Tuesday - Don't Lose Heart (Hope)

Welcome to Daily Prayer. This week, our prayers focus on hope. Because of who God is and because He has promised to never leave us, our hope has a secure foundation. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13)

Let us quiet our hearts and minds before the Lord.

Father, today we give everyone and everything to You.

A Scripture reading from Ephesians 6:11–12:

"Now put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness."

A word of encouragement:

Yesterday, we remembered that God has conquered and possesses all authority. Today, we are remembering that we still have an enemy who schemes against us. The enemy cannot remove God from His throne, so he attempts to remove hope from our hearts. He uses shame to attack our identity, bitterness to attack our love, heaviness to attack our faith, and grief to attack our hope. The enemy wants shame to tell you who you are. He wants bitterness to close your heart to love and forgiveness. He wants heaviness to convince you that the outcome of your life is dependent on you. And he tries to exploit grief until sorrow becomes hopelessness. But when we recognize the scheme, we can resist the lie and return to the truth.

A prayer of confession:

Father, I confess that I have sometimes allowed lies to enter in my heart. I have accepted the shame. I've let my worst moments define me. I've held on to bitterness because releasing an offense felt like surrendering justice. I have allowed heaviness to convince me that my problems are too big, and the losses I have encountered in life have opened the door to doubt and hopelessness. Lord, forgive me for agreeing with lies that contradict what You have spoken. Expose every false belief hiding within my heart. Bring it into the light, and help me repent of every agreement I have made with shame, bitterness, unbelief, and hopelessness.

A prayer of petition:

Holy Spirit, defend the places within me that the enemy has attempted to attack. When shame attacks my identity, remind me that I am forgiven, adopted, and made new in Christ. When bitterness attacks my love, give me the strength to forgive and surrender judgment to You. When heaviness attacks my faith, help me continue trusting even when I cannot see evidence of change. When grief attacks my hope, remind me that loss does not have the final word. Give me discernment, Lord, to recognize the enemy's schemes, and courage to resist them. Renew my mind, guard my heart, and lead me back into the freedom of truth.

A prayer of trust:

Jesus, I trust that Your truth is stronger than every lie spoken against me. I trust that Your grace is greater than my sin. Your love is greater than wrong done to me. Your strength is greater than the weight I carry, and Your resurrection is greater than every loss I have endured. I do not have to defend my identity because it is secure in You. I do not have to withhold forgiveness because justice belongs to You. I do not have to carry every burden because You are the Provider. I do not have to try to rewrite my story because You are the Author of my life. I trust You, and my hope is in You.

During these last few moments, ask the Holy Spirit to bring one specific lie to your attention. Do not argue with it or analyze it endlessly. Bring it into the light, and replace it with the truth of Scripture.

Prayers by Kate and Drew Krenkle. Written by Brad Bowen