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Personal Holiness: Unlocking the Door to Effective Prayer

By David Butts

Holiness – it is a subject that seems to have been lost in the shuffle at the end of the second millennium. It has been forgotten in light of the fact that most of us aren’t living holy lives and have, therefore, very little to say to others about holiness.

Why am I talking about holiness as related to prayer? For too long I have focused on giving people the tools to pray better and more effectively, not realizing that without holiness, prayers can go unanswered. This is not telling God what He can’t do…He can do whatever He wants. Instead, it is recognizing that God normally does not answer the prayers of those who are not making every effort to walk in holiness. God Himself lays it out for us very clearly in His Word:

“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (Psalm 66:18)

“Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

“Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob.” (Psalm 24:3-6)

God not only commands us to be holy, but He has provided for us a way to holiness which leaves us without excuse. We cannot blame our society or culture for our unholiness. Believers in New Testament times were in a society as immoral as can be imagined…yet were taught and expected to be holy. Listen to the commands of God’s unchanging Word:

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Cor. 7:1)

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14)

“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am Holy.’” (I Pet. 1:15-16)

“Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” (2 Pet. 3:11)

“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” (I Thess. 4:7)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Rom. 12:1)

“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” (Eph. 1:4)

Regardless of our skills or lack of skills in prayer, we will not become a mighty people of prayer until we begin to develop a passion for the holy life – until we will not settle for “good enough” but strive to be like Jesus. I believe the Scriptures we have read give us the key for living a life of holiness. The key to our holiness is nothing less than the holiness of God Himself. We are to be holy…because He is holy! Look at what the Scriptures say of His holiness:

“Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you…majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Ex. 15:11)

“And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

“Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Rev. 15:4)

Holy…set apart…different…unique…perfect…that’s the God we worship! How is it possible that we sinful creatures can even aspire to holiness? It’ s because God has CALLED us to! You see, it is God’s nature to be holy. You and I have been born again into God’s family. His genetic structure for holiness has been given to us because of Jesus. When we made Jesus Lord and Savior of our lives, we experienced the new birth. The Holy Spirit came to dwell in us. We still have much of the sin nature within us; however, there is a new nature…a new genetic code if you will…a code of holiness that comes straight from our Heavenly Father. Holiness now becomes a possibility…where it was an impossibility. The problem arises when this is as far as we take the call to be holy. Most of us feel that our holiness consists only of this imputed righteousness that comes from Jesus and we say… “I don’t worry about sin, because I’m forgiven.” I have to admit….I’ve been there…and so have many of you.

But God is not satisfied with incomplete holiness. You will find in Scripture the truth that holiness can never be accomplished by any of us just trying hard….Jesus’ death is absolutely essential for us to experience the new birth and new life in Christ. It is HIS righteousness that is now at work in us. Since God’s holiness has been placed within us, we should now make our best effort to live out that life of holiness as we keep our eyes on our Holy God. And God expects us to strive for personal holiness which is demonstrated by the way we live our lives:

“Perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Perfecting….working on it…striving for it….and the motive? Reverence for God and wanting to be like Him. There is no greater compliment to a dad, than when a son or daughter wants to be like him. We give God pleasure as long as we strive for holiness – to be like our Heavenly Father.

“Make every effort…to be holy” (Heb. 12:14). This is not a passive acceptance of something. This is not to be confused with your salvation. You accepted Christ’s gift of salvation by faith…but there is effort involved if you want to be holy. Paul would say, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Why with fear and trembling? Because we are doing so under the watchful eye of a Holy God. So, how do we live holy lives? We make the Word of God our foundation…we strive to do what it says…and we flee from all that it forbids.

God is waiting for His people to pray, but He longs for prayers that come from the lips of a holy people…a people set apart and dedicated to God:

“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer…” (I Pet. 2:12)

“Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3-4)

If we will “take time to be holy,” God will be attentive to our prayers. Let ’s not stop short of personal holiness: being holy “as He is holy.”

