A Call to Prayer
“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” Oswald Chambers
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; it shall yet come to pass that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also” (Zechariah 8:20, 21).
“Your mission, if you choose to accept it…” was a pivotal line in every episode of the old television show, Mission Impossible. Jim Phelps was given the specifics of that week’s top secret undertaking and the recorded voice gave him an implied choice in the matter.
The Church of God of Prophecy has a mission. Do you know what it is? “Empowered by the Holy Spirit, through prayer, we will plant churches and equip leaders to carry out the biblical mandate to make genuine disciples of all the people of the world, to the glory of Christ our Lord, head of the church.” That is our mission statement. We each have a part to play in carrying it out. Some are planting churches and making disciples, but all are called to prayer.
Jesus said, “Men ought to keep on praying and not give up” (Luke 18:1). We ought to pray. But too often we don’t. F. B Meyer said, “The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.” And those who do pray, often give up too soon. Jesus knows we are prone to discouragement when the answers to our prayers are not immediate. He followed His “don’t give up” instruction in Luke with this story:
Jesus said, “In a certain city lived a judge who didn’t respect God or worry about what men thought. There was a widow in that city who repeatedly came to him, saying, ‘I have been treated unfairly by someone and I want you to make it right.’ He did nothing for a while; but later on, he said to himself, ‘I don’t care what God or anybody else thinks, but this widow keeps on bothering me so I will punish the guy who mistreated her. Otherwise, she will nag and nag me until it wears me out.’ Then the Lord said, “Did you hear what that crooked judge said? Don’t you think a good and loving God will intervene for His own children when they are crying out day and night to Him? You think He takes too long? I assure you, He will help them quickly.”
Charles Spurgeon had something to say about that kind of persistent prayer: “Faith uses pleas. Those who merely say a prayer, do not to pray at all, for they forget to argue with God; but those who prevail bring forth their reasons and their strong arguments.” We must keep on praying and not give up.
How important is it that we pray? Think about this: The Temple, God’s house in the Old Testament, was built following extremely specific instructions. In verse after verse, chapter after chapter, God communicated the exact dimensions, furnishings, colors, and fabrics to be used in the Temple. God’s house was important to Him. And constructing God’s house precisely as He directed was important to David and Solomon and all of Israel. In the New Testament, Jesus gives the only instructions describing His house. He said, “My house is the house of prayer.” More than purple drapes and gold chords, pillars and candlesticks, God’s house must be adorned with the beauty and splendor of fervent prayer. Prayer is important to God. Prayer must be important to us.
“Teach us to pray, Lord,” the disciples requested. Oh, that we would passionately desire to effectively pray for the rule of God in our lives and in the world! Let us provoke each other to the good work of prayer. Zechariah 8:21 prophesies that people will one day say to each other, “Come on! Let’s all go now to pray. I’m going!” Let us all commit ourselves to a lifestyle of unceasing, fervent, militant intercession; praying in agreement with Jesus. “To pray in Jesus’ name means to pray in His spirit, in His compassion, in His love, in His outrage, in His concern. In other words, it means to pray a prayer Jesus would pray” (Kenneth L. Wilson). Jesus prayed, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.” Are we praying in Jesus’ name? Nineteenth century clergyman and poet, Richard C. Trench said, “Prayer is not getting man’s will done in heaven, but getting God’s will done on earth. It is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of God’s willingness.”
And so, we commit ourselves to a revival of prayer. We must avail ourselves of as much instruction as possible and find many opportunities to pray, until our churches are known as houses of prayer and all of us, people of prayer. We will pray until the work of the Holy Spirit is evident in salvations, miracles, healings, and deliverances; where supernatural ministry is manifested so that it spills over into the community. We will pray until the signs follow us (see Mark 16:17, 18).
Miracles happen when God’s people pray. A woman I know very well shared this story with me: “When the children were little, my husband started a new job. It was days before he would get paid and there was no food in the house. I did the only thing I knew to do. I prayed. ‘These babies need milk, Lord. We’re depending on You.’ Before I got up from praying, there was a knock at the door. Standing there was Eunice Moore from church. ‘I don’t even know if you need these, but the Lord told me to bring you groceries and a gallon of milk.’ God heard me and sent her to help us!”
