How to start the day
Morning
- Begin the day by surrendering your life to Jesus.
- Begin your day in praise and worship.
- Read and meditate on God’s word, preferably on your knees.
- Invite the Holy Spirit to work in you and to do his good pleasure according Philippians 2:13.
- Invite God to use you. Ask Him to show you how to influence your world, your family, your church, your community, your country, and beyond.
- Pray for His vision for your life and empowerment to do His will.
- Pray the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
Noon
- Return to prayer and God’s word.
- Take a short prayer-walk.
- Spend time in intercessory prayer for your community and nation’s leaders, for the world’s unreached millions, for your family or special needs.
Evening
- Get alone for an unhurried time of “seeking His face.”
- If others are fasting with you, meet together for prayer.
- Avoid watching television or any other distraction that may dampen your spiritual focus.
How you can invite God to control your life
Lord here is my life; I want You to live Your life through me today. Wherever You send me, whatever You ask me to do, and whatever You have me to say. My life is Yours I want You at the heart of my life all the day long. I want to live this day for You In my job, my family, and my friends. Most of all Lord I want You uppermost in my thinking, so that because You are uppermost in my thinking You help me determine what I say and how I say it, what my motives are, how I think, how I behave, and how I respond.
Lord I want You uppermost in my thinking as I go to sleep. And Lord you can work in my heart, my life, and my self-conscious all the day long. And all night long I want you work in my life.
Intercessory prayer
- Praying for someone who is not saved.
- Praying for someone who is too sick or too incapacitated for himself.
- Praying for someone who is too weak in the word.
- Praying for someone who has very little, if any, personal relationship established with the Lord.
- Praying for someone who has a sudden emergency getting to attack him or her.
- Praying in agreement with others on a united prayer cause.
Bless people in the name of Jesus
- Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that You bless the child in someone’s womb and that you bless your child with perfect health and long life.
- Father, I ask that You bless Joe with a new job since He has lost his job. Bless him with the right job for your glory, in Jesus name.
- Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that You bless the new job that I am about to take. I ask You bless this job and also bless me with favor my bosses and people that I will now be working now.
Content: Ask God that the person would
- “Be filled with the knowledge of His will.” Every believer needs to know the Lord’s specific plans for his or her life. As a parent, give your children freedom to follow their heavenly Father’s best for their lives.
- “In all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Ask God to help them walk in a manner worthy of Christ’s name. As believers, our conversation, character, and conduct should reveal obedience to God.
- “Bearing fruit in every good work.” Christians should have an eternal influence on our world. As we obey God, He makes our lives fruitful.
- “Increasing in the knowledge of God.” A believer should grow closer and closer to the Lord over time. On a practical level, that means we should study the Bible, apply what we learn, and observe what happens when we obey or disobey God.
- “Strengthened with all power.” Pray that the other person will experience the power of God in his or her daily life. The Lord loves it when we realize our helplessness and cry out for His supernatural strength.
- “Joyously giving thanks to the Father.” This request has to do with the person’s attitude. God wants us to meet life with thankfulness, trusting Him in the midst of hardship. He brings good out of suffering and deepens our character.
Thing I can pray
- Thank God for them – Romans 1:8, 1 Cor 1:4, Phil 1:3
2. God’s mercy – 1 Tim 2:1
3. Protection from evil people – Rom 15:31, 2 Thess 3:2
4. Protection from Satan – John 17:5, 2 Thess 3:3
5. Opportunity to witness – Col 4:3
6. Courage in witnessing – Eph 1:19-20
7. Right words and clarity in witnessing – Eph 1:19,3:16; Col 1:11, 4:4
8. Spiritual strength and growth – 1 Cor 1:8, 2 Cor 13:7-9, Col 4:2, 2 Thess 2:17
9. Increased love for and unity with other Christians – John 17:21, Phil 1:9, 1 Thess 3:12
10. Better understanding of God’s love – Eph 3:17-19, 2 Thess 3:5
11. Joy, peace, comfort, and encouragement – Col 1:11, Eph 6:23, 2 Thess 1:2 & 2:16-17
12. To know God better – Col 1:10, Eph 1:17
13. Increased spiritual knowledge, wisdom & discernment – Eph 1:17, Phil 1:9-10, Col 1:9
14. Knowledge and understanding of God’s will for their life – Col 1:9
15. To be holy, pure, and blameless – John 17:17, Phil 1:10, 1 Thess 5:23
16. To live a life that pleases God and honors Him – Col 1:10
17. To obediently follow God’s will – Col 4:12
18. To grow in righteousness and Christ-like character – Phil 1:11
19. Live a life of good works that produces spiritual fruit – Col 1:10
20. Full understanding of their eternal inheritance – Eph 1:18
Requirements for an Intimate Relationship with God
- A Spiritual Focus. For most people, the word “intimacy” is associated primarily with sexuality. But genuine fellowship with God involves relating to Him on an emotional and spiritual level rather than a physical one.
