Our nation has been in the midst of a long season of fear, violence, anger, indecision, confusion and distrust. Divisiveness has split communities, families and even churches.

How do we pray into such a mess? Here are some prayer points and scriptures to help navigate these turbulent waters. May the Scriptures and topics inform your prayers as you press into the Father, the One who has already “overcome the world!” Please feel free to copy and share these with others who will use them!

1. Pray for the Church to stand against the enemy’s attempt to use this season to damage and paralyze the Church:

• “But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted” (1 Peter 2:9-10).
• “And now you have become living building-stones for God’s use in building his house. What’s more, you are his holy priests; so come to him—you who are acceptable to him because of Jesus Christ—and offer to God those things that please him” (1 Peter 2:5).
• “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers,  but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Pray: Almighty God, wake up Your Church to stand firm in this moment! Help us to remember that through Your authority and in Your power, we can take our stand against the Devil’s attempts to do damage. We have Your strength and Your Spirit! Give us great courage to stand together in unity as communities, families and churches. May we be recognized as Your loving children, adorned in Your holiness. May we function as salt and light in order to be Your hands and feet in this hour!

2. Pray that God’s people will overcome anxiety with peace:

• “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
• “I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
• “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

Pray: Father, we ask you to help us overcome our anxiety with Your perfect peace! We ask You to give us strength and courage in this hour!

3. Pray for the end of fear across the nations of the earth:

• “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday” (Psalm 91:1-6).
• “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Pray: Most High God, we ask for Your divine hand of protection over Your people! In the Name of Jesus, we ask You to bring healing and courage into lives and hearts for the glory of Your Name. May people across the earth see You move so that there is no doubt about Your power and Your goodness! We may not understand all that is going on around us but we trust Your heart!

4. Pray for the Church to step into the gap to provide supernatural generosity and help for those who are in need:

• “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
• “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12).
• “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).
• “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11).
• “It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others” (Ephesians 2:10).

Pray: Lord Jesus, there are so many people in need of a touch from You right now. Help Your people to give peace to the anxious, to give kindness to those who are struggling, to find resources for those who are without, and to give comfort and encouragement to those who are sad or alone! May Your Church shine Your light into the desperate, anxious hearts and lives of those around us!

5. Pray for the Gospel to spread faster than the virus and for spiritual awakening to be poured out upon the earth:

• “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).
• “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).
• “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him” (Psalm 22:27).
• “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Pray: King of kings, You have commissioned Your people to go into all the world, from next door to across the earth. Technology is allowing people to spread the Gospel at an amazing rate! Father, would You open hearts and minds, would You remove the scales and blinders from eyes, and would You speak to people in dreams and visions in every nation, tribe and tongue on earth? We ask that Your creativity would continue to explode the message of Jesus Christ across the earth so that Your Name will be the name on everyone’s lips. You are able and You have the power to accomplish it through Your people! We trust You for an outpouring of Your Spirit unlike anything we have ever seen in our lifetimes! Father, we ask You to bring spiritual awakening to Your people and revival to the nations!

(c) Harvest Prayer Ministries

Does it seem to you that life is out of control right now? Many believers are worried and concerned as the Coronavirus ravages the earth. And yet, we have an All-Powerful Father who was not surprised in the least by this seemingly catastrophic event in world history.

The Corona Virus has sparked fear, stress, uncertainty, hoarding, greed, panic, hostility and more! All of these things are not God’s desire for His people. In fact, Jesus calls us to courage, peace, boldness, generosity, level-headedness and kindness! If the people of God begin to exhibit the characteristics of the world in this hour, our Enemy, Satan, will win a great victory! However, if those who are committed to being Christ-followers will stand firm and seek His face in this moment, God will receive great glory!

Let’s resolve to lean into greater faith, asking God to revive and awaken us, His people. How then, should we pray in the midst of this “unknown” evil that has overtaken our entire world? Let’s look to God’s Word to inform our prayers:

1. Pray that a repentant people would turn to God seeking Revival: “Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You “(Psalm 85:6)? John Avant of Life Action Ministries recently said, “…since this mighty God has invaded our hearts, since He inhabits our lives, we are not out of control. We live in His control. We are empowered with His purpose. We are a part of His plan.

