“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)
Paul knew, when writing the above verse to the Philippians, his strength wasn’t merely a blessing over his own agenda. The strength Paul unearthed in his own life came from his relationship with Christ. He knew the closer he pulled into His Savior, the more he would be able to endure. We sometimes mistake strength with the ability to push through to the things we want to accomplish and achieve. But when our lives are aligned with God’s plan and purpose for them, we experience the supernatural strength of the Spirit to endure the promised hardship alongside mountain-top moments. The fruits of the Spirit are not developed by our sheer will, rather fostered and uncovered in our souls as we learn more about who God is, and who we are in Christ.
Here are 5 prayers to pray for discovering the strength God's spirit has placed in you. Pray them with confidence, faith, and trust that He who can move mountains can move powerfully in you too.
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A Prayer for Strength in Unprecedented Experiences
“God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1 NIV)
Father,
There are many of us scrambling to find our footing in an era of circumstances we have not lived through. With no life experience to draw from, we face more uncertainty by the day. We feel out of control, lost, scared, and helpless. But Father, let us not forget the hope, freedom, and strength we have in Christ. When the world is weird and we are at a loss of what to do, say, or how to react, we run to You.
Though unprecedented for us, You reign over all, not surprised or taken aback by what is going on now or what is to come. In Your character we unearth the strength to go on day by day. Who You are makes us strong. Our faithful Father, constant, rock solid and faithful, You remain close to the brokenhearted and have equipped us for every good work. Let us live through each unknown day in the strength of our Savior, Jesus. Though we do not have answers, He knows.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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A Prayer for Strength to Discern What Is True
“The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10)
Father,
Everyday we are inundated with news reports and social media feeds flooded with information. There is so much information threatening to steal our peace of mind and hopeful existence. Remind us, through Your powerful Holy Spirit, what is true. As we study Your word daily, root Your truth deep in our minds and our souls. Nudge us to pray and spend time with You when we are falling into a pit of despair and worry over what we wonder is true. Reveal what is true to us, Father.
Give us the hidden strength to know our next steps, and remember the peace and freedom we already have in Christ. Let us not forget that there is nothing more powerful than Your word. Nothing more powerful than the freedom we have in Christ to break free from the chains of sin. We run to You, our fortified tower. We speak Your name, and praise You in times of confusion and unrest, because we know we can trust You, our faithful and compassionate Father, to guide and care for us.
In Jesus’ Name we Pray,
Amen.
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A Prayer for the Strength to Grasp Joy in Hard Times
“…the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)
Father,
You have taught us joy is much stronger than the fleeting feeling of happiness. We know we can hold onto the joy we have in Jesus even when our world is falling a part. The pain and heartache of this world, the division and the violence, are temporary. Though we are promised to live through painful and confusing times in this world, we never have to doubt the freedom and grace we have in Christ. Victory was forever won over death by Jesus on the cross.
No matter how hard our daily strife gets, we can grip onto the joy of Jesus like a child white knuckles the monkey bars on the playground. We don’t ever have to let go, and as we swing across from one bar to the next, You await us with open arms. You know how difficult life can be, and understand our hurt. You meet us with love and acceptance, forgiveness and grace, when the world condemns, shames, and threatens to steal our peace and purpose. We remain victorious, in the joy of the LORD.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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A Prayer for the Strength to Live in Freedom
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
Father,
There are so many heroic men and women who have fought bravely in the face of fear to forge the way for others to live in freedom. But none more faithful than our Savior, Jesus. The freedom He won for us on the cross is permanent. We don’t have to allow ourselves to be yanked back into a life of fear and shame, guilt and injustice. The circumstances of this world are temporary, and You reign victorious over every fight for freedom, love and equality. You created each an every life with purpose and a place in this world to bring glory and honor to Your name so that even more can experience the freedom we have in Christ.
When the world threatens to take our freedom—and sometimes seems successful—activate the roots of Your truth we’ve sewn into our lives to stand in freedom no matter where we are. Let us be strong, not just to remember our freedom in Christ and operate by it on a daily basis, but to be channels of freedom that overflow to the people you’ve purposefully placed in our lives.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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A Prayer for Hidden Strength to Seek Peace amidst Division
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” (Ephesians 3:16)
Father,
When someone attacks someone we love, it is our gut reaction to jump to their defense. Guide us, Father, in our pursuit of righteousness. It’s important for us to fight injustices, to live out our faith regardless of circumstance or social pressure, and to stand up for what we believe is right. But, Father, guide our actions and lace our conversation with wisdom and love. Let us pause to listen more than we talk and aim to love our enemies as You instructed us to.
The strength to reach across the lines of division lies in the power we have in Christ. It is not by our strength, as Paul would remind, that we become peacemakers, but by the strength of Christ we are able to extend the grace and peace of Christ in all circumstances. Help us to submit our gut reactions to You, to choose not to be offended, and to look to love others above all else.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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Originally published Friday, 07 August 2020.