- Personal Involvement. The Lord created humans in His image so that all people could relate to Him on an individual basis. The Holy Spirit lives within every believer, giving each one the ability to develop a personal friendship with Christ.
- Trust. Intimacy cannot exist without trust. If you and I refuse to surrender to and obey God, we cannot expect to have an intimate relationship with Him.
- Love. Oneness with God must be motivated out of love, not duty. Remember that God forgave you on the basis of Christ’s death on the cross. You don’t have to earn His affection. Let that fact motivate you to freely and genuinely devote yourself to knowing Him better.
- Openness and Transparency. Confess specific sins and shortcomings to the Lord. Be honest with Him, and intimacy will grow.
- Two-way Communication. Ask the Father to show you how to hear His guidance for your life, and set aside time to listen to Him.
- Time and Effort. You must devote yourself to knowing the Lord if you want to experience the fullness of friendship with Him.
Benefits of Intimacy with the Father
- Stability. In the midst of life’s storms, a solid relationship with God is your anchor.
- Security. You can have the assurance that He is always with you, ready to help in any situation or circumstance.
- Serenity. Intimacy gives you quietness and peace in your spirit, no matter what happens. You can trust that the Lord will guide you through difficulty.
- Sensitivity. God will give you greater spiritual understanding and increased awareness to the needs of others. .
Barriers to Intimacy
- Pride. Some put their trust in themselves and pursue relationships, accomplishments, or possessions instead of a relationship with the Father.
- Rebellion. When we deliberately disobey the Lord, we cannot have intimacy with Him.
- Hurry. Some people never find intimacy with God because they are always impatient. Colossians 1:7-14.
God’s voice – God’s voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions, and dreams. To have a pure flow I must become still and carefully fix my eyes upon Jesus. As you pray, fix your eyes of your hear upon Jesus, seeing in the Spirit the dreams and visions of almighty God. Prayer has three parts: speaking, listening, and waiting.
- Does what I heard line up with the vision God has for my life?
- Does what I heard line up with the wise counsel in my life?
- Does what I heard leave me with a sense of peace?
- Is what I heard blanketed with love?
How to listen to the word of God:
- Praying before you read the Bible
- Eagerly
- Attentively
- Trustingly
- patiently
- Expectantly
- Prayerfully
- Humbly
- Purposefully
- Joyfully
- Repentantly
How to resist temptation – Lord You said in Your word in Proverbs 3:16 that if I acknowledge You in all my ways. You will direct my paths. I believe You worlds and I am acknowledging You right now and asking You to give me the strength to resist this sin that has been tempting me lately.
How to overcome difficulties
I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me. (Philippians 4:13)
Slothfulness
- Procrastinates
- Avoid work
- Wastes time
- Is indifferent, neglectful, careless and insensitive
- Can’t be depended upon to get the job done
- Expects somebody to meet his needs
- Thinks he’s got all the answers
- Is very shortsighted
God views slothfulness
- As an act of rebellion against Him
- As the sin of wastefulness
- As an act of selfishness
- As a gross violation of a simple command of Jesus
- As a flagrant violation of the word of God
The consequences of slothfulness
- Problems
- Pressure
- Pain
- Poverty
- Penalty
When you have done your best where you are, God assumes responsibility for your future.
