Power, Love, and a Sound Mind

 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

 

—2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You for showing me that I don’t have to be afraid—for reminding me that You didn’t create me to be timid, or to act cowardly, or fearfully—but that the spirit You have given me is a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.

 

You have given me a spirit of power to resolutely face any trouble, opposition or obstacle with courage—since You have delivered me from any cowardice or timidity, by the strength of the Greater One who lives in me.

 

You have given me a spirit of love, both for You—which gives me the faith and the freedom to rise above any fear of man or circumstance—and for the souls of others—which gives me the desire and the power to compassionately reach out to my neighbor with truth and grace.

 

You have given me a spirit of a calm, and well-balanced, and sound mind, so that with that quietness of mind, I can remain peacefully disciplined—as I surrender control to Your Spirit and entertain only thoughts that are true and life-giving.

 

Thank You for showing me that I don’t have to be afraid—for reminding me that You didn’t create me to be timid, or to act cowardly, or fearfully—but that the spirit You have given me is a spirit of power, and love, and of a sound mind.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Don't Be Afraid!

 

 

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

 

—Isaiah 41:10 (NLT)

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Help me boldly move forward into this day with You—with confidence, with courage and with great strength—upheld, in every way, by Your ever-victorious right hand!

 

Help me to see that there is nothing to fear, because You are always actively present with me to protect and deliver me from all the attacks of the enemy—whether they be attacks against my body, my mind, or my spirit. Thank You that You never leave me!

 

Keep discouragement far from me by helping me to find my courage in You, knowing You—the Creator and Sustainer of all things—are my loving Heavenly Father and the all-powerful LORD God.  Thank You for being my God!

 

Help me to receive Your strength—as by Your Spirit, You show me Your power at work within me to help me. Thank You that You help me according to Your unmatched strength!

 

Hold me up with Your victorious right hand—that I might not fall, but rather accomplish everything that You have called me to do in service to You. Thank You for being my victory in all things!

 

Help me boldly move forward into this day with You—with confidence, with courage and with great strength—upheld, in every way, by Your ever-victorious right hand!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Hope in God!

 

 

Why am I discouraged?   

Why is my heart so sad?

I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God! 

—Psalm 42:11 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

In those times when I am tempted to become discouraged, help me to reason with my heart—and remember that all my hope is found in You, my Savior and my God!

 

Help me to see that when I become discouraged, I have “mis-placed” my hope—that I have placed my hope in something or someone other than the only One who is worthy of my praise.

 

Help me to see that when my heart is saddened, I need only raise my voice to You, the One to whom all praise is due—and You will lift me up once again into your Presence, where I find the joy of my salvation and the abundant life that You offer me.

 

Because You are my Savior and my God—the One who drives away all doubt, fear, and sadness by Your love, the One who renews my courage, hope and joy—I will sing my praises to You, yet again!

 

In those times when I am tempted to become discouraged, help me to reason with my heart—and remember that all my hope is found in You, my Savior and my God!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

One Thing

 

 

One thing I ask from the LORD,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
    and to seek him in his temple. 

 

 —Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

 

 

O LORD My God,

 

May the one thing I ask for, the only thing I seek, be the privilege of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

 

King David wrote of his desire to make Your house his home—knowing that Your house was where Your Presence could be found, and that in Your Presence he would find everything that He needed.

 

And so, it is true for me, that in Your Presence I can experience provision for all my needs, protection from all my enemies, comfort for all my sorrows, wisdom to discern the truth of Your Word, knowledge beyond my own intellect, the power, strength and courage to do Your will, and a peace that surpasses my own understanding.

 

Help me to be ever mindful that You are always with me, You never leave my side, and that You are, in truth, alive within me—so that I won’t be tempted to wander my own way, but can personally experience all the grace and truth of the abundant life that I find, when I seek out Your Presence.

 

May the one thing I ask for, the only thing I seek, be the privilege of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Personally

 

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”  

 

—Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)

 

 

 

Omnipresent and Sovereign LORD,

 

May my confident hope—for the facing of this day before me—be found in Your promise that You will personally go ahead of me, that You will be with me, and that You will neither fail me nor abandon me!

