Thousands Are Praying. Join Us!

This afternoon, thousands of women joined together to seek the Lord in prayer at Revive ’19: Seeking HIM in Indianapolis and on Livestream. 

I saw groups of three and six, many of whom had never met, pouring out their hearts before the Lord, surrounding mothers and wives of those wandering from God—and an entire room of women singing with joy. It was a powerful two-and-a-half hours. 

But the power of prayer isn’t limited to this event or the convention center room. 

Whenever God’s people pray, He hears (Ps. 17:6), even if you’re alone in your living room or walking down your block. And in God’s sovereignty and kindness, our prayers always make a difference. 

Maybe like me, you often don't know what to pray. If that’s you, I want to give you a gift—a guide to seeking Him through prayer, taken from our session this afternoon. If you’re able, take an hour this week to get quiet alone with God or with some friends . . . and pray along with us.

Seeking Him—A Prayer Guide

Pray this prayer, adapted from Daniel 9:17–19, to begin.

O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to my pleas for mercy. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations. For I do not present my pleas before you because of my righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your people are called by your name.

Psalm 69:30–32 says,

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.

When the humble see it they will be glad;you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

So now, sing a song of praise to the Lord. Turn on a favorite worship song, pick up a hymnal, or sing a favorite psalm. 

When we pray, we need to take time to look up, to seek Him in praise. 

Spend some time now praising the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Choose a couple of the attributes or phrases in each list below to meditate on and pray back to God. 

God the Father, we praise You because . . . (taken from Psalm 145)

• You are the King.
• You are great.
• You are worthy of praise.
• Your greatness is beyond our ability to understand.
• Your majesty is splendid.
• Your acts are mighty, Your works are wonderful, and Your deeds are awesome—and they show how good and righteous You are.
• You are gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
• You are good to everyone.
• Your entire Creation experiences Your mercy.
• Your kingdom is glorious in splendor and everlasting.
• You are powerful.
• You hold up everyone who is falling and weak and oppressed.
• You provide food to all and satisfy our desires.
• You are righteous in all Your ways. 
• You are kind in all Your works.
• You are near to everyone who calls on You in truth.
• You fulfill the desire of those who fear You.
• You hear our cries and save us.
• You preserve all who love You.
• You destroy all the wicked.
• You are holy.

God the Son, we praise You because . . . (taken from Col. 1:15–22)

• You are the image of the invisible God.
• You are the firstborn of all creation.
• You created all things and they were created for You.
• You are before all things.
• You are the One who holds all things together.
• You are the head of the Body, the Church. 
• You are the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
• You are the One who is preeminent. 
• You are the One in whom all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.
• You are the One who reconciled all things to God and made peace by the blood of Your cross.
• You have reconciled us to God to present us holy and blameless and above reproach before Him.

God the Holy Spirit, we praise You because . . . (taken from Rom. 8:9–16)

• You dwell in us.
• You are the One who gives us life.
• You raised Jesus from the dead.
• You are the One who enables us to put the deeds of the body to death.
• You lead us.
• You are the Spirit of adoption, who gives us the ability to cry out, “Abba, Father!”
• You bear witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

We also need to take time to look in—to seek Him for our own hearts. 

Pray Psalm 139:23–24 back to the Lord, asking Him to show you any sin that needs to be confessed—and then confess it!

Search me, O God, and know my heart!Try me and know my thoughts!And see if there be any grievous way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting!

Trust this truth: if you have confessed, He has forgiven you. Psalm 130 is true for you. 

If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. . . . with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.

Now take some time to look out—to seek Him for others.

Pray for families:

• Pray for your marriage or the marriages around you.
• Pray for the children in your life.
• Pray for your family members who are wandering from the Lord or do not yet believe.

Pray for your local church:

• Pray for your church leaders and their spouses.
• Pray for unity in your local church and their impact in the community.
• Pray for the Spirit to move globally (and specifically in countries that you have connection with).

Pray for your community, your country, and the world: 

• Pray for elected officials in your local area, state, and nation.
• Pray for the gospel to be proclaimed worldwide and for unbelievers to be drawn to Him.
• Pray for justice and righteousness to prevail worldwide.

Now, as Nancy encouraged the women at the Seeking Him Prayer Gathering, go into the rest of your day in a spirit of prayer. Even as you go to work or simply do the everyday tasks of life, do it seeking the Lord. And take this passage with you: 

He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:6–10)

Amen.