ARTICLE SEARCH 

God loves every person on the planet and has called us to go and make disciples of everyone we can! We are also instructed by God to pray for the lost in our families, our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and to the ends of the earth! Here are seven scriptural ways to begin praying for lost people every day: Pray for the salvation of those who have yet to attain an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. “But don’t forget this, dear friends, that a day or a thousand years from now is like tomorrow to the Lord. He isn’t really being slow about his promised return, even though it sometimes seems that way. But he is waiting, for the good reason that he is not willing that any should perish, and he is giving more time for sinners to repent” (2 Peter 3:8-9). Pray against the powers of evil who fight to keep the lost in darkness. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual  forces  of wickedness in the heavenly  places . Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:12-13). Pray that God will remove the blinders that the Devil tries to put on the eyes and minds of unbelievers. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Pray for the encouragement, growth in discipleship and protection of new believers. “For this reason also, since the day we heard  of it , we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please  Him  in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light” (Colossians 1:9-12). Pray to the Lord of the Harvest to raise up more workers to send into His harvest field. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” (Matthew 9:36-38). Pray that the Father will draw lost people to Himself.  “ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Pray for the blessing and peace of God in every person’s life you are praying for to come to Jesus. Pray prophetically that God will work in every new believer’s life, and that the Holy Spirit will enable them to fulfill their redemptive purposes: “For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants” (Philippians 2:13) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). “This is what I have asked of God for you: that you will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love, and that you will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding.  For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself.     In him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3). “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11-14).

Before launching into intercession for others, corporate prayer, or even personal prayer, here are some powerful questions to utilize as a way to examine the condition of your heart so that God will hear and respond! Spend some time meditating on these scriptures as you answer the questions. Have I confessed all known sin?  Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God: your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives” (1 John 1:10). Are all my relationships with others made right?  “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15). Are you seeking His will in all things?  “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that is we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Are you seeking to glorify God above all things?  “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14). Are you depending on the Holy Spirit’s guidance?  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26-27). Are you trusting God in spite of what seems to be?  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Will you praise God no matter what?  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Compiled by Neapolis Church of Christ, Neapolis, OH

It happens to all of us! We see a homeless person, come upon the scene of an accident…or hear of a family in financial need. Immediately, we may think to pray in each of these situations, “Lord, please help that person. Send someone to meet that need!” What if God wants to use you and your family to be the answer to your prayer? Are you prepared to back up your prayers with action if the Lord directs? I believe that our Father wants us to learn how to be the hands and feet of His Son to hurting or lost people. Since Jesus lives in us we should consider as we pray what He would do to meet this need or help this person if He were physically present – because He is! He is physically present in the midst of every situation because He is incarnate – in us! Could this thought and realization change the way you respond to the prayers that you pray? Instead of thinking that you have done the right thing by praying and then moving along to the next activity of your day…do you need to take your prayer to the next level by listening to what the voice of the Spirit speaks to your heart? How many opportunities have we missed because we have not acted in response to the impulse of the Spirit urging us to make Jesus known in the midst of lives or situations? I believe that many prayers we pray can be answered quickly and with amazing results if we become better listeners to the voice of the Holy Spirit. If we could learn to change our mindset as we pray, I believe we would be used of God in mighty ways to be His agents of transformation. Can you imagine how fulfilling and exciting your lives would be if your family would continually wait upon the Lord to see how He may want to use you to be the answer to prayers that you pray? Let me give you an example of the first time this amazing reality became a part of my prayer life. When I was a new Christian, everything about the Lord was a wonderful surprise. Fortunately, that hasn’t changed over the years! I remember being in a small group of women studying the Word together and learning to pray. One young woman had three small boys and a husband who was working in another state to support them. He only made it home for a weekend every few months. There was very little money, but Bertie was always joyful. Her prayer one evening (we met in her home, as she couldn’t afford childcare) was for her husband to be able to come home for Christmas, and that they could have a wonderful celebration together as a family. We prayed for the Lord’s provision and for this husband and father to be able to come home in time to celebrate with his family. As we were praying I had an overwhelming sense that I was supposed to do something for this family. I shared my thoughts with another friend, Nancy, and we decided that between us we could help in this situation and began to make some plans. The first thing we felt led to do was to leave our friend, “Beth”, some money, so we left an anonymous envelope on the seat of her car. We had a strong sense that we weren’t to reveal to her who had left this gift. She tearfully told our small group during the next meeting about how she had been worried about not having enough grocery money for the week. Imagine her surprise and joy to find the envelope, which amazingly (but not to the all-knowing God) had the exact amount of money she needed! She made the statement, “God knew exactly