I know personally about the miracle-working power of prayer. Prayer saved my life. In January 2010, I was dying. Doctors called my family in and told them I had no chance living through the night. My husband, mother, and friends who were in the room immediately began praying. Then each of them got busy calling other people—some knew me, some did not—to pray. I lived! I was healed by God and have worked, preached, and lived a happy life since that miracle. Thank God people prayed.
We must pray! For ourselves, for others, and for revival in the nations. Throughout history, when God was up to something, He preceded it with a call to prayer. D.L Moody said, “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” The Welsh Revival, the campaigns of Jonathan Edwards, Azusa Street, the Shearer Schoolhouse revival and many momentous outpourings interspersed through the centuries came about because earnest people gathered for concerts of prayer. A world-wide prayer movement is, once again, saturating Christianity. We must move where God is moving. We must communicate a sense of urgency and charge into this end-time prayer movement. Bible prophecy has already told us a great harvest is to come. We will only be ready if we are praying.
James 5:16 tells us “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs, “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Timothy 2:8 is clear. “Everyone, everywhere should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.”
We have a mission. And we have a choice. We must choose to accept it.
-Marsha Robinson, Cleveland, Tennessee
As published in the January 2018 issue of the White Wing Messenger
Seeking the Lord Together
As printed in the January 2016 issue of the White Wing Messenger.
This month Church of God of Prophecy congregations on every continent will join together to seek God in prayer and fasting. People will seek God by denying themselves of food or other things that are important in their lives. They will come together to pray for their families, their congregation, their communities, and the world. But my question is—“Will the children be included?”
Children were included in significant times of prayer and fasting in the Old Testament. When the Ammonites and Moabites joined forces to make war against Judah, Jehoshaphat called the nation together to seek the Lord with prayer and fasting. 2 Chronicles 20:13 says, “And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.” The Message paraphrase says simply, “Everyone in Judah was there—little children, wives, sons—all present and attentive to God.”
During this time of seeking let’s invite everyone to participate—even the children. Let’s provide age-appropriate opportunities for them to be present and attentive to God.
Fasting
Prepare the children to join in fasting during the season of seeking. Share what fasting is using the Bible story of Jesus fasting. Just as Jesus was led by God’s Spirit to fast, God calls us to times of fasting as well. Why?
- Fasting helps us to focus on Him. Sometimes we are distracted by all that we have—food and drink, media, sports, and more. When we willingly give up something, it causes us to consider God and what His desires are for us.
- Fasting also helps us to focus on particular needs or issues. During this time of seeking we will focus on seeking God for His plans for our congregation, our families, our communities, and the world.
Help the children consider ways they could join the congregation in fasting. While most people give up food, encourage children to think about the following things:
- What habit or activity might I give up so that I can better focus on God? Children might consider TV viewing, social media, video games, sporting events, etc.
- What is a specific meal, food, or drink that I enjoy that I am willing to give up?
- Could I give up my allowance, gifts of money, or money I earn doing chores to provide for someone in need?
Include children in a congregational pledge to fast during this season of seeking. For example, pass out notecards to everyone. Have children as well as adults write or draw their fasting pledge and place it in a designated place.
Praying
During this season of seeking plan interactive prayer times so that everyone—including children—can participate. Some suggestions are:
- Prayers for the world. Place pictures on the wall of countries that you will focus on in prayer. Include a list (pictures too) of the specific prayer needs of that country and our church leaders there. Invite your congregation to move around the room praying for each nation.
- Prayers for personal needs. Create a wall of mesh wire. Provide strips of colored cloth. Create a chart that shows what prayer need each color represents. For example: white might represent salvation, brown might represent physical needs, yellow might represent health needs, green might represent financial needs, etc. Participants take a strip that represents their personal prayer need and tie it on the wire. They then pray for the prayer needs represented by each of the strips already tied on the wire.
- Prayers for Christians who are being persecuted. Set up a cross. Prepare a brief written statement or audio or video recording to challenge people to pray for persecuted Christians around the world. Provide pushpins. Participants push a pin into the cross then pray for those who are suffering around the world because they are Christians.