BUT…we have departed from Him. I have and you have. We will feel out of control as long as we stay distant from Him, numb to His call to repent. We will continue to point fingers and fight among ourselves until we find ourselves more astonished by God than we are afraid of a disease or anxious to return to our past patterns. We will feel out of control until we give up our own control and humbly cry out in brokenness, “I am the problem!”

He continues, “If there is one thing above all else that is more important in these days (of dealing with Coronavirus) than washing our hands, it is to return to God and let him wash our hearts!”

Prayer: Father God, Creator of the Universe, we bow our hearts before You in repentance. We have tried to control our own circumstances and figure everything out in the midst of the unknown rather than placing our trust in You. Forgive us, Lord, and turn our hearts back towards Yours. May we relinquish control of this harsh reality we are currently living in and trust You to work in the midst of it so that all the world is astonished at Your power and goodness. Help us to emerge from our brokenness before You as holy and purified followers of Jesus, ready to return to active duty on the front lines of Your kingdom instead of trying to control it or figure it out. We bless You, Lord, and ask for Your mercy as we humble ourselves before You.

2. Pray for God’s people to resist the Devil and have the abundant life Jesus gives us so that others might have it too: We have an enemy who wants to destroy the people of God as well as take out those who have yet to put their faith in Jesus. In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” And, James 4:7 says, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” This is an exciting time for the Church to live up to the expectations and commands of Jesus Christ! Loving and serving others flows from intimacy with the Father. Abundant life results!

 Prayer: Lord Jesus, You came to this earth to give those who follow You life…and not just any kind of life – abundant life! Strengthen us to be the Church You have called us to be so that we might draw others into this amazing abundant life. Help us to stand firm with Your spiritual armor in place (Ephesians 6:10-18), having great faith so that we might extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). Help us to live extraordinary lives of service, compassion, and generosity so that those outside of Christ will want what we have more than they want their own selfish desires! 

3. Pray that God’s people will overcome fear and anxiety with peace: It is very easy to get overwhelmed and fearful in the midst of the unknown, but God’s word says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Prayer: Prince of Peace, You calmed waves and storms and people wherever You went. May we be carriers of Your peace even when we cannot comprehend the scope of this destructive virus that threatens the lives and livelihoods of many. Help us to spread peace and not fear wherever we find ourselves. Guard our hearts and minds so that our emotions and thoughts are tuned into You instead of the uncertainty that swirls around us. Help us to be overcomers who help others through this crisis rather than those who live in fear and do nothing but help ourselves. We want You to be made famous because of how we represent You, Lord Jesus. 

4. Pray for the Church to rise to the opportunities God is giving us to show compassion, creativity and unity that will show off the power of Jesus: During this uncertain season, people are looking for help from the government and from the medical community, but it seems the Church is perceived as a superfluous entity affected by the virus through having to close its physical doors to contain the spread of the disease. What if the Church became the shining light on the hill, a beacon of hope and transformation, the Living Gospel of Jesus to our neighborhoods and communities? If ever there was a time, this is it! Let’s ask God for the Church to do extraordinary things through our Extraordinary God!
   Prayer: Compassionate Christ, help Your Church not to shrink back from doing whatever she can to meet needs, to bring hope, to give encouragement, promote unity and creatively reach people with the Gospel! Give us courage and strength to do the extraordinary! Bring us into unity with one another across different faith traditions to help in whatever ways we can, coming alongside of our local, state and federal government officials, first responders, the medical community and social services to meet the needs of people in unprecedented ways! May all that we can do in our humanness be done in the power and strength of Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of the Father!  Prayer: Pray Jesus’ prayer that He prayed over us in John 17:21-26 TLB: “My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.“I have given them the glory you gave me—the glorious unity of being one, as we are— I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one—so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want them with me—these you’ve given me—so that they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me before the world began!“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them.” 

5. Ask God to protect the elderly and those in compromised health situations who are the most vulnerable to this virus: We all know people who fall into the high risk group for being susceptible to Covid-19. Maybe you are in that group and are concerned. If so, a powerful and encouraging passage of Scripture to pray over your life is Psalm 23: “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most. Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way. You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow! Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.”Let’s join together and ask God for protection of anyone of any age who is at risk. Ask Him to bring healing to those who are ill as well. Here is a good blessing to pray for those you know in this high risk group: “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well” (3 John 1:2).   Prayer:  Lord our God, You are good and filled with mercy. You are filled with compassion and love all You have made (Psalm 145). We ask You to remove sickness from our midst: “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” (Exodus 23:25). You love us beyond what we can imagine and have our best interests at heart. Please protect those who are elderly, have compromised immune systems, or have other health issues that put them at high risk for this disease. We ask for Your divine intervention and protection and that You will help healthy people to take great care to protect others and serve them.    

