Prayer for vision

“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise” – (Psalm 96:1-4).

Dear intercessors,

We are in a time of incredible change all over the earth. God is up to something big, and in the midst of it all we need a greater vision of Who He is. He wants to bring us into a new perspective—out of confusion, fear, loneliness, hopelessness and all the negatives that may threaten us during seasons of change.

A few years ago my husband and I were staying for a few days in a beautiful home hidden out in the country on a water inlet in eastern Virginia. One breathtaking evening we took a telescope and walked out on the dock overlooking the water. He then carefully positioned the telescope so that it squarely faced the moon. I looked through it and was absolutely fascinated when I saw the moon with my own eyes. I could see the craters on the face of the moon so clearly. We were both quite impressed, and I thought to myself:

“God is so big! He is so much greater than any of us give Him credit for. Here I am looking with amazement at the craters on the moon, but just think about the entire universe and how He is so much greater yet. He is mighty and beyond all comprehension.”

God wants to give us a greater vision of Himself in the midst of the changes we are facing personally. He wants to breath His life into us. We need the breath of God to blow on our lives because people all around us are looking for life. There is so much sickness and death in this world. God wants to transform us as He brings revelation to our heart and as we pray, think, and talk about His greatness.

The Bible is our manual to help us to get through difficulty times. In fact, the book of Revelation is our prayer manual for the end-times. God wants to change us through praying, reading, and speaking His Word. He wants to bring us to a new place in order that we might bring others higher. God wants to breathe in our life so that we can breathe His life into others until it overflows. John 10:10 in the Amplified Bible says:

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”


We must adjust to something higher and bigger than we ever dreamed possible. God is preparing us right now for a worldwide harvest. He is training us through struggle. He is in the process of positioning us for an end-times revival. It is time for the Church to come to life and get a greater vision of God. He has a dream for each one of personally and for His church corporately. He wants to breathe life into impossible dreams. He is the God of the supernatural and the impossible.

Heaven is struck with the majesty of God. There is glory available for the Church. So few have grabbed hold of the fullness available to us. The problem is that we get so caught up in our problems down here on earth that we miss out on what heaven is all about. The thief has destroyed and stolen what is ours. Many of us have lost the power to be astonished. We can be so astonished by the moon, but what about heaven?

It is time for intercessors to arise. We must understand the supremacy, sovereignty, and glory of God. We must have a greater vision of God in this hour. We must live the dream that is Gods and let it come to life. Warfare is not about taking on the enemy but releasing the majesty of God wherever we go. It is time to release the good news on earth through the avenues God has given each one of us personally. We’re made for heaven and for living heaven here on earth.  We need to sing, dance, and proclaim the glory of God.

A Prayer for a Greater Vision of God

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker” – (Psalm 95:1-6). 

The following is a prayer for a greater vision of God in your own life. Pray it often and ask God to make you one who helps others to see His greatness.

Lord, I praise you for inviting me into your eternal purpose. I thank you that you are working out everything in conformity with the purpose of your will (Ephesians 1:11). You are the master strategist. Give me a greater vision of your purpose for my life. Awaken my heart and establish your reign in my life. Out of Your glorious riches strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being and give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation that I may know you better (Ephesians 3:16-17). Make me fully alive to your destiny in my life.

I pray that you will give me a greater vision of who you are. I acknowledge my dependence on you and thank You that impossibilities in my life give you freedom to work. Your mighty power is shown through my weakness. Your are positioning me for your end-time harvest. You breathe your life into my impossibilities. Help me to walk in a new level of trust in You. You have plans to prosper me and to give me hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). You promise me an abundant life (John 10:10). Help me to understand Your supremacy, Your sovereignty, and Your glory. Help me to align with You and make Your presence the central theme of my life. “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty—Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is mighty” (Psalm 93:1-4). In Jesus name, amen.

Watch the following videos and meditate on the greatness of God.  Let’s learn to declare the glory of the risen Lord everywhere we go.

