Sent Into This World

 

 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

 

—John 17:15-18 (ESV)

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

 

I do not ask You to take me out of this world but ask that You keep me from the evil one and sanctify me in the truth of Your Word, as You send me into this world. 

 

Just as You sent Your Son, Jesus, into the world, You have sent me into the world, not to be of the world, but to be a light to illuminate the darkness of the world.

 

Just as Jesus prayed that You would sanctify His disciples by the truth—purifying and setting them apart to minister that truth as healing for this broken world—I pray that You would sanctify me with the truth for Your service to this world.

 

Protect and keep me from the temptation to become like the world. Grant me the wisdom and discernment to reject every scheme, trap, and lie of the enemy, and to replace it with the truth of Your Word. Deliver me from the evil one and his demons.

 

I do not ask You to take me out of this world but ask that You keep me from the evil one and sanctify me in the truth of Your Word, as you send me into this world. 

 

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

My Only Hope, Your Unfailing Love

The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
    for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the LORD watches over those who fear him,
    those who rely on his unfailing love.

—Psalm 33:16-18 (NLT)

Almighty God, My Father,

Watch over me today, as with reverence and in truth, I purpose in my heart to rely only on You and the mighty, saving and delivering power of Your unfailing love for me.

You show me in Your Word that a king should not count on a great army to be able to protect and save him, nor should a warrior believe that his great strength is enough to deliver him.

So, help me to examine my heart and remove those things that I may have allowed to become my “warhorse”—those things in which I have foolishly placed my trust and hope for my safety, salvation, and deliverance—until all there is left in my heart is my complete faith and trust in You.

Keep me from the false hope that comes from anything that would try to take Your rightful place in my heart—and let true hope fill my heart, as I fix my eyes on You alone.

Watch over me today, as with reverence and in truth, I purpose in my heart to rely only on You and the mighty, saving and delivering power of Your unfailing love for me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

On Guard, At Peace

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

—1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)

Gracious and Merciful God,

Help me to be alert to the threat of attack from the devil, but still remain at perfect peace in You—knowing that if I stand strong in my faith in You, You will deliver me from all the traps he has set for me.

Keep me on guard against his deceptions and aware of his tactics and remind me that he is battling for my soul—my mind, my will and my emotions—and that the battle is waged in my thoughts.

Help me to know that not every thought that passes through my brain is a message from You—and that I must hold each thought up to the Truth of Your Word and discard any thought that contradicts that Truth.

Remind me that I don’t have to be afraid, because he can only harm me by deceiving me into believing his lies—and while he may make a lot of noise, he cannot have any control over me that I don’t give him.

So, I will trust You, LORD, to save me from the enemy as I stand firm in my faith and resist his verbal attacks, knowing that my battle is no different than that of the whole family of believers in Christ.

Help me to be alert to the threat of attack from the devil, but still remain at perfect peace in You—knowing that if I stand strong in my faith in You, You will deliver me from all the traps he has set for me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

My Best Hope, My Only Hope

The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.

Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
    for all its strength, it cannot save you.

But the LORD watches over those who fear him,
    those who rely on his unfailing love.

—Psalm 33:16-18 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Watch over me today, as I set my heart to reverently and completely rely on You alone—on the mighty, saving and delivering power of Your unfailing love.

You show me in Your Word that a king should not count on a great army to be able to protect and save him, nor should a warrior believe that his great strength is enough to deliver him.

Help me to examine and remove those things that I may have allowed to become my “warhorse”—those things in which I have foolishly placed my trust for my safety, salvation, and deliverance—until there is only room in my heart for my trust in You.

Keep me from the false hope that comes from anything that would try to take Your place in my heart—and let true hope fill my heart, as I look to You alone.

Watch over me today, as I set my heart to reverently and completely rely on You alone—on the mighty, saving and delivering power of Your unfailing love.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.