Prayer Guide
Friday, May 29 at 7pm through Saturday at 7pm
Thank you for joining us in preparation for Pentecost 2020. We are believing that God is stirring the body of Christ with much “spiritual chatter” and that Pentecost 2020 is quite significant! We are on the eve of a new era. We are crossing over into a place we have never been. This 24-hour prayer watch follows several weeks of intentional and intensive preparations and intercession as we cry out for God to prepare our hearts, homes (including your marriage and children) and church for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Please use this prayer guide as a launch pad for wherever the Spirit would lead you. The prayer points are specific things various intercessors in Athens have been discerning and praying.
By the way, you can do more than one slot and there are no limit on how many people can do any given slot. During your time, you can join up with others via FaceTime or Zoom, or in person, or simply pray during the hour on your own. For more info or to sign up for one or more ONE HOUR slots please go to https://www.slottr.com/sheets/18251114.
Ready and Waiting
Luke 24:44-53
The resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples and reminded them He must fulfill the words of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and commissioned them to proclaim repentance and receive the promise of power (the Holy Spirit). As we pray ask God to reveal Himself, give us grace and conviction to repent, and power to align with His Truth and Promises wholeheartedly.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
Reveal
“He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.” Job 12:22
Ask God to open our minds and convict our hearts in each area we are not yet fully surrendered to Him. Write down anything He reveals to you, and use that with the following to direct prayers of repentance and realignment.
Idols
In our homes and our hearts, let’s ask God to reveal idols that hold our attention or affection. Anything that steals our passion, our attention and/or our affection, making us idle or numb toward God in any way must be destroyed.
Independence, information, sexuality, working for God, football, success, routine, family heirlooms, news, status, promotion, standards set by anyone other than God, scrapbooks, gifts, anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ must be surrendered that Christ alone may be seated on the throne of our lives (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Priorities
Let us seek God’s divine order in the structure of our lives and thinking. Where we have set our own priorities, ask for revelation and a divine re-ordering. Even in practical areas of decision making and time management, let’s ask God to re-set our thinking in alignment with His (Matthew 6:33).
Pride
Seeking revival, “He must become greater, I must become less” (John 3:30). Let us ask God to reveal and rid us of pride, that we may empty ourselves before God to allow Him our whole hearts and our whole lives. Ask for our whole city to be rid of self and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Unbelief
Ask God to reveal areas of doubt or unbelief in our hearts. Ask Him to shine light into every dark or shadowed place that we may receive faith to stand His ground (Mark 9:24, James 1:6, Ephesians 5:13, 6:13). Ask for grace to trust Him in every area that we are not to know times fixed by the Father (Acts 1:7). Jesus spoke peace to the disciples in the waiting (John 14:27, John 20:26), so ask God to renew our peace in Christ Jesus as we wait in faith and trust.
Shame
Ask God to expose areas of shame. Where we allow accusation to deny us access to God, ask God to reveal the power of Jesus’ blood. Ask God to speak affirmation and faith into us that we may continue in Him instead of running or attempting to measure up in our own strength (1 John 2:28).
Repent
2 Chronicles 6:38-40, Numbers 14:17-24
In all areas God has revealed, let us repent, or turn away from sin seeking forgiveness and restoration for ourselves, our churches and city.
Turn toward God in His holiness, acknowledging His righteousness to judge (Psalm 9:8, Psalm 96:13), power to forgive (Isaiah 55:7), and kindness to accept our repentance (Romans 2:4).
Ask for forgiveness – as specifically as you can, ask God to cleanse us (Psalm 51:7) and separate us from this sin as far as east is from west (Psalm 103:12).
Forgive those who have sinned against us specifically in these areas be it personally or against the church or city (Matthew 6:14-15, Romans 2:1).
Break agreement with any lie or question that sets itself up against what we know about God (2 Corinthians 10:5) that we may agree with the Truth (John 8:32).
Realign
Many have been hearing about a chiropractic adjustment for the Church, a need to realign the Body to be more fully in-sync with God as we move into a greater outpouring of His Spirit.
Let’s ask God to realign every joint within the Body of Christ; that each part would work in greater unity, with greater ease, and each pulling its proper weight, fully releasing that which should be pulled by another. (Ephesians 4:16, 1 Corinthians 12:23-26)
Let’s ask God to recalibrate our thinking in full alignment and agreement with His, especially in regard to our identity (Colossians 2:1-10). Pray for a spirit of sonship to fully destroy the orphan spirit as the heart of the Father is revealed (Galatians 4:6). Ask for God’s grace to cover us as “we put on the new self, created to be like God in righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:17-24).
Ask God to heal and restore our trust in authority, forgiving our rebellion. In any area of pain, abuse, deception, mistrust or betrayal… ask God to come and restore the years the locusts/plagues have eaten (Joel 2:25). Ask for families, classrooms, congregations, offices, friend groups to experience the safety of God’s authority, that we may willingly submit to those who God places above us, trusting Him to lead us (Romans 13:1).