–Dave Butts was president of Harvest Prayer Ministries from 1993 until his death in 2022. 




Personal Prayer

Personal Prayer

Welcome to our Personal Prayer landing page. This is a “jumping off point” for extra helps for your personal connection with Jesus Christ through prayer. You will find links to articles, websites, videos and resources (many at our website, but some links will lead you to other sites as well. Our desire is to help you grow in your prayer walk with Jesus!

We provide a number of encouraging and instructive articles about how to improve your personal prayer and draw closer to God.  The following articles are here to encourage you in your personal prayer life.

 

Articles Focusing on Personal Prayer

Video Teaching from Kim Butts

For more information on prayer check out our Prayer FAQ Page for great insights.

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A daily devotional on prayer. Each devotional includes an inspiring and challenging message on prayer, a prayer to pray and several scripture-based prayer points. Here is a note from one of our thousands of subscribers from all over the world: “Thank you for your faithfulness in service to the Kingdom of God!! These devotionals make a difference in my life as the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart!” – Diane H.

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But Our Eyes Are Upon You (A Lesson in Family Unity)

But Our Eyes Are Upon You

(A Lesson in Family Unity)

 

By Kim Butts

One major spiritual step every family must take is to obey Jesus’ call for unity: “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me” (John 17:23). In order to become one as a family, it is important to seek God’s heart in the relationship of prayer. It is in praying with and for one another while listening to the voice of the Father that agreement and harmony is possible.

Jesus clearly taught that the Holy Spirit teaches, as the Lord directs: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). When your family learns to discern the voice of God together, He will bring wisdom, direction, confirmation, healing, forgiveness, power and purpose into your day-to-day relationships and ministry so that He will receive honor and glory through your unity of heart. There are many times when it is difficult to know what to do in certain situations, and how we are to respond in times of challenge or adversity. It is during such times that prayer must always be our first response as a family. An excellent and clear example of a leader who called families to unite together in prayer, can be found in the book of 2 Chronicles.

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had set his heart on seeking God: “His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 17:6). Although he made some serious mistakes during his reign of twenty-five years, he was considered to be a good king. He personally went out among the people in the areas surrounding Jerusalem and “…turned them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers” (2 Chronicles 19:4). He appointed judges and admonished them to consider carefully what they did as they were judging for the Lord, who would be with them whenever they issued a verdict. Jehoshaphat also appointed Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and settle disputes. He told them, “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 19:9). Jehoshaphat’s kingdom prospered, and he had great wealth. He was a very busy man, as you can tell; however, he loved the Lord his God with passion and devotion and did not neglect any opportunity to point his people toward true love, obedience and commitment to the King of kings.

There came a day, however, when the Moabites and Ammonites came to make war upon Jehoshaphat. When he heard the news that a “vast army” was coming against him from the other side of the Dead Sea, his first response was to seek the face of God: “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; Indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him” (2 Chronicles 20:3-4). Most powerful leaders would take charge and give orders to build up defenses and prepare for physical battle with the approaching enemy. Instead, this godly king went immediately to God in prayer and then called all of the people in his kingdom to come together to pray, from the youngest to the oldest. As “all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones stood there before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:13), Jehoshaphat prayed a great prayer of faith ending with this powerful, yet humble statement, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Has your family ever faced a situation in which you didn’t know what to do? Did you try to figure it out in your own strength, or did you seek the Lord’s help?

There are several important lessons to learn from King Jehoshaphat which can be applied to the life of a family dealing with uncertain or overwhelming situations. Look and see what he did to bring about unity in his people as they sought the Lord together in prayer:

Prayer was Jehoshaphat’s first response: “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord and he proclaimed a fast for all of Judah” (2 Chronicles 20:3). Note that prayer was his first reaction and not his last resort.