God Declares His Glory

The Awe Factor of God

“Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns.’ The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy” (Psalm 96:9-12).

Together in the Harvest,

Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer Kansas City (IHOPKC)
[email protected]
www.intercessorsarise.org

www.crosswalk.com

Family Prayer

Prayer Points for the Family These prayer points have been created by the Prayer Relay Movement team, www.prayerrelay.com. For prayer requests, click the link.

First Prayer for Family

It is no secret; the sanctity of the Christian family is under threat. The danger of this is that when the family is destroyed, children are raised in brokenness. Outside of redemption, a broken child will become a broken adult. A broken adult will, in turn, raise his own broken children. The cycle continues to come back until it is broken.

The bible says “It is only the anointing that breaks the yoke.” Our prayer points for the family will direct you into the right places as you seek to release God’s anointing into all your affairs. God forbid that your family would be broken. Prayer for family is key to changing our homes. It is by prayer that we can begin to foster transformation. Let us enhance family prayer.

In the mighty name of Jesus, Lord we bless these prayer points. May your anointing be with all people who will make use of your word and these prayer points. May your presence be seeded into their homes, into their hearts and into all their affairs. We speak direction of the Holy Spirit as they pray.

Open their eyes and lead their mouths as they speak to you oh Lord. We bless your name, for heaven’s ear is open to our prayers and your hand is swift to our rescue. We need rescuing Oh Lord. We thank you Lord. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen

1. May your anointing be with all people who will make use of your word and these prayer points.
2. May your presence be seeded into their homes, into their hearts and into all their affairs.
3. We speak direction of the Holy Spirit as they pray. Open their eyes and lead their mouths as they speak to you oh Lord.

 

Dedication

Exodus 33:15

Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

Our prayer point in this moment is to ask the Lord to go with our family. We want to take time to dedicate our families into the Lord’s hands. We want to pray that his presence would go with them wherever they are. We want to speak a covering over each one of them. Name them, if you will. Father place a covering over my brothers, my sisters, my cousins, my parents and all in our sphere of influence. Raise us to be a people of prayer.

Joshua 24:15

And if it seems evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Father I dedicate my family to you. From this day on, we dissociate from all affiliations with anything that is contrary to your will. We break all evil affiliations from previous generations, we break altars erected to other gods in past generations from my maternal and from my paternal side. This is your family Lord! This generation going forward in Jesus’ name.

By the blood of Jesus, we break any covenants made in our bloodline, with any God but you. Father we stand against generational curses! We call our families blessed, in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen.

1. We want to pray that his presence would go with them wherever they are.
2. We want to speak a covering over each one of them. Name them, if you will. Father place a covering over my brothers, my sisters, my cousins, my parents and all in our sphere of influence.
3. From this day on, we dissociate from all affiliations with anything that is contrary to your will.
4. We break all evil affiliations from previous generations, we break altars erected to other gods in past generations from my maternal and from my paternal side.
5.  By the blood of Jesus, we break any covenants made in our bloodline, with any God but you.
6.  Father we stand against generational curses! We call our families blessed, in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen.

Prayer for Vision in my family

Proverbs 29:18

18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

The biggest threat for any family today is a lack of vision. The scripture above shows that where this is the case, the people perish. This is the reason more and more families are seen to be perishing today. God forbid that this would be the case for your family. We are believing God for an outpouring of vision into our homes today, in Jesus’ name.

Father we pray that you would release vision into our fathers, into our mothers and into the rest of the family. Pour vision into them for such a time of this. We come against all forms of stagnancy. We speak progression into all they do, in Jesus’ name.

1. Father we pray that you would release vision into our fathers, into our mothers and into the rest of the family. Pour vision into them for such a time of this.
2. We come against all forms of stagnancy. We speak progression into all they do, in Jesus’ name.