How to Experience and Maintain Personal Revival
- Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life.
- Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you. Make restitution where God leads.
- Examine your motives in every word and deed. Ask the Lord to search and cleanse your heart daily.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to guard your walk against complacency and mediocrity.
- Praise and give thanks to God continually in all ways on all days, regardless of your circumstances.
- Refuse to obey your carnal (worldly) nature (Galatians 5:16-17).
- Surrender your life to Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. Develop utter dependence on Him with total submission and humility.
- Study the attributes of God.
- Hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6).
- Love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37)
- Appropriate the continual fullness and control of the Holy Spirit by faith on the basis of God’s command (Ephesians 5:18) and promise (1 John 5:14-15).
- Read, study, meditate on, and memorize God’s holy, inspired, inerrant Word daily (Colossians 3:16).
- Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
- Fast and pray one 24-hour period each week. Prayerfully consider becoming one of the two million Christians who will fast for forty days.
- Seek to share Christ daily as a way of life.
- Determine to live a holy, godly life of obedience and faith.
- Start or join a home or church Bible study group that emphasizes revival and a holy life.
“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (29:12-13)
God’s voice in your heart often sounds like a flow of spontaneous thoughts. Become still so you can sense God’s flow of thoughts and emotions within. As you pray, fix the eyes of your heart upon Jesus, seeing in the Spirit the dreams and visions of Almighty God. God’s voice comes as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions. Psalm 46:10 encourages us to be still, and know that He is God. There is a deep inner knowing (spontaneous flow) in our spirits that each of us can experience when we quiet our flesh and our minds. If we are not still, we will sense only our own thoughts.
Loving God through a quiet worship song is one very effective way to become still. After I worship and become silent within, I open myself for that spontaneous flow. If thoughts come of things I have forgotten to do, I write them down and dismiss them. If thoughts of guilt or unworthiness come, I repent thoroughly, receive the washing of the blood of the Lamb, putting on His robe of righteousness, seeing myself spotless before God (Is. 61:10; Col. 1:22).
To receive the pure word of God, it is very important that my heart be properly focused as I become still because my focus is the source of the intuitive flow. If I fix my eyes upon Jesus, the intuitive flow comes from Jesus. To have a pure flow I must become still and carefully fix my eyes upon Jesus. Again, quietly worshiping the King, and receiving out of the stillness that follows quite easily accomplishes this.
Fix your gaze upon Jesus becoming quiet in His presence and sharing with Him what is on your heart. Spontaneous thoughts will begin to flow from the throne of God to you, and you will actually be conversing with the King of Kings! Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrew 12:2)
Habakkuk was actually looking for vision as he prayed. He opened the eyes of his heart, and looked into the spirit world to see what God wanted to show him. This is an intriguing idea. God has always spoken through dreams and visions, and He specifically said that they would come to those upon whom the Holy Spirit is poured out (Acts 2:1-4, 17).
The very foundation of fasting and prayer is repentance. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayers. Here are several things you can do to prepare your heart:
- Ask God to help you make a comprehensive list of your sins.
- Confess every sin that the Holy Spirit calls to your remembrance and accept God’s forgiveness.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
- Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended, and forgive all who have hurt you.
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (Mark 11:25)
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. (Luke 11:4)
So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” (Luke 17:3-4)
- Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.
- Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit according to His command in Ephesians 5:18 and His promise in 1 John 5:14-15.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15)
- Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master; refuse to obey your worldly nature.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2).
- Meditate on the attributes of God, His love, sovereignty, power, wisdom, faithfulness, grace, compassion, and others.
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.(Psalm 48:9-10)
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 103:1-8)
Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments. Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers, consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation. (Psalm 48:9-13)
- Begin your time of fasting and prayer with an expectant heart.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
- Do not underestimate spiritual opposition. Satan sometimes intensifies the natural battle between body and spirit .
So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (Galatians 5:16-17)
Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, for the resolution of problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically.