DAY 17 – February 26th – Strengths: Search Me Lord and Day 18 Praise God: Don’t Complain
Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Psalm 81:8
Every strategy includes identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). It helps you to take a critical and complete look at what you have and what is needed for success (victory) to occur. God is your strength, and He has given you many talents, gifts, resources, and opportunities. Write down these strengths. Ask at least three people who know you well to tell you what they have seen and experienced as your strengths. Write down their responses and keep them/post them with your list.
Be honest about your weaknesses; pray and seek guidance from God and others when needed. Pray for opportunities to use but not abuse your training. Never manipulate people or projects; that is Satan’s game and gain. Know your threats—recognize the real enemy, temptations, and tricks you tend to fall for. Fortify your offense and defense in your War Room. We will continue to build on each of these points throughout this battle plan (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).*(Kathy Branzell)
The season of Lent should be a time of intense discipline and devotion. Obviously the word discipline is close to the word disciple. We are disciples or followers of Christ. We become like Christ through disciplines such as Bible Study, prayer, and ministry. Oh by the way, do you have your journal, Bible and a listening ear on this journey?
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 your 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 , believers in Christ 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 and other ethnic groups; 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.
Linda Fegins, The Prayer Leader
DAY 18 – February 27th – Don’t Complain: Praise and Pray.
Scriptures: 2 Timothy 2:22–26; 2 Chronicles 20:15
Miss Clara points out to Elizabeth that Satan is the enemy, not her husband—and that all of her complaining brings curses and not blessing or healing to her marriage. Complaining is the praise music of hell. Satan loves to hear us gripe and grumble.
On the other hand, Satan hates to hear us pray. He can deceive, distract, and discourage us all he wants until we turn to God to fight for us—and then Satan is defeated! God has no tolerance for complaining; it does not express faith.
If you want to fight the good fight, it is time to turn our eyes on Jesus and profess our faith in Him. Praise expresses the awe-inducing, unchanging, mighty attributes of God. As we profess that He is Almighty, we perceive that our problems are not big and bad after all.
Write down some attributes of God from Scripture and pray them to remind yourself and the enemy that God is stronger and sovereign. Write down blessings to pray over the people connected to your prayer strategy. Remember, asking God to reveal anything they are doing in deceit is a blessing as long as you pray repentance and redemption over them as well (2 Timothy 2:22–26).*(Kathy Branzell)
Bible study and prayer are essential to the life of every Christian. Intentionally read and study the scriptures and listen to God’s words. Fill your mind and soul with His stories and His truths. Spend more time in prayer. Learn to pray on your knees or prostrate on the floor. Confess your sins. Ask God to reveal to you areas of your life that need His transformation. Commit to deeper Bible study and times of prayer.
Pray:
- Pray for those who are blinded by sin that the scales will be removed from their eyes, ears and their minds are illumined with the gospel. Pray for unbelievers to accept Jesus Christ as Savior.
- Pray that you and members of your church and believers everywhere would praise the Lord with their whole heart and grow in personal and corporate prayer.
- Pray for the Lord to add to the church daily those who are being saved. (Acts 2:4)
- Pray for opportunities for you and other believers to witness and invite people to the Lord and/or to the church. Colossians 4:2-4.
- Pray for college students.
Linda Fegins, The Prayer Leader