Supplication

SUPPLICATION

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GENERAL TRIBULATION

[We all can think of a Christian sister or brother experiencing so much affliction they may not be able to pray for themselves. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

REASONS FOR AFFLICTION – SCOURING AWAY EVIL

…FATHER, You are presently sustaining ____ with the bread of adversity and the water of affliction (Isa 30:20). It makes (him/her), LORD, weep with grief (Ps 119:28). But sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us draw closer to You. Pain that hurts has the ability to chase evil from our hearts (Prov 20:30). Your sharp reproofs that sting our conscience scours away evil (ref#16, [Prov 20:30]).

May ____ understand the good that comes out of humility caused by affliction, yet FATHER, in Your discipline do not give (him/her) over to (his/her) enemy (Ps 31:8). You tell (him/her) You will not hide Yourself when You afflict (him/her) (Isa 30:20). You will cause (him/her) to hear You saying, “This is the way, walk in it”, when (he/she) turns to the right or to the left (Isa 30:21).

FATHER, in Your time, You will draw (him/her) out of the net You have caused (his/her) enemy to lay for (him/her); therefore, gladly into Your hands I commit ____’s spirit (Ps 31:4-5). Make (him/her) be glad and rejoice in Your mercy and steadfast love—because You have seen (his/her) affliction—because You have taken note of (his/her) distresses—because You will never give (him/her) into the hand of the enemy (Ps 31:7-8).

SUPPLICATION

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NON CHRISTIAN Resisters

[We all have friends and family that do not want anything to do with Christianity so it is up to us to pray for their salvation. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

BRING CALAMITY

O LORD, Your children will walk in Your statues and they will be careful to obey Your rules when You “cause” them to do so (Ezek 36:27). I have many friends and family that know about You but still order their own lives. I pray that You do what is needed to cause them to abandon their own efforts to rule themselves.

Did not Your own Son learn obedience by suffering (Heb 2:10). Do You not say, “Spiritually prosperous are the destitute and helpless…” (ref #37, p9, [Matt 5:3])? ____ will never look for You unless You bring calamities that will cause (him/her) to question ruling (his/her) own life. Avert (him/her), making (him/her) realize that (he/she) is a sinner by nature (Matt 9:13), and not righteous in character (Mark 2:17). Exhaust (him/her) in (his/her) troubles, make (him/her) wander aimlessly so that (he/she) throws (himself/herself) to the ground in an utterly prostrate condition as a sheep not having a shepherd (Matt 9:36).

I pray for sorrow that leads to salvation—a sorrow that stirs up ____’s heart so (he/she) cannot rest until (he/she) finds pardon through Your mercy (2 Cor 7:10). My desire is that (he/she) turn to You in a wind-blown, out-of-control situation and find (his/her) heart regretful of (his/her) way and wishing to change it (2 Cor 7:9).

FATHER, cause ____ to labor through (his/her) days in vain. Turn (him/her) to see it is CHRIST who will cause (him/her) to cease from such useless labor.   CHRIST will take away (his/her) burdens and refresh (him/her) with rest (Matt 11:29).

You cause grief, but You will have compassion according to the abundance of Your steadfast love; for You do not willingly afflict or grieve (Lam 3:32-33). Every languishing soul You will replenish (Jer 31:25).

When ____’s pride is shattered and (he/she) is ready for love, (he/she) will not escape Your notice, will (he/she) (Ps 51:17)? O LORD, make it so that in (his/her) distress (he/she) seeks You, for You will be found (2 Chron 15:4). I pray all this to You—a faithful GOD (Ps 145:13).

SUPPLICATION

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CHRISTIAN

[Because we are Christians and live in the world we will always need prayer for our walk and for witnessing to others about CHRIST. Here’s an opportunity to pray for others or even ourselves. Fill their name or your name in the blanks.]

SHARING IN PRETENSE OR TRUTH?

“Some…preach Christ from envy…, but others from good will” (Phil 1:15 ESV).

FATHER, it’s not that ____ consciously preaches CHRIST out of envy; but, (he/she) can be envious unaware, therefore, I pray (he/she) set (his/her) thoughts on searching for the real reason (he/she) finds joy in telling people about CHRIST. (His/Her) actions can be simply acting the part, while (his/her) motives may not be purely good will. Some preach CHRIST so that they themselves can seem important (ref#56, p1719 [Phil 1:15-18]). And humanly ____ is capable of desiring to be important.