 

Prayer Point for family Leadership

Matthew 20:26

26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

Every new generations requires to be directed by those that have come before them. Even Jesus sat at the feet of Joseph, to learn carpentry. A crisis of leadership is another issue that our families are facing today. Without family prayer, we have no chance.

We want to pray for the Lord to raise new leaders within our families. May he raise sleeping giants who have been dosing off on their job, men and women who have not stepped up into leadership roles.

Wherever there is a void Lord, raise a man or woman to fill it. Father we pray that there may never be times where there are no leaders in our families. May wisdom flow from one generation to another, in Jesus’ name.

We thank you for all leaders in the family today, we pray for preservation in Jesus’ name. Satisfy them with long lives, that they may pass wisdom to the younger ones. Use them to raise and equip new generations of leaders to come behind them.

1. We want to pray for the Lord to raise new leaders within our families.
2. May he raise sleeping giants who have been dosing off on their job, men and women who have not stepped up into leadership roles.
3. Wherever there is a void Lord, raise a man or woman to fill it. Father we pray that there may never be times where there are no leaders in our families.
4. May wisdom flow from one generation to another, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer for Unity in my family

Bible verses about family unity

Psalm 133 

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!

2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

Where there is unity, God commands a blessing! It is such a simple principle. We believe that this is the reason many homes are devoid of God’s blessing, there is a lack of unity. Family members are pitting and plotting against one another. If only we would unite, for there, lays God’s blessing! Our prayer point for the family in this regard is that, God would bless us with unity.

Father we come up against every deep seeded root of bitterness in our hearts. Teach us to forgive and to forget as you have done for us. Lord we ask that you would help us to let go of all hurt and offence that has been inflicted on us by family members.

Help us to release the grudges and hatred that have been passed down from previous generations. As you have given us a clean slate by the blood of Christ, give us the grace to extend that same love to others.

Lord, bring us together, we come against all forms of division in our families in Jesus’ name. We expel all forms of discord and disunity, in Jesus’ name. Renew love that has been lost among us.

We cast away all forms of pride and arrogance that may stand in the way of peace and unity. Bless us, dear Lord! Unite us. Call back those that have long been estranged from us.

1. Father we come up against every deep seeded root of bitterness in our hearts.
2. Teach us to forgive and to forget as you have done for us.
3. Lord we ask that you would help us to let go of all hurt and offence that has been inflicted on us by family members.
4. Help us to release the grudges and hatred that have been passed down from previous generations.
5. As you have given us a clean slate by the blood of Christ, give us the grace to extend that same love to others.

Prayer for Health in my family

Exodus 23:25 

“But you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst.

Above all else, we desire that our families would be blessed with good health. If there isn’t good health, physical and spiritual, we will perish. God forbid that we would perish.

Our prayer point for the family today, is that of divine health. Dear Lord we ask that you would bless us with divine health. We come against all forms of sickness in Jesus’ name. We pray for healing in those that are with disease, in Jesus’ name. Where our spirits have become weary, revive us oh Lord! We pray for spiritual health, revive our prayer lives, revive our faith and all areas that have slumbered within us, in Jesus’ name.

1. Dear Lord we ask that you would bless us with divine health. We come against all forms of sickness in Jesus’ name.
2. We pray for healing in those that are with disease, in Jesus’ name.
3. Where our spirits have become weary, revive us oh Lord!
4. We pray for spiritual health, revive our prayer lives, revive our faith and all areas that have slumbered within us, in Jesus’ name.

Prayer for the Children in my family

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

In any family, Our children are our heritage; they are the essence of our futures and the homes that we build. It is God’s will that we would protect these people while they are yet vulnerable. We are to be their anchors as they make their way through the world’s troubled waters. We are to train them into the way that they are to go.

Our prayer for the family in this regard is that the Lord would equip all parents, even now as we pray, to raise children the way that you would want them raised, oh Lord. We come against all forms of earthly wisdom, wisdom that is sensual and demonic. Give parents divine wisdom to raise their children your way, oh Lord!