 

Help me to remember that You are always with me, and that where I am going, You are already there—that You have gone before me to make a way for me, so that with each step I take, I can be where You are, as You call me to Yourself.

 

Don’t allow any situations or circumstances before me draw me into fear or discouragement. Help me to reject any thoughts or doubts that come up against the Truth of Your promises to me—help me trust in Your love for me!

 

Help me to walk boldly forward into the plan that You have for me today—knowing that You will never fail me nor abandon me, but will walk with me to empower me, provide for me, and protect me along the path You have chosen for me, today.

May my confident hope—for the facing of this day before me—be found in Your promise that You will personally go ahead of me, that You will be with me, and that You will neither fail me nor abandon me!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Mark Out a Straight Path

 

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

 

—Hebrews 12:12-13 (NLT)

 

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

With each new challenge that comes, grant me the wisdom to renew my grip on the plans You have for me, and the strength and courage to recommit myself to follow the straight path of obedience, for the benefit of all those around me.

 

When I find myself facing difficulties—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—and when I am weary from the fight, help me take a new grip on the call You have placed on my life to follow You.

 

Help me to push forward through those fears that would weaken my knees and undermine my effectiveness—as I courageously face the unknown in the confidence that I am not alone, because Your Spirit upholds me according to the power of Christ at work in me.

 

Help me to follow that straight path of willing obedience to You in all things, so that those who are weak and have been injured in this good fight of faith will see You at work—both in me and through me—and be encouraged, strengthened, healed, and made whole again in You, for Your glory!

With each new challenge that comes, grant me the wisdom to renew my grip on the plans You have for me, and the strength and courage to recommit myself to follow the straight path of obedience, for the benefit of all those around me.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Great and Mighty Things

 

 

“Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it, the LORD is His name, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” 

—Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NASB)

 

 

 

 

O LORD of All Creation,

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

May I forever remain in reverent fear and overwhelming awe of Your power and majesty—as You continue to surround me with the glories of Your creation and reveal to me the intricacies of the order by which You alone have established all things.

 

Through Your unfailing love for me, teach me to know more perfectly Your will and Your ways—so that my will would be conformed to Yours, and so my prayers would be offered up in harmony with Your will, Your plans, and Your purposes for me. 

 

Grant me the courage to call out boldly to you with prayers of faith.  And help me to believe that You always hear and will answer my call—and that You will reveal to me great things that I cannot discover within my own intellect or power.

 

How wonderfully amazing it is that You—the One who made the earth and everything in it, who formed it and established it by Your Word—would not only invite me to call to You, but would promise to answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things that I do not know!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Search Me!

 

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

—Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

 

 

 

Holy God,

Search me and know my heart—and by the continuing work of the power of Christ in me, point out and remove anything that is offensive to You, so I can walk more perfectly with You the path that leads to everlasting life.

 

As You test the integrity of the motives my heart and as You reveal my secret fears, grant me the strength to endure Your testing and the faith to overcome my fears—so I might learn to put all my trust and hope in You.

 

Grant me the courage to ask You to shine the light of Your love on the hidden places of my heart to dispel the darkness—indeed the evil—of anything in me that offends You, as I repent and run to You. 

 

Grant me the peace and the joy that comes when I invite You to lead me along the path of everlasting life—to that place where nothing remains that would keep me from that close, personal, intimate relationship that You desire to have with me, and which I so desperately need to have with You.

 

Search me and know my heart—and by the continuing work of the power of Christ in me, point out and remove anything that is offensive to You, so I can walk more perfectly with You the path that leads to everlasting life.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

 

The LORD is Close!

 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

The righteous person faces many troubles,

    but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.

 —Psalm 34:18-19 (NLT)

 

 

Heavenly Father,

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

Teach me to trust You—whether my troubles appear to be insurmountably huge in my own eyes or are just a series of small frustrations that have piled up on me to wear me down and rob me of my strength.  Remind me that You are always here to rescue me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have sovereignly chosen to rescue me by either shielding me from the trouble I was facing or by entirely removing the trouble from me.

 

Thank You for all the times You have chosen to rescue me by equipping me with the strength, courage, and discerning wisdom that enabled me to remain in Your peace and push through the trouble that came against me.