In Matthew 7:21-23, LORD, You tell us we can be a service to Your Gospel and yet be shut out of eternal fellowship with You. Because of the gravity of that Scripture portion, I desire, FATHER, that You search ____’s heart for self-honoring sin. Is (he/she) sharing the Gospel or performing any other Christian service in pretense (Phil 1:18)?

Your Word, through the Apostle Paul, paints a picture of Christians accomplishing service to You in truth and in good will. He writes in Philippians 1:27-29: “…let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that…I may hear…that you are standing firm…and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign…of your salvation…For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,…” (Phil 1:27-29 ESV).

The HOLY SPIRIT gives ____ power and love and self-control (2 Tim 1:7). I want the SPIRIT to work Himself out in ____’s life. I want ____ to stand firm in power; I want (him/her) to love opponents and not be frightened by them; I want (him/her) to exercise self-control in (his/her) suffering. I want (him/her) to preach CHRIST from good will—thinking only of Your advancement, FATHER, and oblivious to any benefit for (himself/herself).

SUPPLICATION

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GENERAL TRIBULATION

[We all can think of a Christian sister or brother experiencing so much affliction they may not be able to pray for themselves. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

PERMITTING OURSELVES TO BE DEMOTED

…FATHER, You have placed ____ in a difficult situation. Compel (him/her) to nurture faith so it does not decrease. Whatever would (he/she) do if (he/she) lost the grip (he/she) has on Your hand? Attend to (him/her) for (he/she) must seek to build (himself/herself) up in my most holy faith as (he/she) attempts to keep (himself/herself) in Your love (Jude 20,21).

FATHER, look down now on ____.   Even though (his/her) heart is prone to be in a state of upheaval, possibly not able to understand (his/her) present providence, nevertheless aid (him/her) to grasp the fact that (he/she) is continually with You. You do hold (his/her) right hand. Persist in Your guidance (Ps 73:21-24). (His/Her) flesh and (his/her) heart may fail, but You are (his/her) Rock and firm Strength and (his/her) Portion forever (Ps 73:26,27).

CHRIST has set (him/her) free from the power of sin and (he/she) has become a bondslave to You. Even as (he/she) suffers, (he/she) is reaping (his/her) own harvest and “its ingathering shall be holiness” Arthur S. Way (ref#38, p124, [Rom 6:22]). Because (he/she) has been born of You, You maintain a watchful guardianship over (him/her) and the pernicious one is unable to cause lasting damage. CHRIST’s divine presence within preserves (him/her) against the evil one (1 John 5:18).

Empower ____ to be cautious at all times, for (his/her) enemy continues to constantly seek to devour (him/her) (1 Pet 5:8). Strengthen (him/her) to withstand satan’s onslaught by being immovable in (his/her) faith (1 Pet 5:9). This (he/she) will be by permitting (himself/herself) to be demoted—by believing (himself/herself) of a lower state than in (his/her) own estimation. So move (him/her) to become contrite. Faith will be strong when (he/she) exhibits (his/her) weakness by putting (himself/herself) under Your mighty hand (1 Pet 5:6).

SUPPLICATION

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NON CHRISTIAN Pursuers

[We all have friends and family that sit in our churches but only act like they are Christians. It is up to us to pray for their salvation. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

UNSAVING FAITH

“All people are naturally inclined to some form of religion, yet they fail to worship their Creator…” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p1613, “Mankind’s Guilty Knowledge of God”).

FATHER, I fear ____ has decided on (his/her) own to follow You because (he/she) finds it convenient. It’s quite possible (he/she) has a belief like the crowd described in John 2:23: “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name…” (John 2:23 NASU).

The crowd’s belief in JESUS was not a life-changing belief. They were quick only to acknowledge Him as a teacher, or a great prophet, or someone who could make their life better. The Amplified version sums it up, they …[identified themselves with His party]…. Surely they figured being close in proximity met He would save them from…whatever they wanted saved from.

FATHER, I fear ____ has found comfort in a faith that does not save. (He/She) may be content to know about JESUS, like Him, and conclude (he/she) identifies enough with Him that (he’ll/she’ll) go to heaven when (he/she) dies.

“To believe, for Paul, involves knowledge of the gospel’s content, mental assent to its testimony about Christ (Rom 10:14), and obedient trust and reliance on Him as Savior and Lord (Rom 1:5)” The Reformation Study Bible (ref#56, p1617, [Rom 3:22]).