Awaken our senses
Ask God to expose where we have become numb or unaware, where our senses have grown accustomed and have fallen asleep. Ask God to awaken our senses. Whether we have become calloused and need softening, have become closed and need re-opening, or have been blinded and need to see, ask God to help us sense clearly what is good and what is evil, that we may live more fully aligned with the Holy One (Isaiah 5:20).
Jesus and Paul quote Isaiah to declare the importance of our senses being turned toward God, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand, you will keep on seeing but will not perceive; for the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.” (Isaiah 6:10, Matthew 13:15, John 12:40, Acts 28:27)
Ask God to open our eyes that we would see and perceive what the Spirit is saying. Ask specifically for God to restore sight to areas we have been blind, restore vision where it has been lost, and restore those who see in the Spirit (seers) as a gift that has been rejected.
Ask God to open our ears that we would hear and understand what the Spirit is saying. Ask God to restore hearing to the deaf, any areas we have ignored wisdom, truth, conviction or concern, let us begin to hear again. Ask God to restore the gifts of listening in both the prophetic giftings (wisdom, knowledge, direction) and in compassionate relationship (counseling, discipleship, friendship, parenting etc.).
Ask God to restore spiritual life in all our senses. He created us fully to experience Him fully, with each of our five senses. Ask Him to heal areas we have closed senses off to Him because of lust, sin, immaturity, pain, or ignorance of their importance. Ask God to awaken seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and touch for the Kingdom of God.
Increased Revelation
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)
Ask with boldness and faith for God to speak to us things we cannot otherwise know; for mysteries of faith, contentment in chaos, certainty in uncertain times, the reality of Heaven and Hell, hope in the face of fear. Ask for increased revelation (things made known to us by God) in our spheres of influence, such as how God may be moving or reworking, how He may be speaking or stirring. In business, ministry, family rearing, schoolwork, relationships, God wants us to listen as He reveals right things thus revealing Himself (Proverbs 8:6, John 13:19).
Reveal the Reality of Hell
Ask God to make us keenly aware of the reality of the spiritual realm, such as of heaven, hell, the consequences and weight of sin, the power and strength of Christ’s resurrection, and the absolute and unwavering standard of righteousness with which Christ will judge the earth.
“The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:41-43
Reveal the Son
Jesus completely fulfilled the law of sacrifice as He took our sins on the cross. Ask God to reveal the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice and the power of His authority as the Lamb of God (Genesis 22, Leviticus 16, Matthew 27).
“Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood.” Revelation 1:5
Ask God to make Jesus known in our city; that everyone would come to knowledge of Jesus as the Son of God and Righteous Savior of men (1 Timothy 2:4).
Jesus stands in the Book of Revelation as the only one worthy to open the scrolls and release the will of God on the earth. Let’s ask God to reveal Jesus as the worthy lamb who stands in Righteousness (Revelation 5).
“’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8
Ask God to make real in our hearts and our lives the imminent return of Christ, in order for us to trust that He is coming again and that every word yet to be fulfilled in the Bible is coming to its fulfillment.
Reveal the Father
Jesus spent much of His ministry revealing the Father to a people who knew Him primarily as King and Judge. Let’s ask Jesus to do this work of revealing the Father to each of us, restoring our hearts in adoption, belonging and inheritance (Romans 8:23).
Prepare the Body for the Holy Spirit
The apostles had left their lives behind, spent much time with Christ, trusted His Word and received His commission but sat waiting for His Spirit to clothe them with power. Let’s ask God to do the work in the Body that remains to ready us for Him.
Ask God to cleanse us through repentance that the Body would experience the reality of new life in Christ. Ask for a greater death to self, increased conviction, deeper repentance, cleansing of unrighteousness, surrender, time with Jesus, renewed trust in His Word, agreement with His calling, etc.
Ask God to anoint us/set us apart for new Life and Living, baptizing us in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5, 2:37-39).
In Acts 2, as the Believers were gathered on the day of Pentecost, “they were ALL filled with the Holy Spirit” (2:4). Ask God to pour forth His Spirit on all mankind, so that in every sector of our city – families, churches, offices, all ages, all races – that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:17-21).
Ask God to stir in every heart a continual devotion to the apostles teaching, the breaking of bread, and to prayer, that we will all live in awe seeing many wonders and signs taking place (Acts 2:42-47).
Ready for Re-Gathering
Pastors
Ask God to speak to each pastor in Athens the specific plans he/she needs for re-opening their doors and services in full agreement with God. Let’s ask for boldness to stand firm in obedience to God above critique, fear, or uncertainty.
Thank God for your pastor, who “diligently labors among you, and has charge over you in the Lord.” Ask that he/she would admonish, encourage, help, rejoice, pray and give thanks. Ask specifically that pastors would not quench the spirit but examine everything carefully, holding fast to that which is good and abstaining from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:12-25).
