CHAPTER 12 PRAYER

Strength comes from God’s Power
Directions for Prayer
Prayer of Praise

Strength comes from God’s Power
(Paul)
EPHESIANS 6:10-18
Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand safe against the strategies (the arts of war) and tricks (and deceits) of Satan. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies – the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world: and against huge numbers of wicked (evil) spirits in the spirit world.
So use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up.
But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God’s approval. Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God.
Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, (make an earnest appeal to him), reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere.

Directions for Prayer
(Paul)
1 TIMOTHY 2:1-10
Here are my directions: pray much for others; plead for God’s mercy upon them; give thanks for all he is going to do for them.
Pray in this way for kings and all others who are in authority over us, or are in places of high responsibility, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he longs for all to be saved and to understand this truth: that God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together, by giving his life for all mankind.
This is the message which at the proper time God gave to the world. And I have been chosen – this is the absolute truth – as God’s minister and missionary to teach this truth to the Gentiles, and to show them God’s plan of salvation through faith. So I want men everywhere to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from sin and anger and resentment. And the women should behave in the same way, quiet and sensible in manner and clothing. Christian women should be noticed for being kind and good, not for the way they do their hair or because of their jewels or fancy clothes.
JAMES 5:13-18
Is anyone among you suffering? He should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should be continually be singing praises to the Lord.
Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour a little oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him. And their prayer, if offered in faith, will heal him, for the Lord will make him well; and if his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him.
Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again.
(Paul)
COLOSSIANS 4:2
Don’t be weary (tired) in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers and remember to be thankful when they come
(Paul)
EPHESIANS 3:14-21
(adapted)
When we think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan let us fall down on our knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God. Some of God’s family are already in heaven and some are down here on earth. We pray that out of God’s glorious, unlimited resources he will give us the mighty inner strengthening of his Holy Spirit. We pray that Christ will be more and more at home in our hearts, living within us as we trust him. May our roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. May we be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep and how high his love really is. May we experience this love for ourselves, though it is so great that we will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. May we at last be filled up with God himself.
Now glory (and honor) be given to God who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.
May he be given glory (and honor) for ever and ever through endless ages because of his master plan of salvation for the church through Jesus Christ. (Amen.)
(Paul)
EPHESIANS 1:16-23
(adapted)
We thank God for the existence of all other people who have a strong faith in the Lord Jesus.
We pray constantly for all Christians everywhere.
We ask God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give us wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for us.
We pray that our hearts will be flooded with light so that we can see something of the future that God has called and summoned us to share.
May we realize that God has been made rich because we, who are Christ’s, have been given to him.
We pray that we will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven, far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader. His honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come.
God has put all things under his feet and made him the supreme head of the church – which is his body, filled with himself, the author and giver of everything, everywhere. (Amen.)
(Paul)
COLOSSIANS 1:9-10
(adapted)
May God help us to understand what he wants us to do, and make us wise about spiritual things. May the way we live always please the Lord and honor him. May we always be doing good, kind things for other people, all the time learning to know God better and better. (Amen.)
(Paul)
1 TIMOTHY 1:18
(adapted)
May we fight well in the Lord’s battles, just as the Lord told us through his prophets that we should. Let us cling tightly (securely) to our faith in Christ and always keep our conscience clear, doing what we know is right. (Amen.)
(Paul)
1 TIMOTHY 6:11-14
(adapted)
May we run from all evil things and work instead at what is right and good, learning to trust God and love other people and to be patient and gentle.
May we fight on for God.
May we hold tightly (securely) to the eternal life which God has given us, which we have confessed before many witnesses.
We stand before God, who gives life to all and before Christ Jesus who gave a fearless testimony before Pontius Pilate.
May we fulfill all that God has told us to do, so that no one can find fault with us from now until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. (Amen.)
1 PETER 1:2
(adapted)
God the Father chose us long ago and knew we would become his children.
And the Holy Spirit has been at work in our hearts, cleansing us with the blood of Jesus Christ and enabling us to please him.
May God bless us richly and grant us increasing freedom from all anxiety and fear. (Amen.)
(Paul)
EPHESIANS 6:23-24
(adapted)
May God give peace to you, my Christian brothers and sisters, and love, with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God’s grace and blessing, favor and kindness, be upon all who sincerely love our Lord Jesus Christ. (Amen.)
(Paul)
2 CORINTHIANS 13:11-12
(adapted)
“Be happy. Grow in Christ. Live in harmony and peace. May the God of love and peace be with you. Greet each other warmly in the Lord.
May the grace (and favor) of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. May the love of God and the friendship of the Holy Spirit be yours (always). (Amen.)
(Paul)
2 THESSALONIANS 2:16
(adapted)
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved and given us everlasting comfort and hope, which we don’t deserve, comfort our hearts with all comfort, and help us in every good thing we say and do. (Amen.)
(Paul)
PHILIPPIANS 1:6
(adapted)
May God who began the good work within you, keep right on in helping you grow in his grace and favor until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns. (Amen.)
(Paul)
GALATIANS 1:3-5
(adapted)
May peace and blessing be yours from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins (our thoughts, speech and actions against the Laws of God), just as God our Father planned, and rescued us from this evil (and ungodly) world in which we live. All glory and (honor) to God through all ages of eternity. (Amen.)
(Paul)
COLOSSIANS 1:11-12
(adapted)
May we be filled with God’s mighty, glorious strength, so that we can keep going no matter what happens – always full of the joy of the Lord.
May we always be thankful to the Father who has made us fit to share all the wonderful things that belong to those who live in the kingdom of light. (Amen.)
(Paul)
2 THESSALONIANS 3:1-5
(adapted)
We pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and triumph wherever (at whatever place) it goes, winning converts everywhere.
We pray that we will be saved out of the clutches, (the power and control) of evil men (and women), for not everyone loves the Lord.
May the Lord, who is faithful (reliable and dependable), make us strong and guard us from Satanic attacks of every kind (that are evil, cruel and unpleasant).
May the Lord bring us into an ever deeper understanding of the love of God and the patience (the ability to put up with delay, trouble or suffering without becoming angry or upset) that comes from Jesus Christ our Lord. (Amen.)
1 PETER 5:14
Give each other the handshake of Christian love. Peace be to all of you who are in Jesus Christ. (Amen.)
JUDE 1:2
May you be given more and more of God’s kindness, peace and love. (Amen.)
HEBREWS 13:24-25
(adapted)
God’s grace (and favor) be with you all. (Amen.)
(John)
THE REVELATION 22:21
(adapted)
The grace (and favor) of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. (Amen.)
(Paul)
TITUS 3:15
(adapted)
May God’s blessings (favors and kindnesses) be with you all. (Amen)
(Paul)
PHILEMON 1:3
(adapted)
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you his blessings (favors and kindnesses) and his peace. (Amen.)
(Paul)
TITUS 1:4
(adapted)
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior give you his blessings (favors and kindnesses) and his peace. (Amen.)
(Paul)
COLOSSIANS 1:2
May God our Father shower you with blessings (favors and kindnesses) and fill you with his great peace. (Amen.)
(Paul)
2 THESSALONIANS 1:2
(adapted)
May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you rich blessings (favors and kindnesses) and peace-filled hearts and minds. (Amen.)
(Paul)
1 THESSALONIANS 5:28
(adapted)
May rich blessings (favors and kindnesses) from our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, every one. (Amen.)
(Paul)
1 THESSALONIANS 1:1
(adapted)
We belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ;
May blessing (favor and kindness) and peace of heart be your rich gifts from God our Father, and from Jesus Christ our Lord. (Amen.)
(Paul)
COLOSSIANS 4:18
(adapted)
May God’s blessings (favors and kindnesses) surround you. (Amen.)
(Paul)
PHILIPPIANS 4:23
(adapted)
The blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon your spirits. (Amen.)
(Paul)
PHILEMON 1:25
(adapted)
The blessings (favors and kindnesses) of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon your spirit. (Amen.)
(Paul)
2 TIMOTHY 4:22
(adapted)
May the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (Amen.)
(Paul)
2 TIMOTHY 1:2
(adapted)
May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord shower you with his kindness, mercy and peace. (Amen.)

(Paul)
1 TIMOTHY 1:2
(adapted)
May God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord show us his kindness and mercy and give us great peace of heart and mind. (Amen.)
(Paul)
1 TIMOTHY 6:21
(adapted)
May God’s mercy be upon you. (Amen.)
(Paul)
1 CORINTHIANS 16:22-23
(adapted)
If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed: (afflicted with harm and misery, pain and suffering). Lord Jesus come!
May the love and favor of the Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you. (Amen.)
(Paul)
PHILIPPIANS 4:20
(adapted)
Now to God our Father be glory and honor for ever and ever. (Amen.)

Prayer of Praise
(Paul)
ROMANS 16:25-27
I commit you to God, who is able to make you strong and steady in the Lord, just as the Gospel says, and just as I have told you. This is God’s plan of salvation for you Gentiles, kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as God commands, this message is being preached everywhere, so that people all around the world will have faith in Christ and obey him. To God, who alone is wise, be the glory for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
HEBREWS 13:20-21
And now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with all you need for doing his will, through the blood of the everlasting agreement between God and you. And may he produce in you through the power of Christ all that is pleasing to him, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
JUDE 1:24-25
And now – all glory and honor to him who alone is God, who saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord; yes, splendor and majesty, all power and authority are his from the beginning; his they are and his they evermore shall be. And he is able to keep you from slipping and falling away, and to bring you, sinless and perfect, into his glorious presence with mighty shouts of everlasting joy. Amen.