what I needed and He provided it!” Nancy and I were astonished that not only had God used us to be givers in response to our prayers for her, but He had arranged it so that we would meet her need  exactly ! We were now hooked into the fact that the Lord could use us to do something we had been praying about. The story doesn’t stop there! When we heard that “Beth” wanted to go visit her husband for a weekend in case he was unable to come home over Christmas, the two of us quickly offered to take turns staying at her house to take care of the boys. While she was gone, we took them to get a Christmas tree. After it was set up in their house, we found out that they had no ornaments or other decorations, so we got paper, markers, glitter and glue and the five of us started decorating and singing Christmas carols. Paper snowflakes were hung all over the house and popcorn strings with homemade ornaments adorned the tree. The boys had a wonderful time and were so excited for their mother to come home. We prayed with them for their father to be able to come home too. Imagine the surprised faces when  both  of their parents came through the door! What a wonderful reunion this family had, and a very special Christmas! My heart was full, and I determined to spend my life listening to the voice of the Spirit instructing me how to help people. Every act of obedience has been profoundly life-transforming for me. This is a very simple example, and you may say, “We don’t need to pray before we help people.” Very true, but we are often in a hurry and may miss opportunities as the Lord puts them in our paths. May I suggest a short prayer that your family can lift up each and every day? “Lord, show us the people You want us to help or encourage today. Lead us to those who are hurting or in need and we will trust you for the means to do something about it.” I can promise you that your loving Father will answer if you will listen and obey. He will trust you with small things first and then He will stretch you to be obedient in His bigger plans and purposes. Being the answer to the prayers of others is one way to be used by God. Being the answer to our own prayers is an astonishingly powerful privilege. There may be situations in the lives of people you know, or perhaps He will choose to use your prayer to work in the lives of those you may never meet. Prayer is a great mystery, but God has chosen to use us to be His agents of answered prayer. Knowing this makes prayer such an honor. It encourages us to pray more and to listen better! We should always be ready to stand in the gap when the Lord places a burden or need on our hearts. He may not always use you in certain situations, but because of your prayers, He may have touched the heart of others to respond. A good prayer when those you are praying for are far away is, “Lord, would you put one of Your willing servants into the path of this person today who can be a blessing to them?” The family of God is extensive and worldwide. He will use every heart that is willing to listen to His voice. An Example from Scripture Nehemiah is probably one of the best examples of someone who was intimately connected to the Lord through prayer, and who was used to be the answer to the prayers he prayed. You can read his entire story in the book of Nehemiah. He paid attention to what was going on around him, and knew how to pray what was on the heart of God. He was humble, always giving God the credit for the work he was given to do on behalf of the nation of Israel. Nehemiah was obedient to the things God called him to do. Twice, in the book of Nehemiah, he refers to what the Lord had “put” on his heart:  “I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem”  (Nehemiah 2:12a).  “So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families”  (Nehemiah 7:5). Some practical ways to prepare God works through His prepared servants. Here are some ways (many inspired by Nehemiah) to teach your family how to yield themselves to the Lord’s plans and purposes as they pray – individually and corporately: Learn how to pray God’s heart:  Praying just for the sake of making a religious noise, is not God’s intent for prayer. Praying to get something from God is also not God’s plan. Studying the Word and paying attention to the world around you is a key. See what God is busy doing and what He desires us to do as His people. As we pray those things that are close to His heart, He is pleased to answer! We know He wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, and to love others as we love ourselves. He wants us to pray for the lost and that His people will experience revival. We know that He wants unity in the body of Christ…and you and your family can probably add many others to this list. Humbly expect and be willing for God to use you to be the answer to your prayers:  If your heart never expects God to answer, there is literally no point in praying. James states,  “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man [or woman, or child] should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…”  (James 1:6-7). When you pray in the Name of Jesus, believing that He has heard and will answer, you will see Him do amazing things – sometimes in and through you! Always remember that the ultimate goal of answered prayer is to bring glory to the Lord:  “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father”  (John 14:13). Be a good listener:  It is important to spend time being quiet before the Lord. If we are doing all of the talking, we won’t be able to hear Him speak.  “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth”  (Psalm 46:10). I wonder how many instructions and promptings we miss because we don’t take the time to learn to distinguish the voice of the Shepherd!  “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me”  (John 10:27). Be obedient:  When you sense that you have a word from the Lord and it agrees with the Bible, act upon it. God is not going to give us more than we can handle, and He will likely start us out slowly. As you are faithful in the small things, He will trust you with bigger issues. Maybe He will impress upon your heart to write a note to someone, or to make an encouraging phone call. If you didn’t actually hear directly from the Lord, you are still doing something that is like the character of Jesus living within you. Encourage and mentor others to be willing to be the answer to the prayers they pray.  Help your children and others to learn how to be the hands and feet of Jesus. People need to be stretched a bit sometimes. If your family will determine to make a lifestyle of listening to the Lord as you pray together so that He can use you to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the lives of others, you will experience blessing upon blessing. God has blessed you so that you might be a blessing to others, as He used Abraham in a similar manner (see Genesis 12:1-3). As your family prayer life grows, continue to remember that Jesus, who lives in you, will show you how to be the answer to many of the prayers you pray.

