a prayer for courage to faithfully obey and follow our Lord Jesus Christ
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9
C ➪ Communes with God (Intimacy)
SAMPLE PRAYER: Lord, I desire to spend time with You and to know You more, in all Your mystery and wonder. Lead me into Your presence that I may behold You as You are. May I be rooted and grounded in Your love as I spend time with You. May Your Word come alive. May my prayers be enriched as I experience You more and more. Take me, teach me, free me, heal me, and transform me into the person You have designed me to be.
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." - John 10:27-28
Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." - John 14:23
"that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ." - 1 John 1:3
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20
O ➪ Obey’s God’s Voice (Word of God, Spirit Led)
SAMPLE PRAYER: Father, I thank You that You desire to speak to me every day and to walk in the confidence of being led by Your Spirit. Guide me in spirit and in truth to obey Your Word faithfully and wholeheartedly. I seek to hear from You everyday for instruction. Teach me, rebuke me, correct me, and train me that I may walk in righteousness, blameless before Your eyes. Cause me to hear Your voice with ever growing clarity and accuracy. And lead me to bless others with the very words You have put on my heart for them.
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments." - John 14:15
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." - Matthew 7:21
Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me." - John 14:23-24
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God." - Romans 8:14
"If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." - Galatians 5:25
U ➪ Undivided Heart (Godly Character, Purity, Integrity)
SAMPLE PRAYER: Father, help me to guard my heart from the influences of this world and the people around me. Help me not to be deceived by the devil and his lies. Through Your Spirit, reveal to me the true thoughts and intentions of my heart. Any tendency to go wayward or embrace wickedness, be exposed by the light of Your truth. Cause me to walk steadfastly in Your ways and not veer off from Your paths. I desire to grow to become more and more like Christ, in character, purity, and integrity. Help me to operate in Your love and with the fruit of the Spirit.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." - Proverbs 4:23
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." - Matthew 6:13
"Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." - Psalm 86:11
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." - Mark 12:30-31
"I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God." - Ezequiel 11:19-20
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." - Galatians 5:22-23
R ➪ Responsible Steward (Service, Vocation, Ministry, Outreach, Mission)
SAMPLE PRAYER: Father, I want to be a responsible steward in all I do. I seek to be faithful with the things You are doing in me, speaking to me, and over which you have put me in charge. Guide me into using my time, talents/gifts, treasure, energy, and focus to glorify You. Help me to be a vessel for Your presence and glory to flow through me to bless others, whether at home, work, or out and about in the city.
"His master replied, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!" - Matthew 25:21
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." - 1 Peter 4:10
"As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." - Matthew 10:7-8
A ➪ Accountable Relationships (Fellowship, Christian Community, Discipleship)
SAMPLE PRAYER: Father, help me to be devoted to the Body of Christ and to the brothers and sisters You have placed in my life. May we encourage one another in our walk with You, to love You and to love people. May Your word dwell richly in us and be on our lips, as a community of believers. May we help one another grow, carrying each others burdens, confessing our sins to one another, pointing out each others flaws and weaknesses, in love, for mutual growth. Use brothers and sisters to mature us in our faith, that we may become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." - Hebrews 4:24-25
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." - Acts 2:42
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:16-17
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." - James 5:16
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20
G ➪ Glorifies God (Worship, Prayer)
SAMPLE PRAYER: Father, may my words pour out thanksgiving for what You have done in my life, and appreciation and praise for who You are. May your spirit continually remind me from what You called me (the kingdom of darkness), and into what You have called me (The Kingdom of Light). Cause my praises to be the outflow of that deep work You have done deep in my heart. In all I do and say, let it all be done for Your glory.
"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." - Matthew 6:9
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." - Revelation 4:8
"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." - Revelation 4:11
E ➪ Eternal Perspective (Kingdom of God Mindset)
SAMPLE PRAYER: Lord, I want to be a person who walks by faith and not just by sight. May I always seek your Kingdom here on earth, for your will to be done and for your ways to be established. May I not be so lost in my own needs and wants that I forget You, losing track of Your desires for my life and for this world. May the cares of this world fade away and Your kingdom and Your will become my focus, passion, and mission. May I usher more and more of Your kingdom through my prayers, deeds, and lifestyle.
"for we walk by faith, not by sight." - 2 Corinthians 5:7
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:33
"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:10
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:29-21