He called the family to join him in prayer: Jehoshaphat called all of Judah to come together to seek help from the Lord. He had an intergenerational prayer meeting as everyone stood before the Lord in unity. Jehoshaphat didn’t excuse the youth or younger children to another meeting or to a back room to wait until the adults were done with the work of prayer. He knew that God’s call to prayer is issued to everyone – from youngest to oldest: “All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:13).

He set an example: Jehoshaphat’s leadership left no doubt that he would cry out to the Lord no matter what the circumstance, and have faith that He would hear and save them! “‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in Your presence before this temple that bears Your Name and will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us’” (2 Chronicles 20:9).

He had humility to know that it would be God’s power and not his own: Jehoshaphat and his people stood before the Lord in complete humility… “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). He didn’t try to pretend that he had the answer for the problem, or that he could fix it for them. He didn’t want his people to depend upon his wisdom, but upon God’s!

After Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah prayed, the Spirit of the Lord came upon a Levite in the assembly who said, “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s’” (2 Chronicles 20:15). As the people stood before God, they heard the Lord’s answer through the lips of one in their midst. Is your family listening to hear the voice of God speak through His Word, through His Spirit, through His people, or however else He chooses? Your family should always be prepared to hear the voice of your Shepherd.

We should not be afraid or discouraged because of the vast armies (situations, etc. that happen in our lives). The battle is not ours – it’s God’s! What a reassurance! Our job is simply to give up control of the battle to God – not to be afraid or discouraged. Is there a battle you are facing? Are you afraid or discouraged? Give your circumstances to the One who can defeat the enemy on your behalf!

It takes humility to let go and not fight in our own strength. We need to recognize that God’s strength is so much greater than our ownThe Levite continued, saying, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17). Prepare your family to never be afraid or discouraged. We are to take up our positions (perhaps a posture of prayer) and stand firm and then see the deliverance the Lord will give us.

The response to God’s promised deliverance was praise, worship and thanksgiving: “Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:18).

The next morning, bolstered by the fresh, exciting word from the Lord, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful” (2 Chronicles 20:20). He “appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever!’” (2 Chronicles 20:21). Obviously, Jehoshaphat had done some thinking in the night because he appointed a choir to praise God, and to walk out in front of the army which was simply going to take up its position but not have need to fight – FAITH! Can you rally the troops at your house in such a manner? Begin to consider how your family will respond if God does something that is outside what you expect. Will you be so in tune with His Spirit that you are able to discern His voice and know His plans?

As the army of Jehoshaphat began to obediently worship the Lord, God defeated their enemies: “As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated” (2 Corinthians 20:22). Are you a family of worshipers? Would you like to see God respond as you honor Him? “The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side” (2 Chronicles 20:29-30). Others who saw what the Lord had done for the people of Judah now had a healthy respect for their God! Do others know what the Lord has done for your family? Does your family experience rest on every side because you have obediently done what is right in the eyes of the Lord?

In summary, King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah have set an example of unity before us. He recognized the danger; he didn’t try to figure out what to do in his own flesh; he sought the Lord in prayer because he knew the One who was faithful would take care of them; he called all of his people from youngest to oldest to come together to pray; he heard from the Lord because they humbled themselves before Him and were listening and waiting upon Him; he believed that the Lord would do what He said He would do; he obediently followed His instructions; he received the victory; he gave the Lord thanks with rejoicing and worship; he demonstrated the power of God to others through their great faith; he experienced rest on every side.

Parents – you are the spiritual directors of your homes. You do not have to have every answer. What you need to do is seek the face of the One who does! Jesus gave us two commandments: love God, and love others. Every other instruction He gives us in His Word falls into one of those two categories. If we love Him, we will seek His face in prayer – it is how we establish, grow and maintain an ongoing relationship with Him. As we begin to hear His voice and follow Him obediently, we can have faith in His ability to handle every circumstance in our lives and in the lives of our families. The power is not in us, it’s in Him. If our eyes are upon ourselves, we will fail, but when our eyes are upon Him, He will fight for us, and we will have the victory that will honor Him the most.