Father we pray for the children, we come against any hindrance, anything that would stand in the way of them coming to you!

Matthew 18:4

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Father we pray that you would preserve our children, preserve their faith, maintain their purity in an impure world. We come against all snares of the enemy set to trap them. Surround them with good leadership and counsel. We thank you for blessing them with supportive friends, in Jesus’ name. Amen

1. Lord would equip all parents, even now as we pray, to raise children the way that you would want them raised, oh Lord.
2. We come against all forms of earthly wisdom, wisdom that is sensual and demonic.
3. Give parents divine wisdom to raise their children your way, oh Lord!
4. Father we pray for the children, we come against any hindrance, anything that would stand in the way of them coming to you!
5. Father we pray that you would preserve our children, preserve their faith, maintain their purity in an impure world.
6. We come against all snares of the enemy set to trap them. Surround them with good leadership and counsel. We thank you for blessing them with supportive friends, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Prayer for my Parents

Proverbs 22:6

Train up a child in the way he should go;
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Parents are the bedrock of any family. There is no clear game plan for parents to follow when raising our children. As you already know there are many methods and paths that we will take while trying to get to the same destination. Unfortunately, a lot will fail to get there. We see this in our prisons, in our day to day interactions with children from all walks of life. There is a crisis that ought to be remedied.

Our prayer points for the family in this regard will begin with praying for mothers. Lord we bring mothers into your hands right now, we pray that you would give them strength to endure day to day challenges. May your strength be made perfect in their weaknesses.

Father we pray that as the world continues to evolve, you would prepare them to be relevant and geared mothers for such a time as this. May they never feel inadequate. Teach them to lean on you, and never on their own understanding. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our next prayer point for the family will be focusing on the fathers. Lord we pray that you would raise up fathers in this fatherless generation. May their hearts be called back to their children.

Raise more and more men to stand in the gap left by absent fathers! We pray for wisdom for the fathers as they lead, and humility that they may be led by you in all that they do.  In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray.

Prayer for my Grandparents

Any time you look through scripture, you will note the role that older generations would play in equipping and setting up the next generation for success. They were men and women of prayer, as well as wisdom. Our prayer points for the family here are that God would raise more and more of such grandparents. May God raise mighty grandparents in your family.

Dear Lord we ask that you would equip the elderly generation, give them boldness to speak into the lives of the younger ones. Give them the wisdom to do it right. Father we speak against the feeling of inadequacy or irrelevance. Give them platforms to speak, and ears to listen. In the name of Jesus. Amen

Father we pray for preservation of their mental health. We come against diseases of the elderly, preserve them in Jesus’ name. We come against Alzheimers and dementia, give them sound minds in Jesus’ name.

We pray for companionship as they grow older. In Jesus’ name, we stand against loneliness. Give them peace and joy, all the days of their lives.

1. Dear Lord we ask that you would equip the elderly generation, give them boldness to speak into the lives of the younger ones.
2. Give them the wisdom to do it right. Father we speak against the feeling of inadequacy or irrelevance.
3. Give them platforms to speak, and ears to listen. In the name of Jesus. Amen
4. Father we pray for preservation of their mental health. We come against diseases of the elderly, preserve them in Jesus’ name. We come against Alzheimers and dementia, give them sound minds in Jesus’ name.
5. We pray for companionship as they grow older. In Jesus’ name, we stand against loneliness. Give them peace and joy, all the days of their lives.

Prayer Point for Family Finance

Philipians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Financial issues are the cause of the bulk of strife that families encounter. One family member not helping another financially. Another family member wanting what the other one has.

Yet another family member thinking the other got something they didn’t deserve. The most common one within the immediate family is strife that comes from a family struggling together month to month. There is bound to be friction. Increased friction leads to family members not talking. God forbid that your would become a family that only meets for funerals.

God’s promise is that he will meet all our needs. Our prayer point for the family finances are those of gratitude, for we know God is bound by his word. Whatever he says is, is. These are our prayers for family.