If you have a weekly/regular prayer meeting and it has dwindled down to the “faithful few,” it’s time to take stock. If you are the organizer(s) of the prayer meetings, it can get discouraging if people are not participating in arguably the most important spiritual act designed by God and so prolifically practiced in the Book of Acts and the rest of Scripture. First, let’s look at the main reasons why people have either stopped coming or have never come to your prayer meeting: 1. They are afraid.  Most people feel very inadequate about their prayer lives. The last thing they want to do is to be in a situation where they might be asked to pray out loud, or in a group with others. Many of these people would rather focus only on their own prayer closet and devotions rather than step into corporate prayer experiences. 2. They are intimidated.  When people come to the prayer meeting and feel that there are some people who pray with an authority or eloquence they don’t have, they are less likely to feel comfortable praying in such an environment. Because prayer is so natural to the seasoned intercessors who (often or usually) plan the meetings, they expect the rest of the church to be like them. Clearly this isn’t the case, as many believers haven’t been trained to pray in the home or by the church. 3. They are bored.  Many people feel that prayer meetings are always predictable and have a mind-numbing sameness to them. Unfortunately, the default mode of prayer for most churches is to pray the “sick” list. Many of the people on “the list” aren’t even known to most of the people who are praying for them – they are friends, relatives or acquaintances of people in the church. It is important to pray for those with health issues; however, when that is all we ever pray about, people rapidly disengage. If people don’t have a sense of God’s presence, and that Heaven is engaged with their prayers, they aren’t motivated or excited about coming to a meeting where “nothing happens” and with a belief that their prayers don’t matter. 4. They are frustrated . These people know they want something different…something more than the litany of illnesses and personal prayer requests. They feel that prayer should be more than what they have experienced but have no idea what to do to make it better. There are also those who DO know what could be done but don’t have a voice in the planning or preparation. 5. They are ambivalent.  Because many people are not being trained in prayer in their homes or at church, most don’t see the point and view prayer as a religious exercise for the super-spiritual. Prayer has never been an important part of their Christian experience, or they perceive that it really has never “worked” for them. They have not yet learned to pay attention to the One who is on the other end of every prayer – the Sovereign One who sits on the throne! 6. They don’t see church leadership actively involved . The engagement of church leadership is also a critical component of the prayer meetings. If your pastor(s) and church leaders are not proponents and participants at some level in your process of planning and engaging others in the practice of a regular corporate prayer rhythm, it will be difficult to get more of the congregation to come to prayer meetings. If leadership is not very involved, begin praying at once for them! Don’t whine, gripe or grumble – pray! Ask God to make your leaders people of prayer who will teach and encourage prayer so that the congregation will follow their lead. Drawing People to the Prayer Meeting God created prayer for the purpose of accomplishing His will on this planet through the prayers of His people. It’s a divine mystery, but a compelling truth. Let’s look at some ways to help people grow their passion for the Father and His plans and purposes for prayer that will translate to more people having greater participation in corporate prayer experiences: 1.Help people to encounter God.  Incorporate worship into your prayer meetings, helping people focus on the One Who sits on the throne in Heaven as the object of your love and devotion. It is important for God’s people to realize that prayer is intimacy with Him and for His glory! Jesus taught the disciples to pray, “Our Father in Heaven, Holy is Your Name!” People’s attention should always be directed towards God before coming to Him with a prayer list or agenda. Help people to move to a “Not my will but Yours be done” mindset. This will help them to remember that ultimately, His will is more important than our own wants, needs and desires. God still wants to hear us express these, because He loves us…but His purposes are so much bigger! Praying in agreement with God through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is ultimately to step into the throne room of Heaven whenever we pray. 2. Be welcoming and give people permission to pray at their own level of comfort  – whether out loud or quietly. Don’t put anyone on the spot and don’t have the unrealistic expectation that people are comfortable praying in groups, etc. It’s important that people don’t feel intimidated, but invited! 3. Plan well!  There should be clear leadership and each person walking in should have a good experience with God in community with others. Consider inviting people to a Prayer “Experience” rather than a Prayer “Meeting.” If no one takes the time to develop a focused prayer time but instead just asks what prayer requests people may have, the prayer meeting is doomed to stay small. Start and end on time!  