Buckle up and put your armor on, we're about to tick off some demons. 

One of the key components of effective spiritual warfare is calling the enemy by name. There is tremendous power in names, and by identifying and addressing our foe specifically we can diminish their ability to hide or deceive. We can also learn a lot more from the stories of the bible than simply what lies on the surface, it is far more than a simple history book after all.

And so, with that in mind, this week we are targeting a long time opponent of our God and His kingdom. This spirit loves to target leaders specifically, often going after their significant others, children, and friends in order to cause the most harm possible. It is an expert at manipulation and has a millennia of practice using the systems and thinking of the world to promote its own evil agenda. While it often latches on to women, it is not opposed to using men as well in order to infiltrate and corrupt the territory of those who follow God. This spirit is known by many simply as "Jezebel" and has been a thorn in the flesh of God's people since the days of Elijah and Elisha. (1 Kings 21:25)

The good news is this: As long as there have been Jezebel spirits at work in the world our God has been fighting and defeating them in partnership with His people. Join us in prayer today, in the Spirit's leading, as we continue the battle against these forces seeking to steal, kill, and destroy that which we hold most dear. 

(Side Note: These prayers can also be applied against other demons at work in your life.)

See the prayer guide below for more information and let's get to work knocking back the gates of hell!

Warfare prayer: Jezebel (week 27)

"'Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name."

Psalms 100:4

This is more than simply a poetic phrase or a nice way to start out our prayers. This is a direct command from scripture, often repeated and reinforced in order to penetrate our stubbornness, entitlement, and forgetfulness.

Like all of God's commands, this one too is intended for our good. There is great power found in gratitude. To name just a few of its benefits: 

1. It is impossible to be simultaneously thankful and worried. 

2. A heart cannot be both truly grateful and prideful at the same time. 

3. Thanksgiving prepares the way for forgiveness to take place. 

If we truly care about the people of our families, churches, and communities we would want them to give thanks--for that is where many of God's blessings are found! Join as we pray this week for the growing of an "attitude of gratitude" that stems from who God is and all that He does. 

Pray as the Spirit leads and see the guide below for more information. 

gates of gratitude (week 26)

"For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them."

Matthew 13:15

We are so close to healing. God desperately wants to mend all of our wounds and heal all of our diseases.  

Once we've accepted the gifts of eyes that see and ears that hear, only one thing remains in need of changing for restoration to take place.

Scripture tells us that God is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). That He loves to do mighty and amazing miracles in those with softened, moldable, and receptive hearts.

Here's the issue: Instead of being characterized by the humility and fertility that God seeks to use, the soil of our hearts is often stubborn and compacted.

We need another miracle. We need God to soften that which has been hardened over months, years, and sometimes decades of life in a sinful and fallen world surrounded by sinful and fallen people. Lost and saved alike can experience this calcification, and so the lost and saved alike need this work in their lives. The lost so that they can come and receive a new heart. The saved so that they can produce the fruit they have been called and created to bear.

Please join as the Spirit leads, and see the Prayer Guide below for more information.

Side Note: If you haven't prayed through the last two weeks' topics I would encourage you to start there and then join in on this week's subject.

Eyes, ears, & Hearts Pt. 3 (week 25)

Turning & Returning (F.G. #5)

"For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them."

Matthew 13:15

While scripture often highlights the importance of sight, it certainly does not downplay the essential nature of hearing as well. 

Verses like Romans 10:17 and Galatians 3:2 make it clear that the ability to listen is fundamental to the Christian life, our very salvation depends on it after all!

Is it any wonder, then, that this function of ours is constantly under such intense attack??? Good thing we're not defenseless! Let us fight back this week in prayer, lifting up our families, churches, and communities to God asking Him to give us the glorious gift that is "Ears to Hear".

Join as the Spirit leads, and see the Prayer Guide below for more information.

Side Note: If you haven't prayed through last week's topic I would encourage you to start there and then join in on this week's subject.

Eyes, ears, & Hearts Pt. 2 (week 24)

"For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them."

Matthew 13:15

Some people are blessed with clarity of vision, they see things that others don't and can easily discern right from wrong. Others have excellent hearing, they are open and receptive to receive the word of God and often consume it on a regular basis. Still others have broken and malleable hearts, fertile and ready to receive the truth of the Lord and allow it to be planted deep within their core. 

The problem is, Jesus makes it clear that without all three we are unable to turn to Him and receive healing!

That is why this week as we pray for our families, churches, and communities who are in desperate need of this healing, we are asking God to do the amazing spiritual surgery only He can perform and give us Eyes to See, Ears to Hear, and Hearts to Understand.

Join as the Spirit leads and see the prayer guide below for more direction and examples.

Eyes, ears, & Hearts pt. 1 (week 23)

Are you hungry yet? Do you have a thirst for God's word, presence, and approval? 

My hope is that you do, and that your family, church, and community is infected by this passionate craving that overwhelms all else.