6. Come against depression for those who have lost jobs whose children are out of school, or who feel helpless or isolated: Being separated from loved ones and/or friends causes many people to struggle with feelings of being left alone and lost. Please consider how you can be an encourager and to pay attention to the situation of others who might be quarantined. For those whose work situations have changed, please be sensitive and creative. Consider hiring people who are out of work or find ways to support businesses that are working differently such as restaurants that are delivering food instead of serving food in a sit-down restaurant. Pray for parents of children who are out of school and may not be able to go to their jobs or get a good childcare situation. With the unknown comes uncertainty and fear. Ask God to use you to be an instrument He can use to be the hands and feet of Jesus for others.
   Prayer:  Father, thank You that we can cast all of our anxieties on You because You care for us (1 Peter 5:7). You know the plans You have for us…plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Thank You that You heal those who are brokenhearted and bind up their wounds (Psalm 147:3), whether physical, spiritual or emotional. When the righteous cry for help, You hear them and deliver them out of all their troubles. You are near to the brokenhearted and save the crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18). We are grateful that when those who labor come to you with heavy burdens, You will give them rest (Matthew 11:28). Lord, Your word says that You give families to those who are lonely and for that we are so thankful (Psalm 68:6). Please do this for those who feel that they have no one and feel depressed and alone. We pray for those families whose children are out of school for an uncertain amount of time. Provide for these families, Lord. Give them all that they need. Most of all, help us to remember that You have commanded us to “be strong and courageous” and not to tremble or be dismayed for You, the Lord our God are with us (Joshua 1:9). May the Gospel of Jesus be made famous in the midst of this virus. May the enemy be defeated and may the Church experience spiritual awakening that transforms individuals, families, businesses, schools, and our entire culture here in this nation and across the earth! In Jesus’ powerful Name, Amen!                                                                           ©2020, Harvest Prayer Ministries

If you wish to use this guide in its entirety, please use this acknowledgment: Praying the Word Over the Coronavirus by Harvest Prayer Ministries (harvestprayer.com).  Used by Permission.

If you wish to use part of this guide, please use this acknowledgment: Excerpted from Praying the Word Over the Coronavirus by Harvest Prayer Ministries (harvestprayer.com).  Used by Permission.

If you, or someone you know,  are in need of God’s peace today, this powerful devotional by David Butts can help! As believers we are supposed to walk in the peace of Christ, yet we all have stressful issues and circumstances that rob us of this peace. Subtitled “A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus,” Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God powerfully encourages the reader on how to hold onto that peace in any circumstance.

Click here to order!

Here are some scriptural ways to pray with confidence and effectiveness! Why not take one a week and practice each principle so that you can learn to apply it to your life of prayer?

1. Confess and break with all conscious and unconfessed sin so that your prayers are birthed out of righteousness and will accomplish much. Take time to confess before God and to meet with a trusted person or persons to confess to and ask for prayer: “God has no use for the prayers of the people who won’t listen to him… You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it;you find mercy by admitting and leaving them” (Proverbs 28:9, 13 MSG). “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16 NASB).

2. Remember that prayer is relationship with God: God is our Father and we are His children. He is the greatest Love we can ever know or try to comprehend. Come before Him as a loving parent who desires to spend time with you. If you haven’t experienced this kind of parental love, draw near and ask God to show you His great love for you. He has adopted you into His family. “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father” (Romans 8:15 NASB)!

3. Pray according to God’s will…not your own. “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14-15 NASB).  “Not my will, but Yours be done” –  an important lesson from the lips of Jesus, who wanted the cup of death to be taken from Him, yet was willing to endure the cross before Him because it was God’s will: “And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done’” (Luke 22:41-42 NASB).

In prayer, your job is to ask, and learning how to ask the things that line up with what God wants you to have. Many of us want what we want rather than wanting what God wants: “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way” (James 4:1-3 MSG).

Look for things in scripture that are on the heart of God and pray those things because you can always know they are His will! For example, God wants unity in the body, He wants all to be saved, He wants us to love one another, He wants us to pray for those in authority over us, and He wants us to pray that workers will be sent into the harvest field! Whenever you come across something that God clearly wants, pray! Looking for what God wants us to pray about even changes our desires as we pray. We learn to pray for want what He wants instead of what we want. Also, God has also told us He will give us what He knows we need: “Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8b).