- Prayers for our communities. Have a large sheet of bulletin board paper with the name of your church community written at the top and the words, “I will pray and I will serve.” Ask each participant to draw their hand on a sheet of construction paper, cut it out, and write their name on it. After praying for the needs of the community, they may tape their hand on the paper as a commitment to pray and serve.
When Moses petitioned Pharaoh to take the people of Israel into the wilderness, Pharaoh asked, “Tell me who will be going.” Moses answered without hesitation, “We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord” (Genesis 10:8, 9).
Who will be invited to participate in this season of seeking? I hope you will answer without hesitation, “Our young and our old will seek the Lord together.”
Praying for NextGen Leaders
“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV).
NextGen leaders promote a holistic vision for the next generation’s spiritual growth from infancy to college. They partner with families and other ministries in the local church to ensure that there is a unified strategy for reaching, developing, and deploying the next generation into the harvest. Our constant prayer support, therefore, adds another layer of defense against Satan’s attack on their lives, family, and ministry; increases the effectiveness of their work; and blesses and strengthens the local church.
Prayer Directives
As we join together to strengthen and encourage our NextGen leaders,
- Pray that the Holy Spirit would be poured our daily in the life of each NextGen leader (Ephesians 5:18).
- Pray for vision and the leading of the Holy Spirit in NextGen ministries’ across our network (Habakkuk 2:2).
- Pray that NextGen leaders would be thoroughly equipped and fully resourced to win, disciple, and develop students (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Timothy 4:2, 5).
- Pray that NextGen leaders would cultivate a personal ministry of intercession and compassion for students (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Matthew 9:36).
- Pray that NextGen leaders would be positive role models and mentors (1 Corinthians 11:1; 2 Timothy 2:22).
- Pray for collaboration, communication, and synergy among NextGen leaders, ministry teams and lead pastors.
- Pray that NextGen leaders would pursue partnerships within their local communities (e.g., schools, sports, youth shelters, detention centers, etc.) to strengthen families and spread the Gospel (Matthew 28:19, 20).
Additional Prayer Resources
Web:
- Focus on the Family – http://www.focusonthefamily.com
- World Network of Prayer – prayingyouth.com
- How to Pray for Our Leaders (Billy Graham Association) – http://www.grbc.info/How%20to%20Pray.pdf
Print:
- Praying Circles around Your Children by Mark Batterson
- Blessing Your Children by Jack Hayford
Download this prayer guide as a bulletin insert here. Let us know you are praying with us by using #COGOPprays on social media to share your requests, inspirations, and praise reports.
Prevailing Prayer
As published in the book “The Last Great Conflict.”
As it is our desire and purpose for this book to stimulate and inspire its readers to redouble their energy and efforts to forward the Gospel and win the victory in this last great conflict, we feel it would hardly be complete without a chapter on prayer.
Prevailing prayer implies and embodies all works, as the seed embodies the trunk, root, branches, flowers, and fruitage of the tree.
The history of piety is the history of prayer. All piety and successful Christian work begins, continues, and ends with prayer. From the offering of Abel’s acceptable sacrifice down to the present moment, all blessings of grace have been bestowed in answer to the triple intercessions of the Son of God, the Holy Spirit and believing souls.
The angel said to Jacob (Genesis 32:28), “As a prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed.” If, by the effort of prayer, we may prevail, both with God and with men, is there anything else we can do in life which, in importance and power, is equal to prayer? On the day of Pentecost the preacher and the whole church being full of faith, the Holy Ghost, and power, in answer to the prayer of faith, one sermon resulted in the conversion of three thousand souls. Today three thousand sermons without this power in answer to prayer, would not save one sinner. The more of churches and sermons we have without prayer that brings an enduement of power, the worse are we off. They are a savor of death unto death, and as someone has said: “If there was a religion today that had the doctrine and all the ordinances of the New Testament, and yet, without the baptism of the Holy Ghost, it would not be Christianity.”
