Our People – Part 1

Proverbs 2:1-6 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

PRAYER:
Families: Lord, we lift up the families across our state and ask for Your hand of mercy and truth to be poured out on them. You are our mighty Father, our healer, sustainer and comforter. Our families need Your guidance to know how to raise their children up in the ways of the Lord. Break the generational curses of divorce, addiction, poverty, sexual abuse, perversions of every kind, physical abuse, crime, adultery, hate, and bitterness. Heal the broken hearts of children who have been affected by these traumas. Some of these children have now grown into adults who still carry hurts and pain from a broken past. They need healing. Holy Spirit, bring light to the areas they have attempted to keep hidden in the dark. Bring life to where the enemy has tried to bring death. We also ask for each person to have a redeeming knowledge of Jesus Christ and that each would understand their true identity as a child of the King. We pray scriptural truths over families today, that they will be rooted, grounded and established in who they are in Christ Jesus so that they cannot be shaken and so that chains are broken. They have an inheritance that cannot be taken away. We know that You are faithful to complete a work You started. We speak the truth of who You say we are over our families. We speak life and life abundantly over the families in our communities, state and around the world.

Pregnant Women: Lord, we thank You for every life that You planned before the foundation of the earth. Each life is precious in Your sight. We pray for the mothers, that You would give them wisdom and understanding of Your creative purpose for each life. Fill each woman with a reverence and awe that she is carrying Your baby. Provide these mothers with the support they need to make good and wise decisions. Our hearts are grieved by the numbers of babies being sacrificed by abortion. We pray that You would spring forth an awareness that there are better ways to manage. Draw women who are contemplating abortion to Christian pregnancy centers and put a desire in each woman to complete the pregnancy so that her baby may be raised by loving parents. Give courage to mothers who place babies for adoption, and provide loving, godly, safe homes for each baby. We pray that laws that support abortion are overturned and public reimbursement for this is cut off.

Marriages: Father, we bring the marriages in our state before You. We are troubled by divorce statistics, and that the divorce rate is high even in the body of Christ. We ask You to intervene in the hearts of married couples. Bind up divisions and discouragement and release the unity that comes from You. Give our married couples courage to be truthful, humble and repentant with each other and with You. Cause them to submit to one to another, with pureness of heart and willingness to press through hard times. Be at the center of their relationship. Let them lean on You. Fill them with Your Holy Spirit. When couples struggle, let them know that You are there, Lord. Surround them with godly counselors and friends who can lead, teach and encourage them in the way they should go. Where there is abuse and hatred, we pray for Your wisdom and protection and a way of escape, if needed. Lord may each husband and wife know that they are raised with Christ and that they are to seek those things which are above. May their life be hidden with Christ in You so they may appear with Christ in glory.

Mothers and Fathers: Lord, we thank You for this sacred union which You established when You made Adam and Eve. Lord, help parents love and honor each other the way You love the Church. Let them see the treasure and beauty in a deep relationship between each other with You at the center. Help them to be equally yoked in You. Help them to be rooted and grounded together in You and planted in the Body of Christ. If they do not know You, we ask that You draw them to You. We pray that You would give wisdom, tenderness and kindness to each one. Help them solve problems with kindness. Help them be healed from any ungodly former relationships so they can minister life to one another in purity. Help parents speak words of encouragement and value to one another in front of their children. Help them model the fruits of Your Holy Spirit. We speak peace for marriages. When they are tired, discouraged, distressed, or face life’s trials, help them support, encourage and lift each other up. Help them pray together often. Help parents model wisdom and godly behavior to their children. Help them train up their children in the ways they should go so when they are old, they won’t depart from it.

Our Children: Lord, we ask that You, would captivate and seal the hearts of our children from a young age. Lead each child by Your Holy Spirit and bring them to a point of repentance and relationship with You through Jesus. Train them up in the way they should go, so when they are old, they should not depart from it. May they know and never question that they are justified by faith and that the blood of Jesus will cleanse them from all sin. May they know they are a child of God. By Your grace may they have peace of mind and increasing faith. May they have rich and transforming fellowship with You and other Christians. We rejoice in the hope of glory as Your love and grace is poured out on their hearts. The Holy Spirit has been given to them and they have been washed, sanctified and justified in the name of Jesus. They are redeemed by Your blood and forgiven of their sins according to the riches of Your grace.

Single: Lord Jesus, I thank You for those whom You have called to be single. We ask that You use them for your glory. Help them be single minded in their pursuit of You. Strengthen them with resolve to stand fast for Your purposes. Give them purity of heart and help them to be very productive in You. Lord, for those who are single for a season, we ask that You would prepare a spouse for them who is like-minded, equipped with passion and resolve for You and that You would arrange divine appointments for them to find the gift of a spouse in due time. Give them patience to keep You the main thing and to not chase after vain imaginations. Let the glory of the Lord be their strength. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Divorced: Father, people are divorced for a variety of reasons. You know each person’s heart, their struggles and their desires. Regardless of the cause, we pray for a deep healing to go forth in these people. Draw them to Your throne of grace to find help in times of trouble. Sometimes this is years later. Break ungodly ties and restore what has been lost to each person. Help divorced people live in purity, drawing near to You, Lord. For those who have children, help them speak words of peace to their children regarding their ex-spouse. Help them strive to live in peace with all people. We bind up wounds of the heart, tormenting spirits and fear. We release healing, hope and strength for their futures. In Jesus Name, Amen.