If those attending are never sure when the meeting will end, and feel uncomfortable leaving when the stated ending time comes, they won’t put this commitment on their calendar. If you feel the Spirit is keeping you longer than the hour or two you have stated, give those who need to leave permission to do so without guilt! For example, say, “Tonight we are sensing that God may want us to spend more time praying about…. Those who need to leave, please feel free to do so. If anyone wants to stay longer, you are invited to.” When people leave  a prayer meeting or experience, they should feel confident that God is already on the move responding to the prayers of His people. Knowing that our prayers are heard and that Heaven is stirred with activity by our kingdom-focused praying is important. 4. Be intentional about training people in prayer.  People will not give themselves to something they feel inadequate or uncertain about. Consider offering some training in prayer that will enhance your congregation’s growth in communicating and communing with God so that those who feel deficient or poorly equipped to be a part of a corporate experience in prayer can begin to grow in their confidence. Sometimes training can be incorporated into your prayer meetings. A concept of prayer can be taught and then the group can practice the concept in real time. 5. Talk to God, not one another.  Talking about prayer isn’t prayer. Sometimes our prayer meetings involve a lot of offering of requests and very little actual prayer time. Unless some teaching/training is part of your prayer meetings or experiences, keep talking to one another at a minimum. 6. Be sure to give brief, clear instructions when necessary.  It’s very important that people always understand what they are supposed to do. For example, if you are breaking people into groups of 3 or 4 at some point during the prayer meeting, make sure they are clear about when and how that will take place. If you are using prayer stations, the instructions can be written down and placed at each station. If people come in late, make sure someone is there to welcome them and quickly fill them in so they don’t feel left out when everyone else is moving around or getting into groups. Feeling uncomfortable is a recipe for not returning. 7. Pray kingdom-focused prayers:  Try to move away from the “sick/hospital” list default model as your  only  focus and embrace what God is doing! Take stock of what is happening around you…in the culture. Pray what Scripture shows you is on the heart of God…things like unity in the Body of Christ, that we would love one another, praying for workers to be raised up to spread the Gospel, for our leaders and nation, etc. NOTE:  It is still very important to pray for those who are sick! We need to get better at it than we are. However, prayer meetings are a good way to start training people to pray for those who are sick…and add a kingdom component to their praye 8. Mix it up!  Don’t do the same thing continually! If what you are doing isn’t working, try something new! Change your theme/topic each meeting  because people are passionate about different things. Variety and creativity  engages everyone as God has wired us all differently to meet with Him. Use different postures, different modalities (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.). Prayer stations  are a very good way to engage people in prayer and is a great way to incorporate the variety and creativity mentioned above. Pray Scripture!  People need to learn to pray what is on the heart of God. When we pray God’s word we are always in His will! Get out of the church building!  Prayerwalk or prayer-drive around schools, businesses, other churches, neighborhoods, etc. Set up a Drive-Through prayer booth in your church parking lot or another place in town where people can drive through and be prayed for! Embrace Youth and Children!  From time to time it is important to bring the younger generations into your times of prayer to learn from and grow with one another in prayer. Make space for the kids and you will be blessed. Plan some prayer meetings that are welcoming for all ages. Prayer stations and prayerwalking are good ways to do this. 9. Listening and obeying – spend time allowing God to speak to your hearts and DO what He is leading you to do.  People need to learn that prayer isn’t all one-sided. We often rush in with our requests and never spend time hearing from God through His Spirit. Perhaps a good way to spend time listening would be to ask at least one question of the Lord. Here are two examples: Lord, thank You for hearing our prayers. Is there anything You want to say to me/us?  Perhaps you will hear God telling you how much He loves you and is pleased with the time you have spent in His throneroom. Maybe He will give you a word of encouragement for the whole group, or a picture of what He might be already doing in response to the prayers you have prayed as a community. Of course, you may not sense God saying anything at all…and that is perfectly okay. Taking time to listen ensures that you will not miss something He does want to tell you. Father, would You help us to be the answer to the prayers we just prayed?  Then spend a few minutes listening together as a group. Before closing, the leader may ask, “Has anyone heard the Lord expressing anything to your heart?” Perhaps God will direct you to meet a need for those you have specifically been praying for. This could be directed to you individually or as a community. If you have a sense this is from the Lord, obey! One last suggestion  – don’t be concerned about the number of people at the prayer meeting. If you worry about who isn’t there, you won’t be focused on those who are. The prayer movement will grow one person at a time until more start hearing what God is doing. When answers come and as people have good experiences with the Father in prayer and tell others, you will see growth. As you pray through and incorporate some of these ideas, we fervently pray that your congregation will begin to be more receptive to giving the prayer meeting/prayer experience another try, and that others will be drawn to be a part of what God is up to through the prayers of His people.

