What a beautiful and scripturally rich cry for intimacy with the Father! We join you in seeking this holy nearness, for as you’ve declared, *"But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord Yahweh my refuge"* (Psalm 73:28). Your heart echoes the longing of David, the fervor of the early church, and the very heartbeat of Christ Himself, who said, *"Abide in me, and I in you"* (John 15:4). We praise God that you are pursuing Him with such intentionality, for *"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you"* (James 4:8). This is not a passive promise but an active invitation—one that requires our wholehearted response.
Your request for a return to your *first love* (Revelation 2:4) is a holy conviction, and we urge you to examine whether any idols—even good things like ministry, work, or personal ambitions—have subtly taken precedence over your devotion to Christ. The church in Ephesus was commended for their labor and perseverance, yet rebuked for leaving their first love. Let us heed the call: *"Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the first works"* (Revelation 2:5). What were those "first works" for you? Was it unhurried time in the Word, worship without distraction, or a childlike trust in prayer? The Lord is calling you back to that place of undivided affection, where His presence is your greatest delight.
You’ve also asked for wisdom to *"take care of your own vineyard"* (Song of Solomon 1:6) and *"know well the condition of your flock"* (Proverbs 27:23). This is a mark of maturity—stewarding well what God has entrusted to you before seeking to shepherd others. Too often, we neglect our personal spiritual health while tending to the needs of those around us, but Jesus Himself withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16). We pray that you would be like the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31, who *"looks well to the ways of her household"* before extending her hands to the needy. May the Holy Spirit grant you discernment to prioritize your walk with God above all else, for *"if the root is holy, so are the branches"* (Romans 11:16).
As you navigate this season of job searching, decisions, and global unrest, we are reminded of Jesus’ words to His disciples: *"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while"* (Mark 6:31). The world’s chaos need not dictate your peace, for *"God is not a God of confusion but of peace"* (1 Corinthians 14:33). We pray for divine order in your schedule, that you would not be overwhelmed by the tyranny of the urgent but would walk in the *"simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ"* (2 Corinthians 11:3). Let the Holy Spirit be your guide, *"for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God"* (Romans 8:14). If you sense the Spirit prompting you to pause, to wait, or to redirect, obey swiftly—even if it defies logic. Remember how the angel of the Lord redirected Lot (Genesis 19:16) and Elijah (1 Kings 19:6-7), sparing them from harm. The same ministry of angels is available to you, for *"are they not all serving spirits, sent out to do good for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?"* (Hebrews 1:14).
We also lift up your desire for the *"Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him"* (Ephesians 1:17). In a world overflowing with information but starving for truth, may the Lord open the eyes of your heart to comprehend the *"width and length and height and depth"* of His love (Ephesians 3:18). Let your time in the Word be more than academic—let it be transformative, *"rightly dividing the word of truth"* (2 Timothy 2:15) so that it shapes your thoughts, words, and actions. And as you care for your physical body through exercise, may you do so as an act of worship, *"for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things"* (1 Timothy 4:8).
Your prayer for protection is a shield against the enemy’s schemes. We declare over you the promise that *"no evil will happen to you, neither will any plague come near your dwelling"* (Psalm 91:10), not because of your own strength, but because *"the One who is in you is greater than he who is in the world"* (1 John 4:4). The enemy may roar like a lion, but he is a defeated foe (1 Peter 5:8). We rebuke any assignment of the evil one against your mind, body, or spirit, and we ask the Lord to expose and dismantle every snare of temptation (Luke 11:4). May you walk in the assurance that *"the Lord will deliver you from every evil work and will preserve you for His heavenly Kingdom"* (2 Timothy 4:18).
Finally, we are struck by your declaration of faith: *"two-thirds is greater than one-third"* (Revelation 12:4). What a powerful reminder that the forces of heaven far outnumber the principalities of darkness! When Elisha’s servant saw the enemy’s armies surrounding them, the prophet prayed, *"Lord, please open his eyes that he may see."* And behold, *"the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha"* (2 Kings 6:17). May your spiritual eyes be opened to the heavenly host encamped around you, ready to minister on your behalf. Let this truth anchor you: *"If God is for us, who can be against us?"* (Romans 8:31).
Now, let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus, thanking You for the heart of Your servant who seeks Your face above all else. Lord, You have said that *"the upright will live in Your presence"* (Psalm 140:13), and so we ask for a season of unprecedented nearness to You. Strip away every distraction, every weight, and every sin that so easily entangles, that they may run with endurance the race set before them (Hebrews 12:1). Restore to them the joy of their salvation (Psalm 51:12) and the passion of their first love for You. Let them taste and see that You are good (Psalm 34:8), and may their soul be satisfied as with the richest of foods (Psalm 63:5).
Grant them wisdom to steward their own vineyard with excellence, that their personal walk with You would be a well-tended garden, yielding fruit in season (Psalm 1:3). As they seek to shepherd the flock under their care, may they do so *"not by constraint, but willingly; not for dishonest gain, but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock"* (1 Peter 5:2-3). Equip them with Your Word, that they may *"be ready in season and out of season"* (2 Timothy 4:2), and let their life be a living epistle, known and read by all (2 Corinthians 3:2).
In this season of transition and decision-making, we ask for Your divine order. Let them *"be still, and know that You are God"* (Psalm 46:10), even as they diligently seek Your will. Provide for their every need—financial, emotional, and spiritual—according to Your riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). Give them grace for the daily chores and pressing tasks, that they may *"learn to maintain good works to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful"* (Titus 3:14).
We plead the blood of Jesus over their mind, body, and spirit, that they would be *"kept from stumbling"* (Jude 1:24) and protected from the evil one (John 17:15). Send Your angels to encamp around them (Psalm 34:7), to guard them in all their ways (Psalm 91:11), and to minister to them as they walk in obedience to Your voice. If they begin to stray, send Your Holy Spirit to convict and correct, for *"your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way. Walk in it,’ when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left"* (Isaiah 30:21).
Father, we thank You that You are not a man that You should lie, nor the son of man that You should repent (Numbers 23:19). What You have promised, You are faithful to perform. We stand on Your Word, declaring that *"all the promises of God in Christ are ‘Yes’ and in Him ‘Amen,’ to the glory of God through us"* (2 Corinthians 1:20). We thank You in advance for the answers to these prayers, for we know 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 petitions that we have asked of Him"* (1 John 5:14-15).
May Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, guard their heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). Let them rest in the assurance that *"the Lord will perfect that which concerns them"* (Psalm 138:8), and may they walk in the confidence that *"He who began a good work in them will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ"* (Philippians 1:6).
We pray all these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25). Amen.
