Prayer for the Church

“that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭27‬ ‭‬‬

Heavenly Father, I repent of divisive behavior. There have been times I have gossiped about others. I have caused strife creating conflict over fundamental issues and even secondary issues. I have created discord where there was no reason for it. I have certainly murmured and complained. This is unfitting as a child of God as Your word tells me to avoid these things. I am sorry.

Where my behavior has impacted others I pray for Your grace in their life, help them to see that my sin not a reflection of You. If there are people I need to make amends with reveal it to me. I don’t want anyone to be turned away from You because of my actions. Help me to do better going forward to not engage in these activities that are harmful to the witness I have for Your Kingdom. Lord, help me to build unity with other believers.

“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭21‬ ‭‬‬

“Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,”
Ezekiel‬ ‭11‬:‭19‬ ‭‬

“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭‬‬

“endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭‬‬

Lord, I pray for Your body, Your children to walk in unity of heart, mind and spirit. Help us to fulfill the purpose of Your Kingdom on earth during this season. Let our hands and feet administer love, healing, justice, and mercy while meeting the tangible needs of those around us. Help us not to judge the world of its sin, but instead to point them to You. Teach us to walk work worthy of the calling You have placed on our lives. Help us to use the unique expression of God You have placed in each of us to minister to the world around us.

Lord, You have called each of us by name. I pray that we would stand in the gap for those who have not answered Your call. Help us to be a light to those we come in contact with, and see the opportunity that You have placed before us. Give us eyes to see others as You do. Give us ears to hear, even what is not being spoken from the depths of their hurting hearts.

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬ ‭‬‬

Lord, help us also to minister to one another, serving each other in love. Help us to carry one another’s burdens and to feel the freedom to share with others what we are walking through. You created us for community, help us to walk by Your Spirit and not in the flesh. Help us to strengthen one another in love and to encourage and build each other up in faith. Help each person to operate in the gifts You have placed within them that the Church may be equipped for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:12-16)