GOODMORNING!1

– A Prayer of Surrender Prayer of Suffering –
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, than I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:9–10

Prayer of Suffering — Help for the Battle Weary
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I do not know this morning what it is You have prepared for my day. I approach You recognizing this is the way You have designed it, and so in faith I submit to Your authority. There is rarely a day that goes by, my King, when I do not find myself being challenged. Sometimes it is my own weaknesses showing — other times it is brought on by the stings and arrows of the enemy and his evil corps. Sometimes I find myself under attack — even from those who love and care for me — and sometimes I am questioned and challenged by brothers and sisters who journey alongside of me.

I admit this morning that I do not understand these challenges to my faith, but I am confident that Your grace is sufficient for my need. I know I will probably spend the remainder of my days under attack — as I am on the front lines of battle. Even though these challenges sometimes hurt, and even though they are often challenging, I know from Your Word and from my own experience that I can meet these challenges head on and emerge victorious over time because of Your great grace.

You have had me examining my life very closely this last decade of my life. I have succeeded and I have failed many of the challenges along the way. Results have sometimes been very sloppy, and oftentimes it was very hard to see Your purposes in these challenges. One thing however is clear, Jesus, I have emerged bruised and battered — stronger for the fight and more determined than ever to persevere. You have granted me Your grace over and over again to the place where I cannot possibly doubt, that only by that grace have I emerged from the heat of the battle — and yet survived one more day.

By no measure can I say I even fully understand Your reasons. I still do not know why I have this thorn in my flesh except to realize that it has kept me humble and made me more dependent on You — which I see is clearly Your will. Today I have gown bold enough to ask You to share Your vision with me. I have but one goal — and that is to be more like You every day of my life. Even though I fail and make mistakes, I have become an overcomer. You have patched me up and put me back on my watchtower time and again. You have allowed me to have a vision beyond my earthly abilities, and You have permitted me to sit, listen, and learn from the Master Himself.

Many who are reading and praying this prayer are struggling as I do, Lord. Many of my brothers and sisters are under attack as I am, and many more have fallen and given up. I love Your Body, my King, and my warrior heart screams out — no more — not on my watch. You provide Your Holy Spirit and His wisdom and knowledge to be my daily guide. You bring me soldiers of the Cross to fight with, and you shower me with grace. Your provisions are at hand all the time.

Help me to restore and reconcile those broken and battered souls who have fallen. Help me to help them realize that their fall is not the end — but the beginning — if they will turn it over to You and get on their knees seeking forgiveness. Help me to know how You want to use this battle weary group — and grant me a vision beyond my earthly abilities to see into the kingdom of heaven and pull down the nutrients and ingredients I will need to fight.

I boldly claim my broken brothers and sisters for You, Jesus. I claim victory over their defeat. I claim power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit as our birth right so we can see with Your eyes, hear with Your ears, speak with Your voice, and think with Your mind. As a believer of Jesus Christ, I command that Satan leave and take his evil ones with him where he can never harm those for whom I pray again. I claim release for the captives, freedom for the slaves, and healing for the broken hearts.

I have no words that really express my love and gratitude for Your Word and for Your Presence in my life. I do however, bow my head in praise and thanksgiving — accepting Your sovereign right to be the ruler of our lives. To You be all the honor and glory.

Prayer of Suffering — Making it Personal
Reflect: No matter what our struggles — no matter how bruised and battered we are — there is nothing but victory for us as believers — as Christ has already paid the price for our eternity. We may struggle and fall — we may often blow it really big — but God has provided His Son and given us His forgiveness and His grace as our birthright. If you are discouraged, feeling like giving up, I encourage you to accept His grace — to seek His forgiveness — receive His mercy — and get on with it. The times we live in are difficult and challenging — but His Provisions are real and His mercies are new every new day. Do not let Satan hold You back from accomplishing what God has for you. It’s worth every hurt you have suffered. Remember, He has prepared a mansion for you as His child — and His grace is sufficient for your every need.

A     Thought

Remember this: Persecution is not the manifestation of another person’s hate for you. It’s a manifestation of Satan’s fear of you. When you get into the Word and start swinging it around–using it like the sword of the Spirit it is–he gets scared. So he looks for some person he can send in there to stop you. Next time someone hurts you, don’t let yourself get sidetracked into fighting them. Bind the spirit behind them. Put flesh and blood battles behind and war with the weapons of the Spirit. Zero in on Satan with authority and the Word of God and bring your real enemy down!

Someone posted this on my wall lastnight