1. Father we thank you for meeting our family’s needs month to month. We thank you for we have no lack.
2. Lord we speak a blessing over all family members, extended family and all. Meet their needs in this season. We declare that their tables will never be without food, they will have a room over their heads and peace in their hearts.
3. We come against the spirit of the devourer in our family. Whatever we have sown, we will reap and enjoy.
4. We pray for wisdom to be good stewards in our finances.
5. We come against arrogance and greed in our hearts. Bless us to be a blessing to all around us.

PRAYER RELAY MOVEMENT

Our team’s goal is to continue to develop prayer aids that will continue to raise, enrich and to empower prayer warriors across the world. We are always looking to partner with ministries and individuals to achieve this goal. Get in touch with us: Prayer Request. We are praying for you and your family.

We also take prayer requests through our website, www.prayerrelay.com , be sure to make use of that. There are a few more resources on there for you.

Originally posted 2017-08-01 22:25:07.

www.prayerrelay.com

This is a prayer for revelation of hidden things. Do you ever feel like you are on the brink of something but you are not quite sure where you are in the process? You know that something is about the manifest but you’re not quite sure when, or even where?

The enemy wants nothing more than for you to miss it. He wants to keep everything hidden so you are stumbling around in darkness. He doesn’t want you to ever come to revelation of who you are and what is available to you in Christ. The enemy can sometimes put road blocks or obstacles in our paths to trip us up or cause us to give up in frustration right before our breakthrough happens.

God also hides things from us as well. If you think about it, there is no way God will show us every little detail of our lives from start to finish. We probably wouldn’t be able to handle it if He were to show us everything all at once.

God wants to show us where we are in our process today and what steps we need to take to get us to our next place and fulfill our destiny and purpose.

Here are some bible verses about revelation of hidden things.

Luke 8:17 (NKJV) “For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.”

Daniel 2:22 (NKJV) “He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him.”

John 15:15 (NIV) “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. ‘

Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.”

1 Corinthians 2:9-10(NIV) “However, as it is written:“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard,and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”

Ephesians 1:9 (NIV) “He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,”

Proverbs 4:18 “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”
We can see from these scriptures that God does want us to know His will. He wants us to know the way He wants us to know how to get where we need to be. How do we find out these hidden things? We ask Him.

The Prayer for Revelation of hidden things will be based on Jeremiah 33:3.

The best time to pray this is at night before you go to bed. During this process God will speak to you when your mind is calm and your spirit is at rest. So you want to get in bed and meditate on this scripture and then pray this prayer. Be assured that you will have dreams, see visions or God Himself will talk to you and let you know.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV)‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Jeremiah 33:3 (MSG) ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’

Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus and ask that you reveal to me where I am in the process of _______(state what it is you need to know about specifically)________. Please reveal to me if the enemy has set up obstacles to stop me from receiving this. Show me strategies to overcome the obstacles of the enemy. Make it clear to me what is holding this back in the spirit realm. Make my path shine as bright as the morning sun. Your word says that I should call to you and you would show me great and mighty things which I do not know. I’m calling out to You now God and I am asking for divine revelation. I trust You and I trust Your word. I know that you are going to give me revelation on ________. Where am I in this process Lord? What is my next step? What do I need to do to move this forward? Thank you for answering me. Thank you for allowing me access to your throne room. I praise you Jehovah Rohi because you know all and you see all. My entire life and destiny is in Your hands and I know you can bring it all to pass, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Here are some other prayers for you:

Bible Verses About Faith

www.missionariesofprayer.org

We will always reach points in our life where we feel stuck and need to change. I moved out when I was seventeen. I have 9 brothers and sisters. We shared everything … rooms, bathrooms, hand me down clothes, toys, you name it. I wanted to have some space of my own. So I saved up my money (I’ve been working since I was 14) and moved out to a two bedroom apartment.