We must give Him praise through worship and thanksgiving – even in advance of the answer to our prayer – even if we are unable to see His hand at work in this lifetime. Others will be drawn to the light of Jesus Christ because of what the Lord has done in our lives, advancing the kingdom! And, we will have peace and rest on every side – even in the midst of difficulty. Seek His face together as a family, united in the bond of love in Jesus Christ, and watch Him work in and through your circumstances to bring glory to the Lord God Almighty!

 

PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

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.

The author, David Butts (1953-2022), started writing this book and 10 days into it he got word that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God allowed him to live in a greater way for five additional years of full-strength ministry.  Dave has challenged readers in Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God to seek after His  best life, no matter what it holds.

His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you that you, too, can experience and walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what circumstances you are walking through.

 Learn more about purchasing this book here

Sign Up for Connection! Daily Prayer Devotions 

A daily devotional on prayer. Each devotional includes an inspiring and challenging message on prayer, a prayer to pray and several scripture-based prayer points. Here is a note from one of our thousands of subscribers from all over the world: “Thank you for your faithfulness in service to the Kingdom of God!! These devotionals make a difference in my life as the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart!” – Diane H.

Sign Up for Prayer Tip Tuesday

Each week we will email you some short  tips and a resource to encourage and challenge you to go deeper in prayer.

Harvest does not rent our email lists to other organizations. On rare occasions we will use our lists to inform our friends of prayer events or initiatives of national or international importance, and occasionally we will use our lists to inform our friends of a financial need in the ministry.

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(812) 230-3130
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But Our Eyes Are Upon You (A Lesson in Family Unity)

But Our Eyes Are Upon You (A Lesson in Family Unity)

 

By Kim Butts

One major spiritual step every family must take is to obey Jesus’ call for unity: “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me” (John 17:23). In order to become one as a family, it is important to seek God’s heart in the relationship of prayer. It is in praying with and for one another while listening to the voice of the Father that agreement and harmony is possible.

Jesus clearly taught that the Holy Spirit teaches, as the Lord directs: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). When your family learns to discern the voice of God together, He will bring wisdom, direction, confirmation, healing, forgiveness, power and purpose into your day-to-day relationships and ministry so that He will receive honor and glory through your unity of heart. There are many times when it is difficult to know what to do in certain situations, and how we are to respond in times of challenge or adversity. It is during such times that prayer must always be our first response as a family. An excellent and clear example of a leader who called families to unite together in prayer, can be found in the book of 2 Chronicles.

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, had set his heart on seeking God: “His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 17:6). Although he made some serious mistakes during his reign of twenty-five years, he was considered to be a good king. He personally went out among the people in the areas surrounding Jerusalem and “…turned them back to the Lord, the God of their fathers” (2 Chronicles 19:4). He appointed judges and admonished them to consider carefully what they did as they were judging for the Lord, who would be with them whenever they issued a verdict. Jehoshaphat also appointed Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and settle disputes. He told them, “You must serve faithfully and wholeheartedly in the fear of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 19:9). Jehoshaphat’s kingdom prospered, and he had great wealth. He was a very busy man, as you can tell; however, he loved the Lord his God with passion and devotion and did not neglect any opportunity to point his people toward true love, obedience and commitment to the King of kings.

There came a day, however, when the Moabites and Ammonites came to make war upon Jehoshaphat. When he heard the news that a “vast army” was coming against him from the other side of the Dead Sea, his first response was to seek the face of God: “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; Indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him” (2 Chronicles 20:3-4). Most powerful leaders would take charge and give orders to build up defenses and prepare for physical battle with the approaching enemy. Instead, this godly king went immediately to God in prayer and then called all of the people in his kingdom to come together to pray, from the youngest to the oldest. As “all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones stood there before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:13), Jehoshaphat prayed a great prayer of faith ending with this powerful, yet humble statement, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Has your family ever faced a situation in which you didn’t know what to do? Did you try to figure it out in your own strength, or did you seek the Lord’s help?

