Tuesday - Pray Like This

Welcome to Daily Prayer. We are in the midst of an 8-week series called PRAY LIKE THIS, where we are journeying through the Lord’s Prayer and believing for Jesus to help us grow in the intimacy of prayer. This week, our focus is on the phrase, “Thy kingdom come,” and today, we will examine the priority of repentance.

We are using a simple acrostic P R A Y, so we will:

Pause and praise

Rejoice and reflect on the scripture

Acknowledge our need and Ask for His help and finally

Yield and say Yes to His ways

As we begin our time together, let’s PAUSE and be still before the Lord, recognizing that He alone is God. We are not. He is worthy of our complete surrender. You may want to consider a posture of open hands before the Lord. Lord, I exalt you over my life, my family, my circumstances and over all that is happening in our world today. This day belongs to you, and I gladly submit myself to you that I may be used for your kingdom purpose.

I choose to REJOICE in the goodness of our King joining in with the words of Psalm 145:

The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. (Psalm 145:8-13a)

A Scripture Reading from Matthew 4:13-17

And leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum… This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned.” From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As Jesus, the true King and the Light of the world, begins his earthly ministry, he calls those who have lived under the dominion of darkness to repent and to recognize that a new kingdom has arrived. This kingdom looks nothing like the earthly rulership they have experienced or the darkness their souls have endured. This kingdom, however, requires a change of allegiance. Repent. Turn away from your ways of self-reliance and every sinful strategy you have attempted to make life work. Turn back to the God who created you to know Him and loved you so much that He would die in your place to restore you. Allow Him to be King of your life. Wherever His rule is acknowledged, wherever the King is, there is the Kingdom! Every yielded heart and surrendered life represent a kingdom outpost.

I ACKNOWLEDGE the many ways I continue to rule my life, choosing my way over yours repeatedly. I like to be in control. Fear and anxiety rise up when things don’t go the way I desire. Judgement seeps in when people don’t operate in ways I think they should. Unforgiveness holds me captive when I am wounded or offended. I choose to repent today. I renounce every door I have opened back up to the kingdom of darkness. I turn away from trying to meet my needs and return to the sweet embrace of forgiveness and restoration found in my Savior King.  

I ASK for you to rule and reign in my heart. Cause the ways of your kingdom – your mercy, your unfailing love, grace and forgiveness to be demonstrated through my life and our church body this day.

As we read a portion of the Scripture again, ask the Holy Spirit to highlight a word or phrase that speaks personally to you in your context today.

A Scripture reading from Matthew 4:16-17

The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned.” From that time, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

I YIELD to the transforming power of your light within me. Expose any remaining areas of darkness so that your kingdom life may be manifest in me and that others may experience your kingdom through me. I say YES to Jesus, my King, ruling in my heart and to your kingdom coming fully in my midst!

Let’s close by praying the Lord’s Prayer together:

“Our Father in heaven, 

hallowed be your name, 

your kingdom come, 

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen