3 Prayer Points to Turn a New Decade

Dear Team,

As I thought and prayed about the new year (and new decade) the Lord impressed upon me how I/we respond to fear. We have all struggled, or struggle, with fear in some way. In one sense it is natural to do so. But God does not want us to live in fear nor be controlled by fear. Ultimately, fear is a spirit (cf. 2 Tim. 1:7), one that the enemy of our faith moves people to traffic in - if they let him.

Think of the macro and mirco issues whereby fear could overtake us as we stand on the precipice of a dawning decade: fear of terrorists, fear of a nuclear Iran, fear of a weakening economy; fear of the future, fear of sickness, fear of dying, fear of change, fear of job loss, fear of elders, fear of lack of provision, fear of college, fear of being alone, fear of job loss, etc. The avenues are endless.

So join me in praying the following three prayer points as we turn the year/decade. May 2010 be marked by faith in our great God and His great Word! I have passed these on to the sisters who are prayer warriors as well.

May we not dimish God's glory by giving in to a punk, puny, cowardly spirit of fear; one that will soon know the lake of fire.

1. Pray that we would be marked by spiritual power, love, and discipline - not fear.

2 Tim 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

2. Pray that we would not be fearful of man, nor fall into its snare. But instead trust the Lord and His Word.

Prov 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.

Exampe: Pray we would avoid the tragic error of Peter. He denied the Lord three times because of fear of personal harm.

Matthew 26:69-74

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." [70] But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." [71] When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." [72] And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." [73] A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away." [74] Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed.

Example: Pray we would avoid the supreme error of Pilate. He delivered Jesus to be crucified because of fear of what the crowd might say.

Matt 27:22 Pilate *said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all *said, "Crucify Him!"

Matt 27:23 And he said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they kept shouting all the more, saying, "Crucify Him!"

Matt 27:24 ¶ When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood; see {to that} yourselves." Matt 27:25 And all the people said, "His blood shall be on us and on our children!"

Matt 27:26 Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Example: Pray we would avoid the error of Joseph of Arimathea. He was a secret disciple of Jesus for fear of his fellow religious members.

John 19:38 ¶ After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret {one} for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body.

3. Pray that we would exhibit being Spirit-led, not fear-led, knowing our Father knows best.

Rom 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Rom 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

Thank you for all that you have done in the service of God's kingdom in 2009. Paul told the church in Rome that the kingdom of God is marked by righteous, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). May these be ours in 2010.

Yours for fulfilling our mission,
Pastor Mark