I pray You give ____ ears to hear the Gospel. Convince (him/her) that (he/she) has no righteousness of (his/her) own and needs CHRIST’s righteousness. Be graphic about revealing (his/her) danger of perishing. LORD, give (him/her) a need to look for someone to save (him/her) from Your wrath. And then motivate (him/her) to make the effort to understand that CHRIST cannot save unless He becomes LORD of (his/her) life.

FATHER, give ____ opportunity to understand and grab hold of the faith that saves. By exercising (his/her) faith and by obeying, You will cause (him/her) to joyfully worship You. (He/She) does not need to be punished with everlasting destruction being forever away from Your presence and from the glory of Your power either in the rest of this life or in the life to come (2 Thes 1:9).

SUPPLICATION

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CHRISTIAN

[Because we are Christians and live in the world we will always need prayer for our walk and for witnessing to others about CHRIST. Here’s an opportunity to pray for others or even ourselves. Fill their name or your name in the blanks.]

KEEPING THE SABBATH

…FATHER, I pray for ____ to guard (his/her) Sabbaths. Sometimes without knowing, the world, satan, and (his/her) own flesh succeed at turning everything gray. There is no way (he/she) can comprehend the dullness until (he/she) sits before You during (his/her) Sabbath.

FATHER, make ____ realize, as You commune with (him/her), how weak (he/she) has become living the last six days in the world, them pour into (him/her) the strength (he/she) will need for the next six days.   Being in Your presence not only allows ____ to let go of the week prior but also energizes (him/her) for the next.

No one recognizes burnout until they are burned out. So alert ____ to (his/her) desperate need for more strength—strength needed to joyously obey You that can only be provided by the HOLY SPIRIT. Draw (him/her) into Your rest as (he/she) settles in to waiting in Your presence. Only in waiting before You can (he/she) compare (his/her) weak present condition with the joyous strength You are able to infuse in (him/her).

You are very serious about demanding Sabbath-keeping (Ex 31:14) for You know how harmful not keeping it is. On the Sabbath, FATHER, do not let ____ settle for just resting (his/her) body or satisfying (himself/herself) with a diversion from (his/her) work (Isa 58:13). Don’t let (him/her) even be content to learn more of You or worship You.

In Your presence is fullness of joy (Ps 16:11). Give ____ the knowing that (he/she) will have all (he/she) needs for the coming week so (he/she) may rejoice in Your provision. Draw (him/her), LORD, into keeping the Sabbath. For joy in You is (his/her) strength (Neh 8:10).

SUPPLICATION

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GENERAL SICKNESS

[The majority of our prayers concern physical health. We all know someone who is dealing with the pain of sickness. Here is an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

HEALING – ASKING FOR POWER TO HEAL

…FATHER, You so generously revealed Yourself to Your people written of in the OT, advising them that You would not put any of the diseases on them that You put on the Egyptians—if they would diligently listen to Your voice (Ex 15:26). Now in our day, You reveal Yourself through Your Son (Heb 1:2). You have transferred Your healing power to Him. By His stripes all who diligently listen to His voice are healed (Isa 53:5).

CHRIST’s cross breaks the dominion of sin in us so that we are fortified against that which feeds disease (ref#18, [Isa 53:5]). Yet, we still are living in the world that You, FATHER, have subjected to futility and we groan (Rom 8:20,22), knowing we will sooner or later have to experience disease. CHRIST’s cross breaks the dominion of sin, but sin still has sway over us and its natural effect is sickness. When JESUS was here He began to “reverse the curse” by healing diseases. We can expect from JESUS occasions of immediate healing in our day.

With excited speed I usher myself into the presence of JESUS. Your Son, FATHER, has conquered sin and death (Rom 8:2). The NT writers reported often of JESUS healing someone physically. There were occasions when He healed everyone present. And wherever He came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored Him that they might touch even the fringe of His garment. And as many as touched it were made well (Mark 6:56). Healing was important to JESUS then, and it’s important to Him now.

“If we keep on asking anything for ourselves, [which is] according to His will, He hears us. And if we know with an absolute knowledge that He hears us, whatever we are asking for ourselves, we know with an absolute knowledge that we have the things which we have asked from Him” Kenneth S. West (ref#37, [1 John 5:14-15]).

FATHER, following a procedure, or even confessing sins, can be bypassed for possibly now the power is present for You, LORD, to perform healing (Luke 5:17). JESUS, I ask for Your healing power to come upon ____ whom I hold in my heart right now.