There are several important lessons to learn from King Jehoshaphat which can be applied to the life of a family dealing with uncertain or overwhelming situations. Look and see what he did to bring about unity in his people as they sought the Lord together in prayer:

Prayer was Jehoshaphat’s first response: “Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord and he proclaimed a fast for all of Judah” (2 Chronicles 20:3). Note that prayer was his first reaction and not his last resort.

He called the family to join him in prayer: Jehoshaphat called all of Judah to come together to seek help from the Lord. He had an intergenerational prayer meeting as everyone stood before the Lord in unity. Jehoshaphat didn’t excuse the youth or younger children to another meeting or to a back room to wait until the adults were done with the work of prayer. He knew that God’s call to prayer is issued to everyone – from youngest to oldest: “All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:13).

He set an example: Jehoshaphat’s leadership left no doubt that he would cry out to the Lord no matter what the circumstance, and have faith that He would hear and save them! “‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in Your presence before this temple that bears Your Name and will cry out to You in our distress, and You will hear us and save us’” (2 Chronicles 20:9).

He had humility to know that it would be God’s power and not his own: Jehoshaphat and his people stood before the Lord in complete humility… “For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). He didn’t try to pretend that he had the answer for the problem, or that he could fix it for them. He didn’t want his people to depend upon his wisdom, but upon God’s!

After Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah prayed, the Spirit of the Lord came upon a Levite in the assembly who said, “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s’” (2 Chronicles 20:15). As the people stood before God, they heard the Lord’s answer through the lips of one in their midst. Is your family listening to hear the voice of God speak through His Word, through His Spirit, through His people, or however else He chooses? Your family should always be prepared to hear the voice of your Shepherd.

We should not be afraid or discouraged because of the vast armies (situations, etc. that happen in our lives). The battle is not ours – it’s God’s! What a reassurance! Our job is simply to give up control of the battle to God – not to be afraid or discouraged. Is there a battle you are facing? Are you afraid or discouraged? Give your circumstances to the One who can defeat the enemy on your behalf!

It takes humility to let go and not fight in our own strength. We need to recognize that God’s strength is so much greater than our ownThe Levite continued, saying, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17). Prepare your family to never be afraid or discouraged. We are to take up our positions (perhaps a posture of prayer) and stand firm and then see the deliverance the Lord will give us.

The response to God’s promised deliverance was praise, worship and thanksgiving: “Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:18).

The next morning, bolstered by the fresh, exciting word from the Lord, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful” (2 Chronicles 20:20). He “appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever!’” (2 Chronicles 20:21). Obviously, Jehoshaphat had done some thinking in the night because he appointed a choir to praise God, and to walk out in front of the army which was simply going to take up its position but not have need to fight – FAITH! Can you rally the troops at your house in such a manner? Begin to consider how your family will respond if God does something that is outside what you expect. Will you be so in tune with His Spirit that you are able to discern His voice and know His plans?

As the army of Jehoshaphat began to obediently worship the Lord, God defeated their enemies: “As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated” (2 Corinthians 20:22). Are you a family of worshipers? Would you like to see God respond as you honor Him? “The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side” (2 Chronicles 20:29-30). Others who saw what the Lord had done for the people of Judah now had a healthy respect for their God! Do others know what the Lord has done for your family? Does your family experience rest on every side because you have obediently done what is right in the eyes of the Lord?

In summary, King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah have set an example of unity before us. He recognized the danger; he didn’t try to figure out what to do in his own flesh; he sought the Lord in prayer because he knew the One who was faithful would take care of them; he called all of his people from youngest to oldest to come together to pray; he heard from the Lord because they humbled themselves before Him and were listening and waiting upon Him; he believed that the Lord would do what He said He would do; he obediently followed His instructions; he received the victory; he gave the Lord thanks with rejoicing and worship; he demonstrated the power of God to others through their great faith; he experienced rest on every side.