When our Lord is up to extraordinary things in His world, is your family aware of it? Are you alert enough to be drawn into the deeper things of God as He creatively and sovereignly moves toward bringing the story of man to a close? Is your family preparing for the return of Jesus by paying attention to the signs of the times in which you live? Is your spirit in tune with the Holy Spirit so that you can hear His voice as He instructs you in the way you should live? These are some heavy-duty, but important questions, as we are, by virtue of the promises of Scripture, living in the last days:  “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray”  (1 Peter 4:7). God calls us to have understanding of the times in which we live, and to be obedient in seeking wisdom from Him (Proverbs 2:1-6). Our families cannot afford to be spiritually lacking when so many people still live in darkness. It is not a time to rest or to be comfortable. It is a time for strengthening, for joyful expectation, and for determination to impact as many lives for His kingdom as we possibly can. It is a time to die to ourselves and live fully for Jesus Christ. It is a time to shake off self-indulgence and laziness and purposefully turn our focus upon God’s plans and purposes. It is, as Scripture clearly states, a time to be clear minded and self-controlled so that we can pray. Prayer is God’s way of accomplishing His will on this earth. When we are fervently engaged in intercession for those things upon the Father’s heart,  He will act ! The Holy Spirit must be actively engaged in our family life so that we can be characterized by wisdom, discernment and maturity. It is vital that we have a visibly defined, resolute purpose in our lives. Everything we do and say should be in the character of Jesus Christ, lived out in the power of the Spirit. Our lifestyles should be focused upon things of eternal significance and consequence. In Acts 2:17-18, Luke quotes the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-29):  “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’”  God promised to bestow His Holy Spirit on everyone – irrespective of gender or age:  “…I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants”  (Isaiah 44:3). In this passage, the outpouring of God’s Spirit results in abundance of blessing. If God has chosen to pour out His Spirit on us, and has told us what He intends to do in the last days, we must not be complacent. We must be  active ! He cannot pour the wine of His power into unprepared or old wineskins. In order to be alert to the working of the Lord, we must learn and teach the discernment of our times with all urgency…and we must pray! If you, as a parent, grandparent or single person have not yet grasped the importance of understanding the times in which we live, it is time to diligently study the matter. God is moving all things toward a close. Each day we draw closer to the end of days. We should never be so presumptuous as to believe that His return will not happen in our lifetime. For the sake of the kingdom, it is critical that we teach our children to fully understand the times in which we live so that 1) they are able to live to the fullest potential of God’s plans and purposes for their lives, and 2) they can intercede for the things on God’s heart. There is no time to waste, yet the enemy would distract our families with entertainment and idleness that have no eternal purpose. I am not saying that there should never be any leisure time – of course there should; however, it is imperative that we are always in tune with the Holy Spirit so that we are ready to move with the heartbeat of the Father when He calls for our obedient action. What an exciting time in which to live! God is doing amazing things before our eyes and in our lives! We should be living in joyous expectancy of His return as we pray for the Bride of Christ to be restored to complete beauty in preparation – revive us, Lord! We should be earnestly praying for Jesus to receive His inheritance – the ends of the earth! Everything that is needed to complete the task of world evangelization is in place – we have all of the money, all of the people, all of the technology and all of the Spirit. All that is needed is for the Bride to wake up from her long nap and get the job done. We, the Beloved of the Lord, must understand the times in which we live and respond to the beat of our Bridegroom’s heart. Here are some specific ways that we, as families, can discern the times in which we live, being completely obedient to the will of God: Pray. Ask God to give your family wisdom and discernment.  Philippians 1:9-10 says:  “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.” Ask God to give Jesus His inheritance – the nations. Psalm 2:8 is part of a broader conversation between God the Father and Jesus the Son:  “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession.” As He reveals His heart to you, pray for His will to be accomplished upon this earth through your lives and ministries and in the lives and ministries of others.  Here are some powerful ways to pray:  “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”  (Philippians 1:3-6).  “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground”  (Psalm 143:10). Pray 1 Timothy 2:1-4 daily.  “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”  (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Our prayers should be Kingdom-focused: “Lord, what do YOU want? Reveal these things to our hearts so that we might intercede with passion and fervency for the advancement of Your Kingdom on this earth!” Pray Psalm 67 back to the Lord:  “Father, please be gracious to us and bless us and make Your face shine upon us – that Your ways may be known on earth and Your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.  May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. Then the land will yield its harvest, and You, our God, will bless us. You will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear You.” Pay attention to the news, to nature, and to the nations.   “Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand”  (Matthew 24:4-15). Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand what God is doing!  It is imperative that your family stays current with what is happening all over the globe. Hook up with Christian news that will give you biblical perspective on all that you see and hear. Pray that the devil will not deceive you through false reporting or bias. Check out sources and get clear confirmation about what is happening. Be watching to see what is happening in nature. Lately, we’ve had many “natural” disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, etc. Never “assume” that something such as a hurricane or earthquake is or isn’t a judgment of God – ask the Father to reveal this to you if it is for you to know. Ask Him to show you how your family should respond to the needs created by such events. John 16:13 says, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak and He will disclose to you what is to come.”  Watch carefully to see what is going on in and around the world, especially in the nation of Israel.   “ He said to me, ‘Son of man, watch and listen. Pay close attention to everything I show you. You have been brought here so I can show you many things…’” (Ezekiel 40:4). Study the prophecies in the Bible that talk about the last days.  For example, read the book of Daniel and spend time talking about how the prophecies apply to our day. Act obediently in response to the understanding God has given you. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.’As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9). “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Know what God wants to do in and through your family in these last days through the power of the Holy Spirit, and respond.  After you have prayed and paid attention to the news, nature and the nations, it is vital that our families learn to discern the voice of God through the power and teaching of the Holy Spirit so that we will know how to respond in these times:  “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”  (John 14:25-26).  “…but knowledge comes easily to the discerning”  (Proverbs 14:6b).  “Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning…”  (Proverbs 14:33a). He wants us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling:  “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose”  (Philippians 2:12-13). The Father wants us to finish well, expressing our salvation in reverence and the ongoing process of spiritual growth and development.  “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life…”  (Philippians 2:14-16a). He wants us to love Him passionately, to love others, to care for the poor and needy, to promote unity in the body of Christ, and to share Jesus with the lost. Are we willing to act as we discern the times? Be prepared for your sons and daughters to prophesy . God is uniquely preparing the next generation of youth and children for His purposes in these last days. Be diligent in their spiritual training!  “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy…” (Joel 2:28). “ Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).  What are we waiting for? Our Lord could return at any moment and our families should be ready to welcome Him with shouts of joy and gladness, standing alongside those whose lives have been impacted by the Lord Jesus in us!