 

And even though I may face many troubles—because I have chosen to walk in the righteousness of Christ—let me not be afraid but only believe that I will see Your goodness through it all, as I look to You to rescue me.

 

Thank You that when my heart is broken, when my spirit is crushed, and when I face many troubles, You remain close to me and never let me slip from Your rescuing grip.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Follow Jesus!

 

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.

 

—Luke 9:23 (NLT)

 

 

Dear Jesus,

 

Grant me the strength to turn away from my selfish ways and to embrace with courage and patient endurance any challenge I may face—as I daily commit to follow You, wherever You may lead me.

 

Help me always remember that my life is found in Christ—that I belong to Him and that the life I am called to live serves Your plans and purposes, not my own selfish ways.

 

Give me a sacrificial heart—one that is willing to deny myself—and give me hands and feet that move quickly and willingly toward the work at hand.

 

Help me not to merely serve You with my mouth but rather demonstrate my love and my gratitude for You, by obeying Your Word and following Your example—for Your glory, honor and praise.

 

Grant me the strength to turn away from my selfish ways and to embrace with courage and patient endurance any challenge I may face—as I daily commit to follow You, wherever You may lead me.

 

I pray these things in Your Precious Name, Lord Jesus, Amen.

Our Own Lives!

 

 

We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

 

—1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NLT)

 

 

Dear God,

 

Let my love for others be so great that I can't help but share Your Good News with them—as I share with them my own life, too.

 

Thank You that, by the power of Your Spirit, You wrote the story of Your plan of salvation on the pages of the Bible—as Good News for all mankind!

 

Thank you that, by the power of Your Spirit and Your Word, You wrote the story of Your plan for my salvation on the pages of my life—as Good News that I should share with everyone that You place within my sphere of influence.

 

Grant me the boldness and courage—motivated only by my love for You and for others—to share this story of the Bible and of my life, giving freely of myself that they, too, might be saved in every way.

 

Let my love for others be so great that I can't help but share Your Good News with them—as I share with them my own life, too.

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

 

Love and Loyalty to the LORD!

 

Love the LORD, all you godly ones!
    For the LORD protects those who are loyal to him,
    but he harshly punishes the arrogant.

So be strong and courageous,
    all you who put your hope in the LORD!

 

—Psalm 31:23-24 (NLT)

 

 

Forever Faithful LORD,

 

May the evidence that I love You be demonstrated by my undivided loyalty to You—as You comfort me with the knowledge that I remain under Your protection and that I can trust You to be forever just.  Make me strong and courageous, as I choose to make You my only hope!

 

Help me to prove my love for You, by walking uprightly before You—choosing never to divide my loyalty, but rather, making Christ alone the Lord of my heart and my life.

 

Let me always walk humbly with You, rejecting all pride that may try to raise its ugly head within me—so I might escape the punishment that is reserved for the arrogant, and so I can represent Christ well to the lost of this world.

 

Let me receive the strength and courage I need to face all the evil that surrounds me without fear—strength and courage that You give freely to those who put all their hope in You.

 

May the evidence that I love You be demonstrated by my undivided loyalty to You—as You comfort me with the knowledge that I remain under Your protection and that I can trust You to be forever just.  Make me strong and courageous, as I choose to make You my only hope!

 

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The One Who Goes With You

 

“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

 

—Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)

 

O LORD, My God,

 

No matter what opposition or challenges that the forces of evil may put before me today, grant that I would be strong and courageous—confidently trusting in the Truth that You are the One who goes with me, the One who never leaves me nor forsakes me.

 

May my strength be found in the Truth of Your immeasurable strength within me.

May my courage be demonstrated by my faith in Your ever-abiding Presence.

 

May fear be far from me because I have been filled to overflowing with the knowledge and experience of Your unfailing love for me.

 

May my testimony be that my God goes with me wherever I go—has never left my side and has never let me down—so I have no reason to fear!

 

No matter what opposition or challenges that the forces of evil may put before me today, grant that I would be strong and courageous—confidently trusting in the Truth that You are the One who goes with me, the One who never leaves me nor forsakes me.

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.