Parents – you are the spiritual directors of your homes. You do not have to have every answer. What you need to do is seek the face of the One who does! Jesus gave us two commandments: love God, and love others. Every other instruction He gives us in His Word falls into one of those two categories. If we love Him, we will seek His face in prayer – it is how we establish, grow and maintain an ongoing relationship with Him. As we begin to hear His voice and follow Him obediently, we can have faith in His ability to handle every circumstance in our lives and in the lives of our families. The power is not in us, it’s in Him. If our eyes are upon ourselves, we will fail, but when our eyes are upon Him, He will fight for us, and we will have the victory that will honor Him the most.

We must give Him praise through worship and thanksgiving – even in advance of the answer to our prayer – even if we are unable to see His hand at work in this lifetime. Others will be drawn to the light of Jesus Christ because of what the Lord has done in our lives, advancing the kingdom! And, we will have peace and rest on every side – even in the midst of difficulty. Seek His face together as a family, united in the bond of love in Jesus Christ, and watch Him work in and through your circumstances to bring glory to the Lord God Almighty!

PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

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.

The author, David Butts (1953-2022), started writing this book and 10 days into it he got word that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God allowed him to live in a greater way for five additional years of full-strength ministry.  Dave has challenged readers in Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God to seek after His  best life, no matter what it holds.

His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you that you, too, can experience and walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what circumstances you are walking through.

 Learn more about purchasing this book here

Sign Up for Connection! Daily Prayer Devotions 

A daily devotional on prayer. Each devotional includes an inspiring and challenging message on prayer, a prayer to pray and several scripture-based prayer points. Here is a note from one of our thousands of subscribers from all over the world: “Thank you for your faithfulness in service to the Kingdom of God!! These devotionals make a difference in my life as the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart!” – Diane H.

Sign Up for Prayer Tip Tuesday

Each week we will email you some short  tips and a resource to encourage and challenge you to go deeper in prayer.

Harvest does not rent our email lists to other organizations. On rare occasions we will use our lists to inform our friends of prayer events or initiatives of national or international importance, and occasionally we will use our lists to inform our friends of a financial need in the ministry.

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Terre Haute, IN 47801
(812) 230-3130
email: info@harvestprayer.com

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Praying Kingdom Prayers (75 Spiritual Qualities and Blessings to Pray)

Praying Kingdom Prayers

(75 Spiritual Qualities and Blessings to Pray)

by Dr. Alvin VanderGriend

 This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9–10,13)

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:3–5)

One of the most exciting discoveries that I ever made about prayer was that, when we are praying for ourselves [petition], if our hearts are right with God and we ask in accord with His will, God will give us what we ask (1 John 5:14–15). In an effort to personally claim that promise and receive God’s riches, I made a list of seventy-five spiritual qualities and blessings mentioned in scripture—things I could be sure were “in accord with God’s will.” I understood these to be God’s purposes in my life. I asked God for these things several times each week. What I found was that God, true to His word, heard and answered these prayers. Little by little these qualities and graces became more and more real in my life. God was answering because I was praying for what He wanted. I was praying kingdom prayers.

When we intercede in faith for things that God purposes to do, we can pray with absolute assurance that He hears and answers these prayers. They may not always be answered according to our expectations or on our timetables, but they will surely be answered. Our prayers contribute to what God is doing—building His kingdom.

 

 Spiritual Qualities & Blessings God Will Give to Those Who Ask

 Use this list to form your kingdom prayers. Perhaps you will want to journal through this list as you ask God for what you desire Him to develop in you, and as you ask Him for His blessing in your life.