We are facing a new time in church history where even those protected by government laws are unable to gather. Just as the first church did, our pastors are having to lead people in uncharted waters holding fast only to what is true (the Gospel) and not on their training. Ask God to strengthen and assure our leaders as they rely on the Holy Spirit over their training. Ask for leaders’ hearts to be freshly tuned to hear God’s voice and follow His leadership.
Contend, or continue in prayer for your pastor to preach with an increased clarity, authority, anointing and emphasis on the Gospel and the cross.
People
As different churches take different approaches for re-opening, let us take a stand of grace, unity, honor and trust. Take some time here to repent, asking God to forgive you for judging the way others have handled guidelines or emotions during the pandemic. Ask God to lead you in forgiving others who may have overstepped or violated your boundaries (or opinions) during this time, or those who have stepped away because you violated theirs. Ask God for grace to abound in this season!
Ask God to awaken a deep reverence for Him throughout our city. Ask God for fear of the Lord to overtake Athens, that we may hate sin, love righteousness, be filled with compassion, live in security and intimacy with God (Exodus 20:20, Psalm 103:13, Proverbs 14:26, Psalm 25:14).
Ask God to stir in us a hunger and desire to be with Him; to seek first His Kingdom and believe fully that everything else will follow. Ask for interest to become hunger and hunger to become desperation, that God would release Himself in ways we desperately need Him.
Ready the Body for Greater Anointing
Thank God for His generosity (Proverbs 3:9-10, James 1:5&17). He is a giver of good (Luke 11:13) and perfect gifts (James 1:17). The Holy Spirit is a promised and needed gift!
After Saul encountered Jesus in Acts 9, he fasted, prayed, saw a vision, was healed, and was filled with the Holy Spirit. All of this was necessary for his testimony and ministry. Let’s ask God to open our hearts and eyes to any work He wants to do in us before He sends us into the works we are to walk in (Ephesians 2:10).
Ask God to pour out the anointing necessary for obedience and faithfulness throughout the Body, that every person of every age will experience the supernatural power of God as they walk in obedience and faithfulness to His Word and his gifts (Deuteronomy 5:33).
Ask God to reveal people with every spiritual gift and sphere of influence that every man may walk in greater maturity and unity mentoring and developing one another as the family of God increases (Ephesians 4:11-16).
Economic Recovery
Let’s ask God to restore what COVID has stolen in our city- that jobs, finances and industries would be provided to regain a healthy city. As we ask for increase, we must also ask God to guard us against greed, deceit, pride and empty prosperity. Let’s ask God to rebuild our economy in a way that honors God and opens doors that increase His Kingdom in Athens. Ask God to strengthen relationships between industries, heal wounds from competition, and satisfy the faint and refresh the weary in our local economy (Jeremiah 31:23-25).
Pray specifically for those who have suffered and struggled to pay bills and feed their families- ask that God would show Himself as a provider and as our ever present help in time of trouble (Psalm 46:1). Ask God to use what the enemy meant for evil to instill contentment, compassion, generosity, humility, and gratitude like we haven’t seen in our city.
Our Children
“But the Lord says, ‘The captives of warriors will be released, and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved. For I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children.’” Isaiah 49:25 (NLT)
“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ Luke 15:17-19 (NLT)
“He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” Malachi 4:6 (NIV)
As we are praying for God to prepare our hearts and homes for Him, let’s cry out for God to move among our children. Whether they are in the next room, or on the other side of the world, ask God to be stirring, shaking and revealing Himself to them!
His promise is to fight on behalf of those who love Him and He will save our children. Remind Him of this promise and ask Him to do it now. Ask God to reveal Himself to any prodigal children you may have, or know of. Ask Him to prepare them for what He is about to do. Cry out that they would not miss out on it!!! Ask God to cause things in their world to draw their attention to Him and to their home. Ask God to also move among the kids in homes right now where they are not loved and cherished but are abused and used. Ask God to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the children back to their fathers!
Also, pray that toddlers through teenagers would experience this outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and become vehicles of awakening in their circles! Ask God to prepare your kids and all the children you know to receive His blessing, and to become vessels for His glory!
Realize that your sin impacts your children, as has your parents (and their parents…) sin has impacted you! Confess your sin. Break the sinful patterns. Confess generational sin, things that have been passed on to you from your parents. Proclaim them broken off of your children!
Expectantly Waiting
Like a pregnant woman cannot rush the life promised within her, God will not rush revival. If it comes before its time it, will not be sustained. We do not know the day or the hour, but we do know that God is found when He is sought wholeheartedly. Ask God to grant us the grace to wait in faith (Psalm 46:10, Luke 18:1,7-8, 2 Peter 3:9).
“When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8
Thanksgiving
As you wrap up your time, please be sure to thank God for hearing and answering your prayers with awesome deeds (Psalm 65:5 NLT). Feel free to continue to pray these topics throughout this new season! Thank you for investing in prayer at such a time as this! It really does make a difference! Thank Him for what He is going to do on Pentecost and beyond in this new era! As you step into Pentecost be listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Be expectant and obedient!!!