4. Persevere in prayer: “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes. ‘There was a city judge,’he said, ‘a very godless man who had great contempt for everyone. A widow of that city came to him frequently to appeal for justice against a man who had harmed her. The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she got on his nerves. “‘I fear neither God nor man,’ he said to himself, ‘but this woman bothers me. I’m going to see that she gets justice, for she is wearing me out with her constant coming!’” Then the Lord said, “If even an evil judge can be worn down like that, don’t you think that God will surely give justice to his people who plead with him day and night? Yes! He will answer them quickly! But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying” (Luke 18:1-8 TLB)? Persevere in prayer with God!

5. Ask with right motives: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Examine your heart before you ask God. 

6. Pray with confidence: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). This scripture tells us that when you pray, you are entering the very throne room of heaven! The King is sitting on His throne ready to listen! That should give us all confidence! 

7. Resist the devil: “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The devil will do anything he can to keep you from prayer. Once you know this and are continually aware of it, you can resist his distractions and temptations! Don’t allow the devil to derail your prayer life! 

8. Allow God to work: “For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock” (Psalm 27:5). Trust that He is working on your behalf. When you worry and try to do things in your own strength, you are keeping God from doing what He desires to do. Allow the peace of His presence to overshadow your prayer life: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). 

9. Pray in Jesus’ Name “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14). This does not mean simply tacking a phrase on to the end of every prayer. It means recognizing that your prayers go through Jesus, who made it possible for you to have direct access to God. 

10. Pray in faith: “And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be grantedTherefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you” (Mark 11:22-24 NASB). It’s difficult to believe God for some things, but if we have faith to know He has our best interest in His heart, we can have great faith that He will move to accomplish that purpose…even when it may not be the answer we are hoping for in our flesh. 

11. Pray according to God’s promises: “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20 NASB). Be alert for promises you see in Scripture, and remind God of His promises as you pray. For example, God’s word says, “Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, ‘I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,’ we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me” (Hebrews 13:5-6 MSG)?

12. Don’t try to dictate to God: “This plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours! For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours” (Isaiah 55:8-9 TLB). And Proverbs 16:9 TLB says, “We should make plans—counting on God to direct us.”

13. Recognize that God is Almighty: The power and authority of God is way beyond anything we could ever hope to comprehend. Remind yourself that there is nothing too great or too small that He cannot accomplish. Embrace this prayer of Paul: “That is why, ever since I heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and of the love you have for Christians everywhere, I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for you. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share. I want you to realize that God has been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to him! I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven, far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader. Yes, his honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come” (Ephesians 1:15-21 TLB).

14. Pray with expectation: When we pray, we should always eagerly anticipate and expect God to answer. Sometimes His answers surprise us because they are different than what we think: “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3 NASB). 

15. Praise and thank God for answers: As God answers prayer, don’t forget to give Him thanks! “Shout with joy before the Lord, O earth! Obey him gladly; come before him, singing with joy. Try to realize what this means—the Lord is God! He made us—we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Go through his open gates with great thanksgiving; enter his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation” (Psalm 100 TLB). 

16. Obey God and live a holy life: “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:21-22 NASB). Of course, no one can live a perfectly holy life; however, God looks at our hearts and knows our thoughts. He is a good Father who desires to give good gifts to His children. As we live out lives of holiness, we will naturally begin to align our prayers more and more with God’s will and see more and more answers to prayer. 

17. Saturate your prayers in praise and worship: “Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his counselor and guide? And who could ever offer to the Lord enough to induce him to act? For everything from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore” (Romans 11:33-36 TLB). God desires our worship. To pray without giving Him praise and honor is to forget that He is the Almighty, who sits on the throne! 

18. Spend time waiting upon the Lord: If we rush into God’s presence with our prayer lists and then rush back out again, we are not honoring prayer as relationship with God. His presence should be so important that we can even forget what we wanted to pray about. It should always be enough to simply be in the presence of the Father, recognizing the One who sits on the throne before us as we make our requests. Consider being like King David, who said, “I’m asking God for one thing: to live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet” (Psalm 27:4 MSG). God has a promise for those who wait upon Him: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). 