  • Love

“The fruit of the Spirit is…love.” (Gal. 5:22)

  • Joy

“The fruit of the Spirit is…joy.” (Gal. 5:22)

  • Peace

“The fruit of the Spirit is…peace.” (Gal. 5:22)

  • Patience

“The fruit of the Spirit is…patience.” (Gal. 5:22)

  • Kindness

“The fruit of the Spirit is…kindness.” (Gal. 5:22)

  • Goodness

“The fruit of the Spirit is…goodness.” (Gal. 5:22)

  • Faithfulness

“The fruit of the Spirit is…faithfulness.” (Gal. 5:22)

  • Gentleness

“The fruit of the Spirit is…gentleness.” (Gal. 5:23)

  • Self-control

“The fruit of the Spirit is…selfcontrol.” (Gal. 5:23)

  • Truth

“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth.” (Eph. 6:14)

  • Faith

“Take up the shield of faith.” (Eph. 6:16)

  • Hope

“We have this hope as an anchor.” (Heb. 6:19)

  • Spiritual Wisdom

“Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom.” (Pr. 4:7)

  • Goodness

“Make every effort to add goodness.” (2 Pet. 1:5)

  • Knowledge

“Make every effort to add…knowledge.” (2 Pet. 1:5)

  • Perseverance

“Make every effort to add…perseverance.” (2 Pet. 1:6)

  • Godliness

“Make every effort to add…godliness.” (2 Pet. 1:7)

  • Depth of Insight

“abound…in depth of insight.” (Phil. 1:9)

  • Discernment

“able to discern what is best.” (Phil. 1:9)

  • Blameless

“able to be…blameless.” (Phil. 1:10)

  • Righteousness

“filled with the fruit of righteousness.” (Phil. 1:11)

  • Understanding

“fill you with…spiritual…understanding.” (Col. 1:9)

  • Worthy Life

“We pray that you may live a life worthy of the Lord.” (Col.   1:10)

  • Please God in All Things

“We pray that you may…please God in every way.” (Col. 1:10)

  • Fruitfulness

“We pray that you may…bear fruit in every good work.” (Col.1:10)

  • Spiritual Power

“We pray that you may…be strengthened with all power.” (Col. 1:11)

  • Endurance

“so that you may have great endurance.” (Col. 1:1l)

  • Gratefulness

“We pray that you may…joyfully give thanks.” (Col. 1:12)

  • Compassion

“Clothe yourselves with compassion.” (Col. 3:12)

  • Brotherly Kindness

“Clothe yourselves …with kindness.” (Col. 3:12)

  • Humility

“Clothe yourselves with…humility.” (Col. 3:12)

  • Forbearance

Bear with each other.” (Col. 3:13)

  • Forgiveness

Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Col. 3:13)

  • Word of Christ

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (Col. 3:16)

  • Watchfulness

“Devote yourselves to prayer being watchful.” (Col. 4:2)

  • Graciousness

“Let your conversation be seasoned with salt.” (Col. 4:6)

  • Obedience

“If anyone loves me he will obey my teaching.” (Jn. 14:23)

  • Holiness

“You ought to live holy and godly lives.” (2 Pet. 3:11)

  • Filling of the Spirit

“Be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18)

  • Conformity to Christ

“Predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (Rom. 8:29)

  • Spiritual Riches

“Chosen…to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom.” (Jas. 2:5)

  • God’s Calling

“Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Eph. 4:1)

  • Grace

“But grow in the grace…of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 3:18)

  • Spiritual Growth

“Crave spiritual milk so that…you may grow.” (1 Pet. 2:2)

  • Spirit of Praise

“Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.” (Heb. 3:15)

  • Blessings of the Lord

“The Lord bless you and keep you.” (Num. 6:24)

  • Protection of the Lord

“The Lord will keep you from all harm.” (Ps. 121:7)

  • Smile of God

“The Lord make his face to shine upon you.” (Num. 6:25)

  • Sound Spirit

“May your…spirit be kept blameless…” (1 Thess. 5:23)