It was definitely a fixer-upper; I refinished the floors, painted, and fumigated – yes, there were roaches. But it was my own space. I didn’t know if I could make it on my own, but I went ahead and did it. I didn’t know the dangers, the responsibility, or see my need to still emotionally rely on my family. But that’s what innovation is.

Innovation is defined as:

• a new idea, device, or method
• The act or process of introducing new ideas, devices, or methods
• Taking a known entity and then redefining its use, process, or engineering
• creativity

We usually feel the need to innovate when we hit an immovable obstacle in our lives. I have had to innovate many different times in my life, and it is in these moments I learned to believe in prayer.

Here are my directions: Pray much for others​; plead ​for God’s mercy upon them; give thanks​ for all he is going to do for them.2 Pray in this way ​for kings and all others who are in authority over us, or are in places of high responsibility, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:1­2 TLB

When we slow down and think about God, our obstacles become stepping stones for innovation. God is an innovator. He created the world when it was black and formless. He gave meaning and purpose behind each creation. He gave abilities to adapt situations, deconstruct complex problems and construct solutions that have benefited billions.

Our challenge is we often spend too much time stuck or thinking about ourselves and our problems and not enough time capturing a vision from God the innovator.

Innovation Comes From Prayer

When the Lord God saw the extent of human wickedness, and that the trend and direction of men’s lives were only towards evil, ​6 ​he was sorry he had made them. ​It broke his heart​. he said, “I will blot out from the face of the earth all mankind that I created. Yes, and the animals too, and the reptiles and the birds. For I am sorry I made them.”8 ​But Noah was a pleasure to the Lord.

Genesis 6:5­-8 TLB

The first step in innovating is identifying our obstacles. Spiritually, this scripture says our obstacle is that the natural direction of our lives is toward evil and­ away from God. We can even take good things and use them for sin. For example relationships that should be encouraging can become about using each other, and talents we’ve been given can become what we use for selfish gain instead of making the world a better place.

The Bible says this breaks God’s heart. At this point humans on earth had become so incredibly filled with evil and depravity God needed to start over. But Noah brought him joy. So God faced the obstacle and called Noah to innovate.

So God said to Noah​, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 ​So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.

Genesis 6:13-­14 TLB

God told Noah to build an ark – a large boat – 450 feet long, 45 feet tall, 70 feet wide. Need a visual? Many modern naval engineers use the same ratio when designing naval ships.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family​. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

Hebrews 11:7 NIV

When Noah talked to God, God gave him a vision of innovation.­ That is what a real prayer is like!

The Bible says Noah worked “in holy fear” – meaning he was ­motivated and focused because of what he had to do. Sometimes in life your “want to” follows your “have to.” Innovation doesn’t always happen just because we want it to – sometimes it happens because we get to a place where we have no other option.

Noah went to work to save his family and­ it took him close to 100 years to complete the ark.  A wealthy dutch man did it with a full construction company – Noah did it with seven other people (including women and children).

In the past, these spirits were disobedient—when God patiently waited during the time of Noah. Noah built an ark ​in which a few (that is, eight) lives were rescued through water. Baptism is like that​. It saves you now — not because it removes dirt from your body but because it is the mark of a good conscience toward God​. Your salvation comes through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

1 Peter 3:20-­21 CEB

God’s same innovation is what gave us baptism. I believe God has been calling people to build (metaphorical) arks since the time of Noah. Baptism is an ark – an innovative solution that gets us close to God. God gave us the church as an ark. God gives us E-sports as an ark to save those of us who have special needs kids. He give us friendship and family as an ark to save us from loneliness. And he will give us more arks to help us with our specific situations if we will pray to him.

Five Innovative Prayers

There is a quote that says, “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” Prayer is like the constant pounding of water, time and time again ­until finally rock gives way. Prayer is the only way we can get the power and vision to innovate.

“Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.​” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him to strengthen him.44 Being full of pain, Jesus prayed even harder. ​His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Luke 22:42­-44 NCV

Vision is not about what could happen but what must happen. Just because God gives you the innovation, doesn’t mean it happens quickly.