There are days, seasons, or events in all of our lives that sometimes seem to paralyze our hearts and leave no words available to us for prayer. When this happens, the first thing to do is remember that God is still there. He is with you in whatever you are walking through. He saw what brought the grief, or the anger, or the frustration. He is there in the depression, the addiction, the pain of rejection, or the times of uncertainty. Your first step is to trust that He is right where Matthew 28:20 states He said He would always be – with us! He is with you – now and always! Next, simply breathe in His presence. Take the next breath…and the next…and the next. Adversity or dark times can suck the air from your being and it’s so important to breathe God in and breathe out the issues or circumstances that may be causing your inability to pray. Become aware of the presence of the One who gave you life, who gave you Eternal Life, and who is Himself Living and Active. He has not abandoned you. His presence surrounds you. Soak in the awareness of this reality! Turn your thoughts to Him. Take your thoughts and your eyes off of the difficulty, the dryness, the sadness, the anger, or whatever is keeping you bound up and put your eyes and thoughts onto Jesus – the One who can lift you out of the darkness or transport you from the desert. Worship is the best way to do this. Turn on your favorite worship music – even if you don’t feel like it. Surrounding yourself with the tangible life-giving words that feed your soul is crucial if you are to be able to express your heart in prayer. Sometimes the words themselves can give voice to what you are unable to say to God in the moment. Allow God to transform you by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2) and the healing of your heart…bit by bit. Sometimes all you can voice is silence, so in the silence…listen. Perhaps He has something lifegiving to say to you if you will allow Him the opportunity. How sad for us when we don’t listen to God until the moments when we are unable to speak to Him. Learning to listen well should always be a vital part of our prayer lives. Prayer is two-way communication within this love relationship with our Father. It could be that you hear nothing…but then you begin to experience His peace, comfort, strength, and a knowing that He is there with you. If you want to express something to God, let it out – it might just be a scream, a rant, or a groan. Romans 8:26-27 in the New Living Translation of the Bible says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” This is an absolutely astonishing gift! It means that when you don’t have a clue what or how to pray, the Holy Spirit comes alongside of your heart and aligns it with the Father’s heart. He expresses your inward thoughts, or lack of thought. He gives voice to your prayer when you have no voice of your own. He aligns your anguish, depression, anger, situation, weariness, etc. with the perfect will of God even as you struggle to find words to communicate with Him about it. One other thing to consider when you “don’t feel like praying” is that you may be involved in sinful thought or behavior that is eating away at you, and making you feel guilty. There is an enemy that wants to condemn us; however, we also have the Holy Spirit, who will convict us so that we can turn from our sin and walk again in righteousness. Sinfulness can keep God from listening to you. Take time to examine your heart, thoughts and motives to be sure that if what is needed is repentance and asking the Father for forgiveness, you take care of this right away. Psalm 51 is a powerful prayer of repentance to use and when you are unable, or don’t feel like praying, King David’s words will give you your voice! As a summary, remember these things when you don’t feel like praying: 1. God is still there! Trust Him!  2. Breathe in a fresh awareness of His presence!  3. Turn your thoughts off of your issue and onto Jesus, the One who can deal with your issue. Play worship music and join in! Focusing on Jesus is a good antidote to situations that keep us from wanting to pray or knowing what to say in prayer.  4. Silence/Listening – sometimes it is best to simply get quiet and listen for the voice of God. There is healing in stillness and wisdom in listening. Remember – even if you don’t sense that you hear anything from God, He is there.  5. Remember that the Holy Spirit is there to give voice to your prayers in alignment with the will of the Father when you are unable.  6. Consider that what might be causing your inability to pray or your lack of desire for prayer might be sinfulness in your life. Use Psalm 51 as your prayer so that God can reveal the hidden things, and so that you can take the time to repent and confess. Your relationship will be fully restored and a prayer of thankfulness will likely be the result.

