Seven Days of Prayer: 18-24 January
"All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer..." (Acts 1:14)
Join us as we pray for our church, our communities, our city, and our nation.
It is a great confidence-builder in prayer to know that you are not quirky in your praying. To pray what the New Testament prays is a safe and powerful way to pray.
Prayer remains one of the great and glorious mysteries of the universe — that the all-knowing, all-wise, all-sovereign God should ordain to run his world in response to our prayers is mind-boggling. But that is the uniform witness of Scripture. God hears and answers the prayers of his people. Oh, do not neglect this amazing way of influencing nations and movements and institutions and churches and people’s hearts, especially your own.
You can pray along either via the Echo Prayer app (which you can access here) or follow the prayer points below.
Monday 18 January
Pray that God would exalt his name in the world.
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’” (Matthew 6:9)
Pray that God would extend his kingdom in the world.
“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
Pray that the gospel would speed ahead and be honoured.
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you. (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
Tuesday 19 January
Pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13; cf. Ephesians 3:19)
Pray that God would vindicate his people in their cause.
“And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night?” (Luke 18:7 RSV)
Pray that God would save unbelievers.
Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)
Wednesday 20 January
Pray that God would direct the use of the sword.
Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. (Ephesians 6:17–18)
Pray for boldness in proclamation.
[Pray] at all times in the Spirit . . . and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel. (Ephesians 6:18–19)
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.” (Acts 4:29)
“And now, Lord, . . . grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness . . . while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29–30)
Thursday 21 January
Today, we are fasting and praying for the sick. You may wish to fast the whole day, a meal, or something else like TV or social media.
If you are sick and would like specific prayer, please get in contact with either your Community Leader or here.
Pray for the healing of wounded comrades.
Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. (James 5:14–15)
Pray for the healing of unbelievers.
It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery. And Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him. (Acts 28:8)
Pray for miraculous deliverances.
So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. . . . When he realized [he had been freed], he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. (Acts 12:5, 12)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake. (Acts 16:25–26)
Friday 22 January
Pray that God would supply his troops with necessities.
“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)
Pray that God would establish leadership in the outposts.
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (Acts 14:23)
Saturday 23 January
Pray that God would send out reinforcements.
“Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:38)
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:2–3)
Pray for the success of other missionaries.
I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints. (Romans 15:30–31)
Pray for unity and harmony in the ranks.
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20–21)
Sunday 24 January
Join us at 9am for our weekly prayer meeting.
Pray for the encouragement of togetherness.
We pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith. (1 Thessalonians 3:10)
Pray for a deeper sense of assured hope.
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers . . . that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:16, 18)
Pray for strength and endurance.
[We have not ceased to pray for you to be] strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. (Colossians 1:11; cf. Ephesians 3:16)
Coming up soon
Lunchtime prayer with the elders.
On Wednesday 27 January, the elders have an away day (via Zoom!) together. Most of the day will be spent praying, and at 12.30 we will be inviting anyone who is free over lunch to come and join us for 45 minutes as we pray for our church community.
Week of Prayer
We will be calling the church together for three nights of prayer at the beginning of February. From 8pm each night, we will pray together via Zoom for an hour. We would love as many people as possible to join us on one or more of those evenings.