Because of the interests pending, and the power God has placed at the disposal of him who prays, the most interesting sight in this world is a man in the act of prayer. The angels of God look with wonder, and the Lord of angels bends from His lofty throne and exclaims, “Behold, he prayeth!”
God has revealed the necessity of prayer and its almost unlimited power. “Ask and it shall be given you.” “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” Prayer is intimately associated with man’s salvation, and without it we cannot be saved.
How much in Christian experience and Christian labor, depends on prayer! Without prayer for the power of the Holy Ghost to attend the truth preached, the Word will be a dead letter. “The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life.” No wonder there are so many dead formal churches. It is the unction that makes the preacher.
How did Fletcher and Finney get this unction? By praying without ceasing, by pleading, wrestling, and prevailing at a throne of grace. All great soul winners have conquered on their knees. Without prevailing prayer the meetings become as cold as death, and the churches will dwindle and become extinct. What is wanting in so many instances, is the power of the Holy Ghost to move and act in answer to the effectual, fervent prayer of the saints of God.
The Spirit of God is the great agent, who is the source of all vitality and power in every service. His life and power are given in answer to the prayer of faith, and never otherwise. How did the early church get such great power? What could they have done without it? What did they do with it? What can we do without it? A writer says of the sainted Bramwell: “I attribute the greater portion of his success in the ministry to his diligence and prayer.”
As we advance, we see in prayer the great means for obtaining strength and wisdom for our work in the Lord’s service. As we understand this subject, we will see more and more that intercessory prayer is the most important and the most real work the Christian has to do. “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Therefore I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God” (Ezekiel 22:30, 31). What a responsible position we occupy! To stand in the gap in intercessory prayer for the salvation of souls, to keep off the wrath of God is the need of the hour.
Prevailing prayer leads us into a holy and intimate nearness to God. It is the only way to God, the only medium of communion with Him. Prevailing with God is the secret of prevailing with men and must precede it. On what we transact with God at a throne of grace depends what we may accomplish with men. We may pray, sing, and preach until we drop in our graves, but until we prevail, all will go for nothing. It is one thing to pray, and another thing to prevail in prayer.
Esau was conquered while Jacob wrestled until the break of day. The lions’ mouths were closed while Daniel was on his knees. Elijah prayed, “And it rained not for the space of three years and six months.” He prayed again, “and it came to pass, in the meanwhile, that the heavens were black with clouds, and wind, and there was a great rain.” When the Israelites had made them a golden calf and worshipped it, God determined to destroy them, and said to Moses. “I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: Now, therefore, let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the Lord, his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people? . . . Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people . . . And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” But for the prayer of Moses, God would have annihilated the whole nation instead of cutting off but a few thousand of the idolaters. Strange as it may seem, yet the life of a nation depended on the prayer of faith offered by Moses.
“Oh, wonderful power of faithful prayer!
What tongue can tell the almighty grace?
God’s hands are bound or open are,
As Moses or Elijah prays!
Let Moses in the Spirit groan;
And God cries out, ‘Let me alone.’ ”
When Haman sought revenge on all the Jews in all the realms of Ahasuerus because of the insult tendered him by Moredecai the Jew and when it was decreed by the king that all the Jews should be put to death, Mordecai informed queen Esther of the bloody plot; and the queen bade Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me; and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.”
When the Jews had thus, for three days and nights, fasted and prayed, God answered and delivered them, and destroyed their enemy. He who prays in faith enlists almighty God, all the armies of heaven, and every law of the universe in the interest of his cause.
Strange as it may seem, nevertheless, the eternal salvation of the lost depends on God’s people at a throne of grace. It is in answer to prevailing prayer that power is given to move the lost to accept Christ. Peter was released from prison while the church at Jerusalem were on their knees. It was the power of the Holy Ghost, given in answer to the prayer of faith, that made the truth in Peter’s sermon, on the day of Pentecost, effectual in the conviction and conversion of three thousand souls. Without this power in answer to prayer, the multitude would have remained unmoved, except that probably they would have become so enraged that Peter would have lost his life. The prayer of faith brought a power that enchained the rabble and subdued the otherwise invincible.
