally and corporately, to create an atmosphere
where the Holy Spirit will be welcomed in the midst of worship.
• Fathers: that fathers will look to God as the ultimate spiritual head of their household,
serving and caring for their families; that God will instill a vision for wholesome, supportive fatherhood among the fathers of the city. Pray that absentee fathers would change their lifestyles to nurture their wives and children. Pray that children will see the character of the heavenly Father in the lives of their dads.
Spiritual Rise Check Up-
Think about your worship. Do you truly worship or do you simply observe- what goes on in your mind? Are you watching others? Are you looking at your tablet or texting? None of these please God.
What action do you need to take during worship and prayer to rise up to true corporate worship and prayer? Write it down and make a commitment to God to do better. Write a promise to God about worship?
Is prayer a duty or a delight to you? What do you need to do to rise up to pray more consistently?
DAY 17 – March 6 Seeking to Rise Spiritually by Loving One Another in the Family
Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13; Eph. 5:25-33; Col. 3:19-22
Pray:
• Pray for a deep love and respect between church members and also between family members. Pray for reconciliation where they are at odds.
• Pray that husbands would truly love their wives as Christ loves the church.
• Pray that parents will be diligent in disciplining their children and to train them to walk in obedience and demonstrate unconditional love for them.
• Pray that children will show love of their parents by honoring, respecting and obeying them.
• Pray for a desire for prayer to be stirred up within all family members and that answers to prayer will occur to build faith and consistency.
• Pray that your family and/or friends will experience rich times of praying together, playing together and worshipping together.
• Pray for the youth.
• Pray for salvation for family members and friends.
Spiritual Rise Check Up- Meditate on and write response in journal
Relationships:
What relationships in your family do you need to show appreciation for and improve upon?
Who are the three closest people in your life? Pray for them with a specific prayer ,not just bless them.
Pray for the persons in your family with whom you need to improve relationships. What act can you do for them?
Spiritual Rise Act :
Thank God for others in your family, congregation or circle of friends. Tell God the specific things about them for which you are thankful. Now tell them!
DAY 18 – March 7 Seeking to Rise Spiritually by Walking Together in Love
Scriptures: Rom. 12: 9-21; 1 Peter 4:7-11
Pray:
• For you to be obedient to the call to be a witness to others on your job, at the store and everywhere and to know what is our individual mandate.
• Pray that family members and church members will have a strong and growing love for God and for others.
• Pray that the church would walk in love for one another without hypocrisy and out of a pure heart.
• Pray that the love of Christ will permeate you and your church and all churches so that the world would see and believe that God loves them and sent His Son so that they might have everlasting life and live in His love through salvation.
• Pray that God will forgive us, as a nation for the mistreatment of Native Americans; for God’s fullest blessing upon their families and lands, that the tribes will find their healing justice and highest dignity as a people in Christ; that the gospel is proclaimed with love to them.
• Pray for : The Family and Youth
-There to be much prayer in the home.
-That families might be saved.
-Commitment to corporate prayer.
-Pray for young adults, youth and children to be saved.
Spiritual Rise Check Up- Meditate on and write response in journal
Relationships: What relationships in the church household do you need to improve upon and seek forgiveness about?
Spiritual Rise Act: Confess to the Lord the persons at Messiah you dislike, have an “ought” against or with whom you find difficult. Ask for forgiveness. Examine yourself to determine what role you played in your attitude
Pray for the persons at Messiah that you dislike, have a negative attitude toward or have unforgiveness toward.
DAY 19 – March 8 Seeking to Rise Spiritually by Seeking God for Salvation for the Lost
Scriptures: Eph. 2:8; Rom. 10:9-13; Mark 16:15-16
Pray:
• Pray for those who are blinded by sin that the scales will be removed from their eyes and their eyes and minds are illumined with the gospel.
• Pray for unbelievers to accept Jesus Christ as Savior.
• Pray for the Lord to add to the church daily those who are being saved. Acts 2:4.
• Pray for opportunities for you to witness and invite people to the Lord and/or to the church. Col 4:2-4.
• Pray that the person’s heart be prepared, so that it will be “good soil” for the seed. ( Mk. 4:8)
• Present the names of those who are lost or backslidden before the throne.
• Pray that the unsaved will believe the Word of God and obey Christ as Lord.
