Dear God…

Dear God,

The week that You just brought me and Ab through has definitely not been the easiest. You called us to minister in the midst of rejection, disappointment and disunity. And it was no wonder that emotions ran high. There were times when we questioned You and the call You gave us; there were times when we disappointed You and shied away from tasks that seemed too difficult; there were times when we were disobedient and faithless. And while no two persons are in the same exact situation, I’m sure that those who are reading this prayer can relate to some of our experiences this past week.

God, where we lost sight of You, we are sorry. Please forgive us for seemingly forgetting the God whom we serve, if only for a moment, and allowing the problems of this world to deter us from the call You have given us.

But even when we turned away, You were still right there and for that, we say thank you so much. We are so grateful that You, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, love us so much and are so merciful and compassionate that even when we don’t deserve it, You are working things out for our favour. Thank You for the things that did work out over the course of this week and the amazing moments You provided in the midst of the heartache.

Omniscient God, You knew how this week would go before time began, just like how You know exactly how next week will go and what will be our peaks and where we will stumble while in our valleys. Help us to not take your mercy for granted because You are also a just God. Instead, give us the courage and the strength not to make the same mistakes twice, or three times, or even four.

While this week for us all might not have gone according to our plans, we pray that they went according to Yours and we thank You for the miracle that was today, for the silver linings on every storm cloud and for the persons that You have blessed through us, the ones we knew about and the ones we didn’t.

Help us to remain available to You and strengthen us for the next task that You are setting up for us. Give us an obedient and willing spirit so that You can have Your way.

In the matchless and holy name of Jesus Christ our Lord, we pray,

Amen.

Prayer for Lent

Oh God, You are my God and I praise Your matchless name!

Lord, I have decided to make a sacrifice for this Lenten period. You know what I have decided to give up and how much it really means to me to abstain for the purpose of growing closer to You. I am doing this because my soul thirsts for You, my entire being longs to draw nearer to You and do Your will. I know it will be hard and there will be temptations, but I also know that every time I am tempted, You will provide a way out. So please open my eyes so I can see the deliverance that You will provide for me.

Please help me to keep the focus on You during this period of fasting. I don’t want to just substitute a new activity for the one I am giving up. Instead, I want to use my free time and I want to make time for You to delve deeper into Your Word, hear from You and speak to You.

Jesus, please remove all distractions and give me the strength to do Your will. Help me to remember to not rely on my own strength but to know that I have unlimited power that comes from You and I CAN overcome. Give me a support system for when times get hard and give me a gentle reminder whenever I lose sight of why I am fasting or how I should fast.

Thank You for hearing me, delivering me and purifying me.

This I pray, in the holy name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

Amen.

The Golden Text: Philippians 4: 13

Philippians 4:13 has become such a popular verse that it seems to roll off our tongues the minute we want to encourage someone. You don’t think you will pass this exam? You’re too busy to complete everything on your to-do list? You don’t think that you can sing or speak or dance or play in front of the large crowd?  Don’t worry; you can do all things through Christ….

It is a great thing that we can readily use this verse for encouragement because there is so much truth to it. However, it seems that sometimes we forget that this verse is a powerful declaration over our lives and the lives of others.

Think about when was the last time that you said, “I can’t.” If you’re anything like me then you probably say these words more often than you realize. We’ve become so comfortable with the words “I can’t” that it is often a trending hashtag and slips out at the drop of a hat. Have we forgotten that our words have power? When did it become so easy to proclaim inability over our lives?

In Psalms 141: 3, David says to the Lord, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” David asked this of the Lord because he understood how important is it for us to keep a tight rein on our tongues (James 1:26) and be mindful of what we say.

David understood, and we need to understand, that “Life and death are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat of its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

Therefore, while the world may teach us that it is okay to indulge in idle chatter and proclaim this spirit of inability over our lives, the Bible tells us that what we say is important and it is not okay to say “I can’t.” Why?

1. Because what we say reflects what is in our hearts (Luke 6:45). Do we truly believe that we CAN do all things? Then we need to declare it and speak the truth that is in our hearts! We need to aim for speech like Job who said, “My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know.” (Job 33:3)
2.  Because the Lord detests false witness (Jeremiah 23:31). So let us ensure that what we say comes from the Lord and not flesh because we are His mouthpiece.
3.  Because one day the Lord will judge us for the thoughtless words that we declared in our lives and the lives of others (Matthew 12:36). What will you say to the Lord when He asks why you said you couldn’t when He gave you the power?
4.  Because as Christians we are supposed to be speaking His Word and spreading the Good News. Unfortunately, we become very unreliable when out of the same mouth that we proclaim His truth, we also belittle or ignore the promise that He has made to us.

What is this promise?

“I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].” AMP

Or, as the more popular versions say, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

We say “I can’t” because we’re lazy, scared or disobedient, not because we truly do not have the ability. Philippians 4:13 says that God has empowered us to do ALL things and we need to be ready for anything because it is only then that He will be able to work wonders and perform miracles through us. Our Heavenly Father has equipped us to handle any situation in life so speak life into your situations! Make the powerful declaration today and everyday over your life and the lives of others that YOU CAN.