Many churches have poor attendance at prayer gatherings. Here are two ways to boost attendance for those with families, as “child care” is often an issue: Offer Prayer Care instead of Child Care for young kids. If parents know that their kids will be trained to pray in fun, creative ways, and also be prayed for by loving people while they attend the prayer gathering with other adults, it is a good way to encourage them to come. This requires preparing some simple prayer materials and training for “prayer care volunteers” who love children and want to see them grow spiritually. It also is important to have a set time frame for the prayer gathering that releases parents to pick up their kids after an hour. Benefits: Parents can pray without distraction, kids are trained in prayer and prayed for by others, and the time is spent in a spiritual pursuit that is fun and engaging for the children. Parents and kids can talk about prayer and learn to pray together and for one another because they have each spent time with the Father. Have regular intergenerational prayer gatherings: On a regular basis invite entire families to attend the prayer gathering, preparing opportunities for all ages to be a part. For example, set up a few family-friendly prayer stations and allow families to walk from one to the next together along with others who are attending. Benefits: children feel valued by the adults in their church, adults learn that children do not have junior Holy Spirits, and everyone learns from one another how to pray with and for each other, and for what is on the heart of God. Plan periodic family prayer experiences: Perhaps quarterly, invite families to come together for a special learning and experiential experience in prayer. For example - establish a timeline on a Saturday morning from 9 - ll:30. Separate kids from parents for the first hour and teach/train on prayer. The kids can learn about how to pray for and with their siblings and parents, as well as their friends, classmates, neighbors, etc. Parents can learn some specific strategies for praying with and for their children. The second hour will bring the families together in a room/gym, etc. to go through several family-friendly prayer stations. At the end, debrief the experience together over donuts and juice - or lunch. Benefits: everyone learns, families have an opportunity to pray with and for one another in a fun, creative environment. Parents learn some specific ways to guide the prayer movement in their homes with practical ways - praying Scripture, blessing their children in prayer, etc. This will also make kids and their parents feel more comfortable coming together in corporate prayer settings with their children. For ideas, check out the book The Praying Family by Kim Butts and her Pinterest board: Kids and Prayer Also, if you would like more information about crafting a family prayer experience, connect with onecryprayer@onecry.com.

God can hear our prayers anytime, anywhere, and at any volume! He is able to hear us even when we think our prayers to Him rather than voice them. Yet, so many of us struggle and would like to be able to verbalize prayers in a group setting. Here are a few tips on how to stretch yourself a bit and grow in this area: One of the best ways to grow in praying out loud, is to practice listening to yourself reading prayers from Scripture. You could start with the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Hearing your own voice as you pray out loud is an important step. Read Psalm 145 out loud back to the Lord and then say, “Lord, You are___ (fill in the blank with some of the attributes you find in this Psalm). Looking for ways to praise God in His word is a powerful way to express your love for Him out loud. The more you know about Him and His goodness and love, the more you will want to express what’s on your heart to Him. After using Scripture to help you pray out loud for a while, try to voice your own prayers based on those you have been praying. Here is just one way: try looking at pictures of some of your family members and tell God what you want to pray for each of them. For example, “Father, my daughter Emily is really struggling to make friends in her new school this year. Would you bring her some godly young women to get to know?” Or, “Lord, my husband has such a stressful job. Please help him to feel Your presence and to be filled with peace instead of anxiety.” When you are ready to try praying in a group, first recognize that you are talking only to God, and not to the other people around you. Flowery or “super-spiritual” language is not required. Nor is adding extra information in your prayer for the benefit of others in the room. God knows the details. Talk to Him as you would talk to a good friend about the person or situation you are concerned about. Don’t worry about how others view your prayer; it is between you and God alone. Spend time with others who are in love with Jesus and listen to them pray. Ask them how they learned to pray out loud and see if they can give you some good ideas as well! As with anything new you undertake, the more you practice praying out loud, the more confident and comfortable you will become.

It may happen during worship, or in our daily quiet time. We’ve all experienced it and been frustrated by it – distraction! It is the number one enemy of our attempts to worship, to pray and to listen. How often do we find our thoughts wandering to events of the past or future, or to things which need to be done, when we should be giving God our full attention? Jesus spoke to the Pharisees of His day: “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me” (Matthew 15:7-8). Sometimes we come into the presence of the Lord lightly – even when we attend church. We don’t realize that when we enter into His presence, physically and spiritually, He expects us to come before Him sanctified, set apart from the world. In Leviticus 10:3, Moses says to Aaron, “…It is what the Lord spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored.’” We should approach God with carefulness and thoughtfulness because of His glory and majesty – because of who He is. Have you ever found yourself thinking of other things while you are praying? The Bible warns us against this in Ecclesiastes 5:2: “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few…” David Wilkerson, in his article “Distractions in the Holy Place!” says, “What a babble of praises Christians pour out – so little of it connected to our hearts! What a river of thoughtless hallelujahs and songs are mouthed by people whose thoughts ramble away like wild horses.” When we do not approach our Lord in holiness, and when we do not practice reverence before Him, we will begin to enter His presence carelessly or thoughtlessly. According to Wilkerson, this can lead to “spiritual death.” “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare in the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:12-13). If your distraction is most evident when you are in church, it is probably because you do not experience intimate prayer and worship with the Lord Jesus at home. Our prayer and worship is devoid of life because we have separated ourselves from the Life-Giver! When we are distracted and our minds depart from our prayer and worship, there is no life in either one! We don’t, as Wilkerson says, “get spiritual credit just for planting our body in a pew,” or placing ourselves in a posture of prayer if our hearts and minds are far removed from the presence of Christ. Why should we expect God to hear prayers we mindlessly utter, or worship that is merely mouthing words we read or sing without paying attention to what they say? Wilkerson stated: “If you don’t worship God with all your mind and heart, little by little neglect will creep in and you’ll begin to worship merely out of habit.”  