Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for opening your heart so fully and for carrying so many burdens before the Lord. Your love for others is evident in how you are interceding for protection and breakthrough, for those who are persecuted, for those who do not yet know Jesus, for peace in Israel, for people caught in war and disaster, and for abused children. God hears those prayers even when a request is deleted from a website or forgotten by others. Nothing you bring to Him in sincere faith is lost.
I want to pray with you for the many needs you named, and also to encourage you with some truths to hold onto as you wait on the Lord.
First, about conflict. We live in a world full of conflict between people groups, nations, families and even within churches, and you are feeling that weight in several relationships, at work, and in your church family. The most important thing to remember when conflict presses in is that the deepest battle is spiritual. The gospel is good news of peace because it first makes peace between us and God through Jesus. When we have peace with God, we can then find peace within ourselves and begin to pursue peace with others. Ask the Lord to show you where to stand firm in the Spirit rather than striving in the flesh, for in the spiritual realm Christ has already won the victory. Keep bringing each strained relationship to Him, asking Him to convict where conviction is needed, to heal soul wounds, and to restore what can be restored in a way that is true and holy.
Second, about healing. I join you in asking God for healing for those who are sick and hurting, for the young woman you mentioned who needs encouragement with school and exams, for those with deep inner wounds, and for all the others on your heart. The Scripture shows that Jesus bore our sicknesses as well as our sins, and Matthew applies the prophecy of Isaiah to physical healing as well as spiritual healing. God does heal, and every process of healing is from Him, whether it comes instantly, gradually, or through the natural processes He built into our bodies. At the same time we do not always understand why some are healed quickly and others are not. Paul prayed three times for his thorn in the flesh and the Lord chose not to remove it. To assume healing must happen in every case is not what the Bible teaches. What we can know with certainty is that the greatest miracle is the forgiveness of sins and new life in Christ. That is the healing that matters most and lasts forever. So we pray boldly for physical and emotional healing while trusting His wisdom, and we pray even more earnestly for salvation for those who do not yet know Him.
That leads to forgiveness. You confessed anger in how you spoke about someone, and you also mentioned speaking about another person to others. Thank you for your honesty. When we confess our sin to God, His forgiveness is complete. Human forgiveness often keeps a hold on the offense, but God does not. When He forgives, He cleanses fully and declares us justified through Jesus. There is only one provision God has made for forgiveness, and that is through His Son who endured the cross to provide a righteous basis for our pardon. If you have confessed to the Lord, you can receive His full forgiveness by faith and not let the enemy accuse you. Where you need to make things right with others, ask Him for humility and timing to do so. In the body of Christ there is always to be a place for forgiveness and for restoring fellowship when there is genuine repentance.
Regarding the relationships you are concerned about, I am praying with you for God's clear intervention. My prayer is not that God would bless any relationship that is outside His design, but that He would bring conviction where needed, bring healing where there are wounds, and lead each person toward purity, wisdom and salvation. Marriage is a lifelong covenant of one man and one woman, and sexual intimacy and living together belong within that covenant. Whatever is not of the Lord in these connections, I pray He will confront and bring into the light, and that He will be a Father to those who feel fatherless, guarding their hearts and guiding their steps. For those who are hurting, I pray God would heal the deeper wounds of the soul and mind, not only the outward circumstances.
I also join you in asking for wisdom and strength for your work, for your team and meetings, and for your place of service in the church. I pray God will give you grace to do your work in a way that pleases Him, and that He will lead and protect you and anoint what you do for Him. For the outreaches, services, sermons, prayer gatherings and other opportunities to share the hope of Christ, I pray for a genuine anointing and for His presence, not for show but for true ministry that brings repentance, encouragement and salvation to many. Pray that God would raise up more people who love to pray and who will stand faithfully.
You closed by praising God that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, and that the earth would be filled with His glory. Hold onto that. Keep bringing every name and every need to Jesus, trusting His power and His love. May He encourage you greatly, defeat the works of the enemy in your life, and fill you with His peace as you continue to seek Him.
Father, in the name of Jesus I bring this dear intercessor and all the people and situations laid before You. Grant protection and breakthrough, grant wisdom and encouragement, heal the sick, comfort the suffering, save the lost, bring peace where there is conflict, convict where there is sin, restore what is broken according to Your will, forgive as we confess, and anoint every effort to make Your name known. Do above all we can ask, for Your glory. Amen.