It was the power of God that came while Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God, that made the earth quake and sinners tremble, and that opened the prison door and wicked hearts as well. The power that did these things centuries ago, can do the same today. This power is given to us in answer to the prayer of faith.
The Syro-Phoenician woman, whose daughter was a demoniac, cried out of her maternal heart: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David, . . . Lord help me!” To which Christ responded, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. The all important thing for that mother to do was to believe—prevail.
The all important thing for us to do in these days, is to believe— to have great faith in God, and this comes of great praying.
The death warrant of “Bloody Mary” was signed in heaven, while John Knox was on his knees, saying: “Give me Scotland or I die.” When that wicked ruler said: “I fear the prayers of John Knox more than I fear all the armies of Europe,” she paid the finest tribute to the power of prayer to be found on the pages of history. The Emperor of Germany resolved to proclaim religious toleration throughout his realm, while Martin Luther and some of his helpers were on their knees, when Luther exclaimed, “Deliverance has come! Deliverance has come!”
Without the quickening and convicting operations of the Holy Ghost, the sinner will not, cannot come to God. These operations of the Holy Ghost are conditioned on the faith of the children of God. As the saints prevail with God for the convicting power of the Holy Ghost upon sinners, the responsibility for the salvation of sinners is transferred from the Christians to sinners themselves. Only where Christians have done their utmost is the responsibility entirely transferred to sinners. Then how great, how charming the responsibility of Christians! Then how important this subject of prayer in this time of the last great conflict!
As priests, we must go into the holy of holies of God’s presence by the way of prayer, and receive “all the fullness of God” ourselves, and answer for the salvation of others and then return to the people with a blessing for them. Christ spent a whole night on the mountain in prayer, that the next day He might return “in the power of the Spirit” with great blessings for the people.
How marvelous the power the church may wield at the throne of grace to move the “Lord of the harvest to send forth more laborers into His vineyard,” to carry “this Gospel of the kingdom in all the world for a witness” in this generation! The gathering of the harvest depends on prayer. How solemn the thought! How almost overwhelming the sense of responsibility that thrills the soul of him who understands the power of prayer and is in sympathy with a lost race in its paramount peril, and with Him who “gave His life a ransom for all” as he lifts his eyes and sees “the fields already white unto the harvest!”
No subject equals in importance this subject. By prayer we receive of God’s life and take on His character. We become like those with whom we have continuous and loving fellowship.
“We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” We now behold Him in the Gospel glass face to face, and are “changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” “As He (Jesus) prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.” And the fashion of our countenances will be changed as we draw near to God in prayer.
Then pray for Jesus’ sake! Pray for the salvation of the lost! Pray for your own present good and eternal glory! Pray now, while we are in this last great conflict, for by prayer only will the victory be won and the conflict ended and Jesus reign supreme. Pray! Pray!! Pray!!!
Praying for the Church
As the Church of God of Prophecy approaches a significant milestone, the 100th International Assembly, we will focus this month’s prayers on giving thanks to God for the heritage of this movement, share the present needs of our local congregations, and seek His divine direction for the future of our local and corporate bodies. Join with us this month in remembering the past, celebrating our present, and anticipating our future through prayer.
Prayer Directives
- Give thanks to Father for your personal salvation and journey of faith.
- Praise the Father for the influence of your local church on your life. With thanksgiving, recall individuals who impacted your faith walk and celebrate the gifts of God in their lives.
- Thank the Father for the ministry of the Church of God of Prophecy. Thank Him for the obedience of the early church fathers and mothers who sought his purposes and sacrificed so that his plan could be accomplished.
- Give thanks for the global vision of the church, her impact in 135 nations of the world, and for her historical inclusiveness across racial and gender lines.
- Praise God for the present work of your local church. Thank Him for His faithfulness to your church and ask for opportunities to make a greater impact in your community.
- Confess to Him any areas of difficulty, discord, or division in your church. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring unity, direction, and help to these situations.
- Pray for the leaders of your local church including your pastor, ministry leaders, deacons/deaconesses, teachers, youth/children’s workers, church committees, etc.
- Ask the Father to give your pastor and congregation an unobstructed vision.
