Day 1

I meet every Monday with one or two women to pray for the women who attend WBS, our leadership, the teachers, and any prayer requests that have come to our attention. Then we are quiet and wait to hear back from God and wait for His direction. I love this time of prayer and look forward to it each week. If you have heard me share a little of my journey to know Christ, you may have heard me share how afraid I was to pray out loud with groups of people. I was intimidated by those who prayed so beautifully and always seemed to know the right words. I was afraid I would stumble over my words or maybe I wouldn't do it "right." My own prayer life has changed a lot over the years and I hope through our 30 days together we will each grow in our relationship with Christ, we will experience the intimacy of prayer with our Savior and we will wait with great expectation to see His answers. Andrew Murray, author of The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer says, "As simple as breathing is in the healthy physical life, so should praying be in the Christian life that is led and filled by the Spirit of God." A prayer life which is led and filled by the Spirit of God is much like our faith, it is a process. Over the next 30 days I will use Murray's book to walk us through the process of studying Scripture and practicing prayer. Murray tells us how to pray and what to pray, and gives us an opportunity to journal our own prayers and the answers to those prayers. So grab a journal, or a spiral binder, put today's date in it and join me for the next 30 days as we seek to know God better through the language of prayer.

Day One
What to Pray: For the Power of the Holy Spirit

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being" (Ephesians 3:16). "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:4).
Pray for the fuller manifestation of the grace and energy of the blessed Spirit of God in the removal of all that is contrary to God's revealed will, so that we might not grieve the Holy Spirit but that He may work in greater power in the church for the exaltation of Christ and the blessing of souls.
God has one promise to and through His exalted Son. Our Lord has one gift to His church. The church has one need. All prayer unites in one petition: for the power of the Holy Spirit. Make it your one prayer.

How to Pray: As a Child Asks a Father

"Which of you fathers, if your sons asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:11-13 )
Ask as simply and trustfully as a child asks for bread. You can do this because God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your heart, crying, "Abba, Father." This Spirit is in you to give you childlike confidence. Believing that He is praying in you, ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to be with you everywhere. Mention particular places or groups where you especially desire His power to manifest.

Your own Prayer Requests
Choose One:
~Areas we may want to ask for His power to be present includes our
homes as we train up our children
~If we are single (or married), pray to be a good steward of our time,
balanced between business, pleasure, and accomplishing the necessary tasks
that God has for us for that day
~An opportunity to be Jesus to our neighbors, friends and family this week
Ask for a specific opportunity to a specific neighbor, friend or family
~Ask God specifically for His power to be ever present in your life