As we conclude our time of strategic focus on this topic, I would encourage you to continue praying for this gift of longing in the days to come. The Enemy is cunning and strives to do everything in his power to dilute and distract from the core desires of our hearts. 

In speaking of our Enemy, there is another desire in our heart that has been corrupted over the millennia. A gift of God we need now more than ever and that the Satan and his forces fear should we take hold of it. This week, as we pray for the people, churches, and communities God has placed in our lives, we are asking Him to give us a Hunger and Thirst for His POWER. 

We were made to move mountains, to do even "greater things" than Christ (John 14:12-14). So let's start now! 

Join as the Spirit leads, and see the prayer guide below for more information on how to pray.

hunger & thirst pt. 4 (week 22)

One of the most detrimentally unmet longings of our hearts is our need for approval.  

So much sin and brokenness is a result of this unanswered cry, which is present in every man and woman from birth. We seek it from anyone and everyone, and wherever we find it that is where our loyalties are pulled. The problem is, only one person's approval truly matters and it is His that we are really seeking from the first moment we draw breath. 

As we pray this week, fight in the Spirit to cut through all of the noise and distraction keeping people from realizing and seeking the approval of their Creator. Pray for your families, churches, and communities to be blessed with an overwhelming hunger and thirst for God's approval that pulls them to Him. See the prayer guide below and join as the Spirit leads.

hunger & thirst pt. 3 (week 21)

The human body can only survive for so long without water. The oftentimes overwhelming feeling of thirst we experience is a survival instinct instilled within us by our creator. 

Likewise, God has given us a thirst to know Him and to be in His presence because it essential to receiving and experiencing life in all its fullness.

Unfortunately, like fools lost in the desert, we have forsaken the living water of God and instead gorged ourselves on whatever substitute liquid Satan, the world, or our flesh places in front of us. Our thirst has been satiated, but not satisfied, because what we have really consumed is poison.

This week, as we pray for our families, churches, and communities, ask God to instill within us an overwhelming desire to be in His presence, for that is where life itself is found and is the only place that we can receive His comfort, peace, and healing.

Join as the Spirit leads, asking God to give you His heart for the those in this world who are dying of dehydration. (John 7:37-38)

hunger & thirst pt. 2 (week 20)

As essential as food and water are to our physical survival there remains something even more vital: Our soul's need for spiritual nutrition. 

We need sustenance and, even though we live in one of the most abundant societies in the most abundant time in history, many are starving to death. 

This starvation is not a result of famine or the lack of resources. Rather, it is the result of ignored, perverted, or improperly fed desires placed into our hearts by our Creator. That is why this week, as we pray for the people/churches/communities God has placed around us, we are asking that He give us a Holy Hunger for His word, voice, and truth. 

Join as the Spirit leads, asking God to give you His heart for the poor, needy, and hungry. (Matthew 5:6)

hunger & thirst pt. 1 (week 19)

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." 

As far a children's song goes this one has some depth to it and is very applicable to where we find ourselves today. 

This week as we pray for the people, churches, and communities we've been blessed with we are asking that God's light shine brightly in and through our hearts and lives, pointing everyone around us to Him and building His kingdom.

Light in the dark (week 18)

As Christians, we know that we have been given a new heart, life, and spirit at salvation. God took out our stony and stubborn heart and replaced it with the very heart of Christ! 

With Him living in us through the Holy Spirit, we are able to live and act as He did: full of love, grace, and humility. 

The problem is that we don't live in a perfect world and are still far from perfect people. As we prayed about last week, there are so many things in, among, and around us attempting to twist, pervert, and hold back the goodness of God from producing fruit. 

This week, as we continue to specifically pray against those things that hinder our humility, join as the Spirit leads you to fight for the people, churches, and communities God has blessed you with so that they might experience His grace and avoid His opposition. 

hindered humility PT. 2 (week 17)

Punctured Pride (F.G. #4)

Can we all agree on something? We want God’s blessings in our lives. 

In all reality too, if we’re being honest, we all NEED God’s blessings simply to survive. God knows this, and because He wants to bless us the Bible gives us several keys to receiving God’s grace, [His manifest goodness and power] in our time here on this earth. 

One of these keys that Christians have understood but struggled to implement for thousands of years is the concept of HUMILITY. God values this attribute so much that on three different occasions He tells us that He will show favor to those who have it. (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Proverbs 3:34).

So then, what's holding us back? If God has given us His Spirit and His heart then we already have the capability and capacity for humility. But much like a muscle car with the emergency break engaged, we have all the power required to take off down the street but something is stopping us. If we know what we ought to do, have the power to do so, and we consistently fail to do it then something is causing interference. It's interrupting our access to the God given abilities and attitudes placed within us. We are being "hindered". 

This week, as we pray for our churches and communities, we are targeting several key hindrances that limit our humility and reinforce our pride. Join as the Spirit leads, and see the prayer guide below for additional information.

hindered humility: Pt. 1 (week 16)

"Glorious": entitling one to glory, marked by beauty or splendor

"Grief": a deep sorrow and sadness over loss

You may have read the title of this week's topic and thought to yourself, "How on earth is it possible for those two words to go together?"