- Pray that the Father would let genuine faith, hope, and love arise in your congregation so that those in your community could see and be drawn to Him.
- Ask the Father to lead your church into the plenteous harvest fields that are all around your congregation.
Download this prayer guide as a bulletin insert here. Let us know you are praying with us by using #COGOPprays on social media to share your requests, inspirations, and praise reports.
Praying for New Believers
Although the Father has given us many discipleship tools for connecting with and maturing in Him, the most powerful method for any believer is prayer. One way we can support a new believer is by praying for them regularly and intentionally as they conform to the image of Christ.
Each church should be filled with individuals maturing in their relationship with the Lord and experiencing spiritual growth. As the church is faithful to pray for and train new believers in Christian love and service, she will be better equipped to fulfill the Great Commission given to us by our Lord.
Throughout this month, we will be praying for new believers—that the Father would provide opportunities for us to lead others to Him, as well as for recently saved believers already acclimating into our church families.
Prayer Directives
- Give praise to God the Father and to Jesus Christ who is Savior and Redeemer and came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 15:1-31, 19:9-10, John 14:6).
- Give thanks to God for the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16).
- Recount your testimony of salvation, thanking God for his salvation and deliverance (Psalm 40:1-3).
- Call out the name of any new believer that you may know, asking that the assurance of salvation would be known and felt by them (Ephesians 1:13-14, Romans 8:14-16).
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will teach them how to pray (Romans 8:26-27)
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide them as they read the Bible, helping them to understand the truth of God’s Word and how to apply it to their life (John 16:13).
- Pray for the development and evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in their lives (Galatians 5:22-23).
- Pray that they will be guided into the ministry to which God is specifically calling them, and that the Holy Spirit will give them new Spirit-empowered abilities or capacities for this ministry (1 Corinthians 12:4-31, Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 3:16).
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will convict them of sin throughout their life, shaping their conscience to recognize sin, and motivate and empower them to change (John 16:8).
- Pray that they will receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and be empowered to witness (Matthew 3:11; Luke 24:49–53; Acts 1:4–8).
Download this prayer guide as a bulletin insert here. Let us know you are praying with us by using #COGOPprays on social media to share your requests, inspirations, and praise reports.
Praying for Emerging Leaders
Throughout history we see that in every generation God has been faithful to bring revival to His people and spiritual awakening to entire nations. In almost every one of these cases, these movements of the Spirit were evidenced most strongly among young people.
Many young Christian leaders sense another awakening stirring among young people and there are encouraging signs of revival as God’s Spirit moves in fresh ways among them. It is quite possible that we stand on the cusp of the greatest revival and awakening in all of history. Do you desire to see a dynamic demonstration of the Holy Spirit’s power in our generation and in the lives of young people in your life?
If we truly desire to see this mighty move arise among our students and emerging leaders, we should seek the Father, through prayer on their behalf. Throughout this month, we will unite our prayers to pray specifically for the students in our lives—covering each area of their life in specific ways. We invite you to call out the specific names of the young people in your life as you pray through the directives below.
Prayer Directives
- Thank the Father for His loving care of young leaders in your life and for the plans He has for them. Ask Him to give them a divine passion and passion for living (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 139:13–16, 2 Corinthians 5:20, Jeremiah 1:5, John 14:13, Romans 8:28, 29).
- Pray for wisdom in their choosing of friends and that God will bring people into their lives who will point them to Christ and encourage them as fully-devoted disciples (1 Corinthians 15:33, Hebrews 10:25, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, 1 Samuel 16:7).
- Ask the Father to transform the mind of your student so that they are renewed and He is honored through their speech, love, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12, Romans 12:1, 2, Psalm 24:4).
- Ask the Father to birth a hunger for righteousness in the relationships of your student and that they would recognize the lies of the enemy. Ask God to strengthen them to enable them to flee sexual immorality and remain pure until married (John 8:32, 1 Peter 1:5, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 John 4:4, James 1:12–14).
- Ask God to grant an anointing of extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit in the life of your student so that he/she will be a great witness for Christ (Acts 1:8, Luke 4:18, 19, 1 Peter 3:15, Matthew 28:19, 20, Galatians 5:24).