  • Sound Soul

“May your…soul be kept blameless…” (1 Thess. 5:23)

  • Sound Body

“May your…body be kept blameless…” (1 Thess. 5:23)

  • Praising Heart

Praise the Lord, O my soul…” (Psalm 146:1)

  • Repentance

“Godly sorrow brings repentance…” (2 Co. 7:10)

  • Submission

Submit yourselves, then, to God…” (Jas. 4:7)

  • Prayer Devoted

“Devote yourselves to prayer.” (Col. 4:2)

  • Meditation

Meditate on it (the book of law) day and night…” (Jos. 1:8)

  • Poor of Spirit

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” (Matt. 5:3)

  • Mournful

“Blessed are those who mourn.” (Matt. 5:4)

  • Meekness

“Blessed are the meek.” (Matt. 5:5)

  • Hunger after Righteousness

“Blessed are those who hunger…after righteousness.” (Matt. 5:6)

  • Merciful

“Blessed are the merciful.” (Matt. 5:7)

  • Purity of Heart

“Blessed are the pure in heart.” (Matt. 5:8)

  • Peacemaker

“Blessed are the peacemakers.” (Matt. 5:9)

  • Salt of the Earth

“You are the salt of the earth.” (Matt. 5:13)

  • Light of the World

“You are the light of the world.” (Matt. 5:14-16)

  • Delivered from Evil

Deliver us from evil.” (Matt. 6:13)

  • Abiding in Christ

“Abide in me and I will abide in you.” (John 15:4)

  • Equipped for Good Work

“Thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:17)

  • Integrity

“The integrity of the upright guides them…” (Prov. 11:3)

  • Mind of Christ

“We have the mind of Christ.” (1 Co 2:16)

  • Quietness and Confidence

“The fruit…will be quietness and confidence forever.” (Isa:17)

  • Thinking God’s Thoughts

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!” (Ps. 139:17)

  • Useful to the Master

Made holy, useful to the master.” (2 Tim. 2:21)

  • Spirit of Worship

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” (1 Ch.16:29)

  • Thirst for God

“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Ps. 42:2)

  • Zeal for the Lord

“Never be lacking in zeal, keep your spiritual fervor.” (Rom. 12:11)

  • Generosity

“Honor the Lord with your wealth.” (Pr. 3:9)

  • Honesty

“Do not give false testimony…” (Matt. 19:18)

  • Holy Spirit

“Your Father in heaven will give the Holy Spirit…” (Lk 11:13)

  • Eternal Life

“The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 6:23)

 

© Harvest Prayer Ministries 

PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

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.

When author, David Butts (1953-2022), first started writing this book, he got word ten days into the project that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God not only allowed him to complete the book, but to live for five more full-strength years. His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you to walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what situations or struggles you are walking through.

Learn more about purchasing this book here

Sign Up for Connection! Daily Prayer Devotions 

A daily devotional on prayer. Each devotional includes an inspiring and challenging message on prayer, a prayer to pray and several scripture-based prayer points. Here is a note from one of our thousands of subscribers from all over the world: “Thank you for your faithfulness in service to the Kingdom of God!! These devotionals make a difference in my life as the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart!” – Diane H.

Sign Up for Prayer Tip Tuesday

Each week we will email you some short  tips and a resource to encourage and challenge you to go deeper in prayer.

Harvest does not rent our email lists to other organizations. On rare occasions we will use our lists to inform our friends of prayer events or initiatives of national or international importance, and occasionally we will use our lists to inform our friends of a financial need in the ministry.

Sign Up Below for Connection! Daily Prayer Devotions and/or Prayer Tip Tuesday

 

SUBSCRIBE NOW

 

* indicates required

 

 

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Harvest Prayer Ministries
P.O. Box 10667
Terre Haute, IN 47801
(812) 230-3130
email: info@harvestprayer.com

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