• That each of us will go in our own city, job, and circle and be a witness to others and proclaim the gospel.
• Pray for The Saints of Service Ministry.
• Pray for : Evangelistic Outreach –Those who go out into the harvest of our community that they might speak with simplicity and sincerity of truth and get a righteous response;that the Lord would send laborers for the harvest;
-for the people to know Jesus, live in Him, grow in Him and glorify Him.
Spiritual Rise Check Up- Write responses in a journal or notebook
Evangelism: Are you allowing God to use you to be a light for Jesus Christ to those around you? How?
Who was the last person you spoke with about church, Jesus Christ, Christianity, or the Bible?
When was the last time you were an active part in helping someone accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? Who?
Spiritual Rise Act: Pray and think about how you can witness to someone of the love of Jesus . Next time you are in the store, walking or etc., take an opportunity to witness or to show the light of love of God toward that person. If you do not feel comfortable witnessing, pray for them to yourself right there or ask them can you pray for them.
Now ask the Lord to give you the confidence and words of how to rise up to witnessing to others.
DAY 20 – March 9 Seeking to Rise Spiritually by Studying His Word
Scriptures: Deut. 6: 6-9, 11; 2 Tim. 3:15-17
Pray:
• Pray that you will grow in the knowledge of God’s Word for every aspect of your life.
• Pray that the Father gives you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Eph.1:17
• Pray that parents will study the Word, come to Sunday School and began to talk to their children about the Word of God every day.
• Seek God for the sick: There are many names on our sick list – Please pray for each name on that list and focus on three in particular for the rest of the week.
• Pray that you would increase in consistently studying the Word of God.
• Pray for persons with mental illness, who are suicidal or depressed.
• Pray for persecuted Christians in third -world nations.
• Pray for Pastors and those in leadership in the church.
Spiritual Rise Check Up- Write responses in a journal or notebook
Bible: Are you regularly reading the Word?
How often do you actually study and meditate on the Word?
What has been your most recent time that God used the words of the Bible to speak to your heart?
When did you last share God’s Word with someone?
Spiritual Rise Act: Commit to God that you will rise up to studying the Word for at least 15-20 minutes 3 days a week if you do not study the Word. Or write a commitment to God how you plan to rise up to studying more consistently. Be specific. State the length of study and the number of days during the week.
DAY 21 – March 10 Seeking to Rise Spiritually by Seeking Jesus for Health and Healing
Scriptures: Isaiah 53:4-5 Psalm 103: 2-3 ; Prov. 4:20-24
Pray:
• Pray that the Father heals ________ by the power of the Word. Thank the Lord for sending Jesus to bear our sins in His body so that by His wounds ___might be healed. (Ps. 107:20; 1 Peter 2:24).
• Pray that righteous intercessors and church leaders who will pray with faith–filled powerful and effective prayer to uplift the sick, the depressed, the oppressed and persons without hope. ( James 5:14-16)
• Pray that ______ continues to trust you Lord and your Word, regardless of his/her physical condition. May ___ be strengthened in faith that you have the power to do what you promised. (Rom: 4:19-21)
• Pray that ______ weeping will turn to joy and grant him/her a cheerful heart. (Psalm126:2-6)
• Pray that the sick will be comforted and that they will grow in character as God walks them through the ordeal.
• Pray that God will provide for the financial resources to meet their financial needs of the sick.
• Pray for the caregivers of the sick and shut in.
• Pray for the compassion and skill of the doctors, nurses and other medical assistants.
• Pray for persons with mental illness and for person who are suicidal or depressed.
Physical Check-Up- Rise Up and Take the Time to Evaluate Your Health
Begin to write a Personal Health Plan for yourself. Assess your health and write goals for yourself that are practical. They should be realistic to fit you and your lifestyle. They should be measurable standard in which you answer the questions: How? How often? How much? Make a time line for the implementation of your plan. Pray and ask the Lord to guide you.
Review your general health based on what you have observed about yourself or what the doctor has told you.
Spiritual Rise/Natural Act: Ask God to give you wisdom and strength to take action to improve your health. Now make doctor appointments, set an exercise schedule and improve the kind of foods you eat. Are you fasting?
Linda Fegins, “The Prayer Leader” Ldfaygo@aol.com