I understand that this time may not be Your timing even though I have absolute knowledge that I have what I ask for. If ____ is still in (his/her) sickness, then grant (him/her) sustaining grace while we all wait for Your timing.

SUPPLICATION

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GENERAL TRIBULATION

[We all can think of a Christian sister or brother experiencing so much affliction they may not be able to pray for themselves. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

YOU ARE A REFUGE AND A SHIELD

…FATHER, let not the flood sweep over ____ or the pit close its mouth over (him/her) (Ps 69:15). You, GREAT RESCUER, are (his/her) refuge and (his/her) shield. And, also Your word is (his/her) source of hope (Ps 119:114).

Move ____ FATHER, to say, “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me” (Mic 7:8 ESV).

SUPPLICATION

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NON CHRISTIAN Resisters

[We all have friends and family that do not want anything to do with Christianity so it is up to us to pray for their salvation. Here’s an opportunity to pray for them. Fill their name in the blanks.]

SAVING FAITH

…FATHER, though I did not know it, You sought me long before I sought You, enabling me to believe in You. You worked in my heart in a mysterious way, making possible my belief before I trusted You (ref#63, p 708).

Having chosen me, You called me to come to You, and when I came, You declared me ‘not guilty,’ filled me with CHRIST’s goodness, gave me a right standing with Yourself and promised me Your glory (Rom 8:30).

I have come, but I perceive ____ has not. But, if You have chosen (him/her), (he/she) will come. Not only will (he/she) come but come turning away from (his/her) former pattern of living, seeking to have (his/her) sin and guilt removed, and looking forward to entering into a genuine relationship with You that will last forever (ref#63, p710).

FATHER, I pray these three requests for ____:

  • That (he/she) obtain basic knowledge of the facts of the Gospel and approve of what (he/she) hears (ref#63, p712).
  • That (he/she) trust in CHRIST knowing that He is the only way to You (ref#63, p712).
  • And that all this leads to a decision of (his/her) will to depend on and put (his/her) trust in CHRIST as (his/her) Savior (ref#63, p712).

Thomas, the Apostle, did not make a personal decision to trust CHRIST wholeheartedly in the years he was CHRIST’s disciple or even immediately after CHRIST’s resurrection (John 20:24-28). I pray in hope that You will cause ____ to, in (his/her) time, reach the point of willfully choosing to enter into a relationship with CHRIST.

“…whoever did want him, who believed he was who he claimed and would do what he said, He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. These are the God-begotten,…not flesh-begotten…” (John 1:12-13 MSG).

SUPPLICATION

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CHRISTIAN

[Because we are Christians and live in the world we will always need prayer for our walk and for witnessing to others about CHRIST. Here’s an opportunity to pray for others or even ourselves. Fill their name or your name in the blanks.]

A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS

…FATHER, I pray for ____ that (he/she) obey Your calling to be a priestly intercessor. (All Christians are called to be a kingdom of priests [Ex 19:6]). Attune (him/her) to be mindful of ones caught in transgression (Gal 6:1) that (he/she) will seek to restore them “by affectionate admonition, by faithful instruction, and by prayer” Barnes’ Notes (ref#16, [Gal 6:1]).

 Cause ____, FATHER, to live as a priest by fearing You and standing in awe of Your name (Mal 2:5). Keep true instruction in (his/her) mouth and assist (him/her) to walk with You in peace and uprightness. By such a walk (he/she) will turn many from iniquity (Mal 2:6). Impassion ____ to guard knowledge so that people should seek instruction from (him/her) (Mal 2:7).

Cause ____ to desire to labor to fill up that which is lacking in others (ref#67, [Gal 6:1]). Discharge (him/her) to offer up to You “spiritual sacrifices, not only of prayer and praise, but of devout affections and pious resolutions” which is the work of Your own SPIRIT in (him/her) (ref#18, [Ex 19:1-8]). Quicken (him/her) to offer up services acceptable to You through CHRIST (1 Pet 2:5).

“As Christ bears our burdens, so ought we to bear the burdens of our fellow-man. The law of Christ, which is our duty to fulfill, is the bearing of the cross. My brother’s burden which I must bear is not only his outward lot, his natural characteristics and gifts, but quite literally his sin. And the only way to bear that sin is by forgiving it in the power of the cross of Christ in which I now share. Thus the call to follow Christ always means a call to share the work of forgiving men their sins. Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian duty to bear” Dietrich Bonhoeffer (ref#10, p90).