I want to pray with you for the many needs you named, and also to encourage you with some truths to hold onto as you wait on the Lord.
First, about conflict. We live in a world full of conflict between people groups, nations, families and even within churches, and you are feeling that weight in several relationships, at work, and in your church family. The most important thing to remember when conflict presses in is that the deepest battle is spiritual. The gospel is good news of peace because it first makes peace between us and God through Jesus. When we have peace with God, we can then find peace within ourselves and begin to pursue peace with others. Ask the Lord to show you where to stand firm in the Spirit rather than striving in the flesh, for in the spiritual realm Christ has already won the victory. Keep bringing each strained relationship to Him, asking Him to convict where conviction is needed, to heal soul wounds, and to restore what can be restored in a way that is true and holy.
Second, about healing. I join you in asking God for healing for those who are sick and hurting, for the young woman you mentioned who needs encouragement with school and exams, for those with deep inner wounds, and for all the others on your heart. The Scripture shows that Jesus bore our sicknesses as well as our sins, and Matthew applies the prophecy of Isaiah to physical healing as well as spiritual healing. God does heal, and every process of healing is from Him, whether it comes instantly, gradually, or through the natural processes He built into our bodies. At the same time we do not always understand why some are healed quickly and others are not. Paul prayed three times for his thorn in the flesh and the Lord chose not to remove it. To assume healing must happen in every case is not what the Bible teaches. What we can know with certainty is that the greatest miracle is the forgiveness of sins and new life in Christ. That is the healing that matters most and lasts forever. So we pray boldly for physical and emotional healing while trusting His wisdom, and we pray even more earnestly for salvation for those who do not yet know Him.
That leads to forgiveness. You confessed anger in how you spoke about someone, and you also mentioned speaking about another person to others. Thank you for your honesty. When we confess our sin to God, His forgiveness is complete. Human forgiveness often keeps a hold on the offense, but God does not. When He forgives, He cleanses fully and declares us justified through Jesus. There is only one provision God has made for forgiveness, and that is through His Son who endured the cross to provide a righteous basis for our pardon. If you have confessed to the Lord, you can receive His full forgiveness by faith and not let the enemy accuse you. Where you need to make things right with others, ask Him for humility and timing to do so. In the body of Christ there is always to be a place for forgiveness and for restoring fellowship when there is genuine repentance.
Regarding the relationships you are concerned about, I am praying with you for God's clear intervention. My prayer is not that God would bless any relationship that is outside His design, but that He would bring conviction where needed, bring healing where there are wounds, and lead each person toward purity, wisdom and salvation. Marriage is a lifelong covenant of one man and one woman, and sexual intimacy and living together belong within that covenant. Whatever is not of the Lord in these connections, I pray He will confront and bring into the light, and that He will be a Father to those who feel fatherless, guarding their hearts and guiding their steps. For those who are hurting, I pray God would heal the deeper wounds of the soul and mind, not only the outward circumstances.
I also join you in asking for wisdom and strength for your work, for your team and meetings, and for your place of service in the church. I pray God will give you grace to do your work in a way that pleases Him, and that He will lead and protect you and anoint what you do for Him. For the outreaches, services, sermons, prayer gatherings and other opportunities to share the hope of Christ, I pray for a genuine anointing and for His presence, not for show but for true ministry that brings repentance, encouragement and salvation to many. Pray that God would raise up more people who love to pray and who will stand faithfully.
You closed by praising God that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, and that the earth would be filled with His glory. Hold onto that. Keep bringing every name and every need to Jesus, trusting His power and His love. May He encourage you greatly, defeat the works of the enemy in your life, and fill you with His peace as you continue to seek Him.
Father, in the name of Jesus I bring this dear intercessor and all the people and situations laid before You. Grant protection and breakthrough, grant wisdom and encouragement, heal the sick, comfort the suffering, save the lost, bring peace where there is conflict, convict where there is sin, restore what is broken according to Your will, forgive as we confess, and anoint every effort to make Your name known. Do above all we can ask, for Your glory. Amen.