Test yourself by God’s Word:  1) Do you come boldly and regularly into the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus? (Hebrews 10:19) 2) Do you consistently draw nearer to God in full assurance of faith? (Hebrews 10:22) 3) Do you hold fast to Him, without wavering? (Hebrews 10:23) 4) Do you assemble together with other believers? Or have you forsaken assembling with the saints? (Hebrews 10:25) 5) Do you worship Him daily, with all your heart? (Matthew 22:37) 6) Do you dig into the Word of God as if your life depends on it? (Proverbs 4:20-22) What are some ways to deal with distraction and focus completely on God when we worship and pray? Here are three Distraction Busters to help us: Learn to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ!  When our minds wander during prayer and worship, it is usually our flesh trying to get our attention in some way. We shift our focus from Jesus to other things. Here are some scriptures to commit to memory which will help in this area: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5); “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Romans 13:14). We CAN take captive our thoughts, and with the help of the Spirit, we are able to resist the temptation to think on other things rather than centering our thoughts on the Lord.  Don’t allow the enemy to distract you – be aware of his schemes!  Satan would rather you did anything else other than pray, and he certainly doesn’t want you to worship! He will plant thoughts in your mind to draw your mind away from God, because he fears the power of prayer and dedicated worship. The devil will also try to make us feel unworthy to come before God by planting guilt in our minds over sins, or to make us feel despair and defeat over the burdens in our lives. James, knowing that we would be attacked by the enemy at such times, offered the solution: “…Resist the devil, and he will flee from you…” (James 4:7). In the name of Jesus, tell the enemy that he has no control over your life, and declare before him that Jesus Christ is Lord! When you keep your thoughts centered on Jesus, you will defeat the schemes of the enemy.  Don’t allow yourself to neglect the Lord and His Word.  “Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32). Hebrews 2:3 says, “…How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” Our salvation is our most prized possession; however, we are constantly neglecting, or carelessly setting God aside for what we mistakenly think are all of the “important” things of this world. It is crucial to keep our minds, hearts and eyes fixed on Christ: “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3). The more time you spend in the Word of God, the more you will grow to love the time you spend there. The Word becomes your “tent of meeting” with your Father.  Don’t allow distractions to rob you of intimacy with God. Give the Lord your very best in prayer and worship and then watch Him work in your life in powerful ways!

Consider a temptation you struggle with, or that someone else you know has difficulty overcoming. Imagine yourself, or this person, out in the wilderness as Jesus was, and the devil comes to bring this temptation once again. How would you fight back? We would strongly suggest reading and soaking in the account of the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11. When the devil tried to tempt Jesus, He both resisted and fought back using the Word of God: “It is written…” This model, then, should become the template for His followers. Praying Scripture is a powerful way to pray. As we do, we are submitting to God. James 4:7 says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Whenever you or someone you know struggles with temptation and it seems overwhelming, prayer can be difficult – unless you wield the only offensive piece of the armor of God – the sword, which is the Word of God! Remind yourself that this is how Jesus insulated Himself from attack and resisted the devil. These four Scriptures and prayers based upon them can help you to resist and fight off the enemy’s attacks. You can continually remind the devil, “It is written…”: Isaiah 40:31:  “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Lord, I am facing temptation today.  Your Word says that if I will wait for You, You will renew my strength so that I can face the challenge and win the battle. I am tired, but Your Word says I can face this temptation without growing weary or faint. Help me to stand in the power of Your Word and face down what is tempting me right now! 2 Corinthians 12:10:  “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Grace-filled Father,  Your Word calls me to be content even as I struggle with temptation, because for the sake of Jesus Christ, when I am the weakest…I am the strongest! In the flesh this makes no sense, but by the power of Your Spirit, I will stand up to my weakness, knowing that You are working on my behalf to strengthen me in the middle of it! Hebrews 2:18:  “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” Lord Jesus,  You completely understand the power of temptation and yet, You resisted it – every time! Because You know what it’s like I have the faith to believe that You will help me in my suffering and struggle. Philippians 4:13:  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Light of the World,  I know that because of You I can do all things. Thank You for the strength to withstand the assault of the enemy who wants to destroy me just as He desired to destroy You. I believe that I can do all things through Your powerful Name. Praying Scripture gives you the truth of God’s Word to help you withstand and guard against temptation. The experiences of Jesus to endure temptation in the desert and resist the desire to save Himself from the cross, gives us the authority to do so. So, when you are tempted, reaching out to Him in prayer is Your best defense against the devil, who would like nothing better than to defeat you over and over again. Praying the Word of God into your situation, as Jesus did, is using the Truth to overcome whatever obstacle or temptation you may face in this life.