Lazy people don’t pray. We tend to quit too easily and drift too fast from prayer; we will talk to a person longer about things than we will pray about them!

What innovative thing will God do through you to change the world? A heart? A family? A future? Finding the answers to those questions starts with 5 innovative prayers.

1.  Honest Prayers

During his life on earth, Jesus prayed to God, who could save him from death. He prayed and pleaded with loud crying and tears​, and he was heard because of his devotion to God.8 ​Although Jesus was the Son of God, he learned to be obedient through his sufferings.

​Hebrews 5:7­-8 AMP

We might pray through circumstances ­but not always with emotional honesty. Emotional honesty is when we reveal our inner thoughts and pain, when we are vulnerable and honest. This is how we learn about our true heart, desires and needs.

When you are devoted to God you release your emotions, saying “I can surrender myself to you.” All prayer depends on this kind of surrender.

What do you need to be emotionally honest about?

2. Humble Prayers

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 ​You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 ​And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong ​— you want only what will give you pleasure.

James 4:1­3 NLT

The passage doesn’t say you can’t have what you want, but you have to be honest about why you want it. In our pride ­we would often rather not ask to hide our motives, than be humble and receive.

It’s harder to be humble with God than people. When was the last time you told God you were sorry and lived out that apology with others? It’s easy to say sorry to people and not change what we believe or how we treat them.

If you’re stuck not helping more people, how much are you asking God? If your marriage is not changing, how much are you asking? If you want to own a house, how much are you asking? If you want to get out of debt, how much are you asking?

What do you need to be humble enough to ask God for?

3. Forgiving Prayers

Whenever you pray, forgive anything you have against anyone.​Then your Father in heaven will forgive your failures.”

Mark 11:25 GW

It’s hard to forgive when you won’t take responsibility for your own sin and its impact on others. But we will be burdened, alone and filled with distrust when we won’t forgive. We might even pray, but it won’t work because we want God to do something for us that we are not willing to do for others.

Forgiveness means saying “We can be close again, I will trust you again, I will be vulnerable with you again.”

If you are bitter, you don’t need someone to hear you out, you need to take responsibility for your part in the relationship. That’s the only way to get rid of bitterness.

Who do you need to forgive and restore your heart back for?

4. Determined Prayers

Ask and keep on asking ​and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking ​and you will find; knock and keep on knocking ​and the door will be opened to you​.8 For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-­8 AMP

There are things we have just stopped asking for. Have you ever felt things like:

• No one is going to give me anything
• I’ll take care of myself
• I don’t want to be owned by anyone
• I don’t feel like anyone has my back

These attitudes reflect self-reliance instead of faith and trust. God listens and cares about what we need.

What do you need that you have stopped asking for?

5. God-Centered Prayers

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God​, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 ​But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone​.

James 1:5­-6 NLT

… A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 ​A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything​.

James 1:7-8 GW

Do you think God says no more times than he says yes? ­ The Bible says the opposite – God is generous! We need to change our view of God ­if we don’t see him correctly. Generous means lavish, open­handed, abundant, plentiful, charitable, unselfish.

God may say no sometimes, but he isn’t saying don’t ask. We don’t know how God’s answers all work together with the billion other people who are asking for the same things we are – sometimes you just might have to wait a little bit.

But he does and he has said yes far more times than he has said no or not yet.

We all have our mountains and we need God’s help to move them. When you believe in what you pray for, you wait and search for God’s answer.

Prayers that are honest, humble, forgiving, determined and God centered ­change the world.

“I’m not praying only for them. I’m also praying for those who will believe in me through their message​.21 ​I pray that all of these people continue to have unity in the way that you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they may be united with us so that the world will believe that you have sent me.

John 17:20­-21 GW

Jesus’ prayers changed the world. Do yours? Pick one of the innovative prayers to work on this week.

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