- Ask the Father to give your student help to view money as a resource for Kingdom purposes. Ask that they be granted contentment whether in possession of plenty or poor (Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:24, Ecclesiastes 5:10, Hebrews 13:5; 1 Timothy 6:10).
- Pray that your student would submit to Christ as well as those in authority over them. Ask for an extra measure of grace to love, respect, and honor their parents, teachers, spiritual leaders, and government officials (Ephesians 6:2, 3; Hebrews 13:17, Mark 12:17).
- Ask God to nurture the soil of the heart of your student so that they have greater sensitivity to the things of the Spirit and grow in their knowledge of His ways (Luke 2:52, Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 3:16).
- Ask for a knowledge of the truth of God and spiritual eyes to see so that the enemy would not be able to deceive them (1 Timothy 3:9, 2 Corinthians 2:11, John 17:17, Ephesians 6:14).
- Pray to the Father that He would fill your student with the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and protect his/her mind and heart from hopelessness (Galatians 6:9, Ephesians 6:13, Philippians 4:8, 2 Timothy 2:13, Hebrews 10:23, 1 Peter 5:8, 9).
Download this prayer guide as a bulletin insert here. Let us know you are praying with us by using #COGOPprays on social media to share your requests, inspirations, and praise reports.
Praying for Lost Loved Ones
No matter how impossible the situation may seem, God can do amazing things when we invite Him into the needs of our family. Although the needs change with the various seasons of a family’s life, the most critical prayer we can pray is for the salvation of a lost loved one.
As we pray, we should remember that God “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” and our desire to see our loved ones saved cannot compare to His (1 Timothy 2:4). We must remember that we are not praying to an unwilling God, but a God who stands ready to save and redeem.
This month we will unite our prayers to pray for our lost loved ones, asking the Father to give us opportunities to share the Gospel with them, and praying for Him to soften the hearts of our family members. There is great power when two or more gather in Christ’s name and pray for His will to be done (Matthew 18:20).
As we pray for our loved ones, God will ready our hearts to do His will and give us the assurance that He can change hearts. We must not give up praying for our unsaved family members. We are engaged in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12–20), and one of our greatest weapons is prayer. God can do the impossible, and He can change even the hardest of hearts.
Prayer Directives
- Give praise to God the Father and to Jesus Christ who is Savior and Redeemer who came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 15:1–31; 19:9, 10; John 14:6).
- Give thanks to God for the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16).
- Recount your testimony of salvation, thanking God for His salvation and deliverance (Psalm 40:1–3).
- Call out the names of your lost loved ones, asking for the Holy Spirit to draw them and help them understand their need for the Savior (Jeremiah 24:7, Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23).
- Pray for their eyes to be opened to the truth of God’s love and salvation (Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 3:18, 19).
- Pray with repentance of your own sin and the sins of generations before you that may have influenced your loved ones in their choices (Daniel 9:20).
- Name any oppression or addiction present in the lives of your loved ones and intercede that they be set free (Isaiah 58:6).
- Pray for an opportunity and boldness of the Spirit to share the life-changing Gospel (Acts 4:31).
- Pray that nothing would distract or hinder the moments of confession, repentance, and salvation of your loved ones (Ephesians 1:18–21; 2 Timothy 2:24–26).
- Praise God for the assurance that it is God’s desire to save your loved ones (Luke 19:10; Romans 10:1; 1 Timothy 2:4).
Download this prayer guide here. Let us know you are praying with us by using #COGOPprays on social media to share your requests, inspirations, and praise reports.
Unreached People of the World
The mission organization Joshua Project reports that there are presently 16,842 identified people groups in the world. Of these, it is believed that some 6,989 groups, or 41 percent of these groups, are unreached with the Gospel message.
Matthew 24:14, tells us that the “Gospel (message) of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
As we look with anticipation to the glorious return of our Lord, we as His people should also pray for and seek ways to send the whole Gospel to the whole world. As we participate in this last days harvesting endeavor, we await the fulfillment of Revelation 7:9, ” I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”
Join with us in praying for the unreached people groups of our world, as well as for efforts underway to take the life-giving message of the Gospel to its nations, tribes, people, and languages.
Prayer Directives
- Thank the Father for His ability and readiness to give, guide, and respond in response to our prayers (Matthew 7:7, 8).
- Thank the Father for pastors, ministers, teachers, and missionaries who are at work right now mobilizing resources to share the Gospel with unreached people groups (1 Thessalonians 1:2, 3; Ephesians 4:11, 12; Matthew 9:37, 38).
- Pray for revival in the Church that will cleanse, empower, and send believers out to reach the lost (Matthew 28:19, 20; 2 Corinthians 5:18–20).
- Pray for men, women, boys, and girls to respond to the call of God (Luke 10:2).
- Pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on unreached people groups bringing conviction of sin (Joel 2:28, 29).
- Pray for biblical dreams and visions and revelations of Jesus that will draw lost people to Him (Joel 2:28, 29).
- Pray for ongoing, powerful signs and wonders of healing, deliverance, and miracles that will draw individuals to the Gospel message (Mark 16:17–20; Romans 15:18, 19; Hebrews 2:4).
- Pray for mission expansions and church planting efforts into nations and villages previously unreached with the Gospel (Matthew 16:18; 28:19, 20)
- Pray that as new believers are born into the kingdom they will be biblically discipled and will mature in their faith (Matthew 28:19, 20).
- Pray for the translation, printing, and distribution of God’s Word into all languages, as well as Christian radio and television ministries entering into new markets (Matthew 24:14).
Download this prayer guide here. Let us know you are praying with us by using #COGOPprays on social media to share your requests, inspirations, and praise reports.
Houses of Prayer
Pastor Jim Cymbala of the Brooklyn Tabernacle church tells a story of a challenge he gave his congregation in earlier days of his ministry. He told his then small congregation that if they called upon the Lord faithfully in prayer, He had promised in His word to answer, to bring the unsaved to Himself, and to pour out His Spirit among them. But if they did not call upon the Lord, He had promised them nothing.
He continued to challenge his congregation when he said, “No matter what I preach or what we claim to believe in our heads, the future will depend upon our times in prayer. Prayer will be the engine that drives the church.”
In Matthew 21, Jesus gave an identifying mark to his church when he said, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer’” (Matthew 21:13, NIV).
While the church may be correct in her teachings, led by charismatic pastors, and inspirational in its worship, without prayer it will be anemic, having no power. The health of any church, locally or corporately, can be gauged by its commitment to the discipline of prayer.
Join with us in praying that the Church of God of Prophecy, as a movement and in our local churches, would be known as a Houses of Prayer, evidenced by a commitment to passionate, persistent, prevailing prayer.
Prayer Directives
- Thank the Father for his ability and readiness to give, guide, and respond in response to our prayers (Matthew 7:7-8).
- Confess for yourself or your church any lack of devotion to prayer. Ask God to help your church and its leaders be devoted to or “diligently occupied with” prayer (Colossians 4:2, Acts 1:14, Acts 2:42, Acts 6:4).
Ask God to help your church family pray as the needs arise, spontaneously, and to cover everything in prayer (Ephesians 6:8). - Ask God to make you alert to needs in your church family and to “keep on praying continually” for all members of your church family (Ephesians 6:8).
- Ask the Father to help you and your church to pray as Jesus urged you to pray—continually asking, seeking, and knocking (Matthew 7:7-8).
- Pray for power and wisdom to know the “greater things” the Father wants you and your church to do for Him (John 14:12-14).
- Ask the Father to help you see beyond just personal needs and to focus on Kingdom concerns (John 14:12-14).
- Pray that your church will pray faithfully and powerfully for your city, community, nation, and leaders (1 Timothy 2:1, 2).
- Pray for your pastor and ministry leaders (Romans 15:30).
- Ask God that the “heart’s desire” of your church would be to pray for the unsaved and that He would give your church practical opportunities to reach out to your community (Romans 10:1, 1 Timothy 2:1, 3, 4).
Download this prayer guide by clicking here. Let us know you are praying with us by using #COGOPprays on social media to share your requests, inspirations, and praise reports.