19. Be honest with God in your prayers: God knows everything about you because He created you. Sometimes we are hurt, angry, depressed or defeated. We need to lay those feelings before Him. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts.Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24 TLB). 

20. Pray continually: “Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 TLB). When you have relationship with someone you want to spend time with them. Prayer is relationship with God. The more you spend time in prayer, the more you will want to grow in your prayer life…because it means being in the presence of the One you love and who loves you.

(c) 2020 Harvest Prayer Ministries

By David Butts

It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of activity as we push hard to advance the Kingdom of God on earth and manage our work lives, family lives, church responsibilities, etc.

If we use Jesus Christ as our example, as well we should, we see that His approach to advancing God’s agenda was first – to retreat. Retreating, not in the sense of acceptance of defeat; but rather, withdrawing from normal activity for a period in order to prepare for intense activity. Jesus began His ministry by withdrawing into the wilderness for 40 days of prayer and fasting. He continued that practice throughout His years of ministry. One verse that continually challenges us is found in Mark 1:35: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place to pray.”

Let me ask you a very serious question. If Jesus, the Lord of the Universe, needed to get away to a solitary place, away from distractions, to be able to pray, who are we to think that we don’t need it, or that our busy schedules don’t allow that “luxury”? It is precisely because we have busy schedules that we need that time of withdrawal.

Why retreat? Why not just a little extra prayer time at home? Is it necessary to go away to pray? Certainly we all pray in our homes, and that will remain the site of most of our praying. But Jesus saw the need to get out of the house (see Mark 1:35) and away from potential distractions. When I want to move into a time of extended prayer, I almost always need to get away – away from technology, day to day responsibilities, and especially from the clutter that pulls me away from prayer.

For some, retreat may simply mean an extended walk where prayer becomes the main focus. For most, however, retreat means finding a place, usually near nature, where current cares and worries can be laid aside and serious prayer taken up. Whether for a day or a week, a carefully planned out retreat can revitalize your spiritual, emotional, and even physical well-being.

Some may think of a retreat as only for crisis situations; a potential change in work or ministry…overload or burnout…marital and family problems…and the list could go on. A retreat can be heaven-sent during those times of crisis and decision-making, but that’s not its basic intent.

A prayer retreat ought to be a regular part of the Christian’s spiritual walk. The reason is the amazing opportunities it provides for drawing near to God. Drawing near is not just a command for the believer. It needs to be the overwhelming desire of our hearts. Yet, though we may desire to be close to our heavenly Father and to walk in greater intimacy with Him, often the pressure of daily activities prevents us from spending the time necessary to quiet ourselves before the Lord. Going away from distractions and to a place of peace is often the needed element to restorer and refresh us in our Christian lives.

There are many possibilities when you look for a place to get away with the Lord for an extended time of fellowship with Him and for prayer. You could choose a place prepared just for that purpose. God seems to be leading many people to prepare places to minister to those who are ready to retreat and experience God’s refreshing presence. Look around the area where you live, and you may just discover one of these special places for retreat.

However, not everyone can just drop everything and head to a beautiful piece of paradise somewhere out in the middle of nowhere. There are other possibilities. Several times I have gone to state parks and looked for secluded areas to spend time alone with God. Even tucking yourself away in a quiet corner of a hotel lobby is a good option if you can’t take a lot of time to travel somewhere. I have a friend who regularly goes to an abandoned farmhouse that he has received permission to stay at for his time alone. One day my wife and I went to the basement of a church to spend some extended time in prayer. It wasn’t a place of natural beauty, but it was quiet and private. Weather often dictates your location.

How to Evaluate Your Need for a Prayer Retreat

1. If you are feeling close to spiritual burn-out, you definitely need to spend some significant time seeking the Lord’s plan and purpose.
2. If you are in the throes of a major decision, you will need time to seek God instead of trying to decide within the context of the busyness of your work or ministry.
3. If you are beginning to feel stress in your work, and feel your schedule getting away from you, it is probably time to withdraw for some time alone in prayer before the situation gets worse.
4. If you have a deep need/desire to draw closer to God and the cares of life continually get in the way.

Many people, especially those in ministry, wait until they are badly damaged or extremely frustrated before taking a retreat. It is our hope that you will consider putting time for prayer retreat into your schedule and honoring it on a regular basis. This appointment should become more important than any other!

© Harvest Prayer Ministries, 2020