Praying Christ,
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for praying for those who are your children. Thank you for making intercession for us, especially in light of the crazy changes, violence, evil, and very real threats in this world. In this day and place there are many fierce enemies of your children; guard our lives, rescue us, and protect us from shame and despair as we take refuge in you. Thank you for protecting us from the evil one and for guarding our children and grandchildren in the faith. Strengthen our faith like Daniel’s so it cannot fail. Remind us of our authority like Paul’s to overcome all the powers of the enemy. Give us the discernment you had in the wilderness of temptation, Jesus, to know what is of you and what is not. And give us strength like Peter to overcome the temptations that try to test us. Be for us like a mama grizzly bear that is lovingly and fiercely watching over her cubs – snuggling them to care for them, but rising up to protect them from dangers and enemies. Continue to intercede for us because we believe that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from your love. Thank you that you are our refuge, our strength, and our ever-present help in time of need because you are praying for us. In your name we ask these things, Amen.
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” (John 17:9)
“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)
‘I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)
“But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:32)
“Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.” (Luke 10:19 AMP)
“Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of [the girl]!’ At that moment the spirit left her.” (Acts 16:18 NIV)
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38)
“Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
See how numerous are my enemies
and how fiercely they hate me!
Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame
for I take refuge in you.” (Psalm 25:18-20 NIV)
“From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ they said. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.” (2 Kings 2:23-24 NIV)
“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5)
“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalm 46:1-3 NIV)
“God of grace and God of glory,
From your people hear your praise
For the evil hosts surround us
Wicked plots and traps are laid
for the living of these days,
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the living of these days.”
(Adapted from “God of Grace, God of Glory” by Harry Emerson Fosdick)
(h/t https://mariomurilloministries.wordpress.com, January 21, 2021)