If so, you'd be absolutely right in thinking that way. Thankfully though, we serve a God of impossibilities! (Matthew 19:26)

As Christ followers we know that our lives are to bring glory to our Savior. Normally, when most people think of this they imagine helping the hungry or giving to the poor. But what about on the days that we are struggling? What about the times that we are hurting? Shouldn't we glorify our God even then? Maybe especially then?

This week we are praying for those in our lives who are grieving. Only through God's amazing power is something as outrageous as Glorious Grief possible. Join as the Spirit leads as we fight in prayer for the hurting brothers and sisters in our church, community, and all around the globe. 

See the prayer guide below for additional examples and information on how to pray.

Glorious Grief (week 15)

The Bible describes a Christian's life as being full of a "glorious, inexpressible joy"! (1 Peter 1:8)

However, for many believers this description seems to be more of an exception than a rule of thumb. Sure, we might seem happy on Sundays and maybe we rejoice out loud when our favorite worship songs come on the radio, but this a far cry from what scripture meant when we were exhorted to ALWAYS be full of joy. (1 Thess. 5:16)

We are missing something crucial here. Somewhere along the way many Christians have had their joy stolen, killed, or destroyed and it doesn't seem to be letting up. It is time to fight back. It is time to reclaim the ground we have surrendered to Satan, this world, and our flesh. It is time to pray for the restoration of the Joy of Jesus in the hearts and lives of believers everywhere!

Join us this week in praying as the Spirit leads, and see the prayer guide below for additional resources on how and what to pray.

The joy of jesus (week 14)

"Our prayers are more powerful than our presence."

Rarely has a truer statement been said. But if we really believed that to be true, wouldn't we pray more? Most of the Christians I have met admit that they wish that they prayed more often. Many try, putting extreme energy into it and making it a consistent and conscious effort. And yet they continue to fail, either praying only a fraction of what they know they should or simply offering up weak and ineffective petitions to heaven. So what have we missed?

The answer lies, as all questions do, in Jesus. No one else has a record of success in prayer quite like Him. As we pray this week, we are asking God to give us the "Heart of Prayer" that Jesus had so that we might see mountains moved and the gates of hell knocked back! Join as the Spirit leads and see the prayer guide below for more details on how and what to pray.  

a heart of prayer (week 13)

As we fast and pray this week for the gift of God-given burdens, see the supplemental guide below for further guidance on how you can pray.

Blessedly Burdened (F.G. #3)

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13:13

Most Christians have heard this verse before. It paints a beautiful picture of the unmatchable importance of love in this life with its unending nature and permanence. Most believers also seem to understand the importance of faith in our walk with Christ, it makes sense that our relationship with God would suffer if we failed to believe what He says about Himself. 

Lately though, I have heard many brothers and sisters in Christ talk of “not getting their hopes up”, “expecting the worst”, and “losing hope”. This ought not be. This is not what God intended when He first gave us the capacity to hope and it is certainly not what He wants for His children.

This week we are praying for the protection, reinforcement, and rekindling of hope in the lives of believers throughout the world so that it may truly be the "anchor for our souls" it was intended to be. Join us as the Spirit leads and see the prayer guide below for more specifics on how to pray.

holding onto hope (week 12)

"Tired." 

Of all the answers given on Sundays when people are asked how they're doing, this seems to be the most honest. 

We spend much our lives this way: weary, worn out, and weighed down. But is that how it's supposed to be?

The Bible doesn't shy away from the topic. Scripture is quick to acknowledge that tiredness is a normal part of living. (Isaiah 40:30)

However, Jesus also teaches us that it doesn't have to be a constant struggle without relief. He freely offers us His rest, the kind that is better than any pill can produce and that reaches not only the body but the soul as well.

This week we are praying for the blessing of that kind of rest over our families, churches, and communities. See the prayer guide below for specific examples on what all the rest of God offers and join according to the Spirit's leading as we fight back against the Enemy's vicious attacks on our strength!

soulful rest (week 11)

Like yeast in bread, seeds in soil, or cancer in our bones; sin doesn't stay small. 

It always spreads, growing stronger and more deeply rooted the more it is fed until one day it becomes a strong fortress of wickedness in our lives that takes an army to defeat. The GOOD NEWS: we serve the God of Heaven's Armies! 

He has already won the victory and has given us the keys to experiencing it in our lives as well, and it's as simple as I.O.U.

This week we are praying for the destruction of sin's kingdom in our personal lives, families, churches, and communities. Join as the Spirit leads and see the prayer guide below for examples of how to pray for God to help us Identify, Overthrow, and Uproot these strongholds today!

toppling strongholds (week 10)

We live in a time of unprecedented access to information. We have been more abundantly blessed with resources and materials for learning and education than any other time in history. Every topic imaginable, including the Bible, is accessible at the click of a button.

And yet, despite all of this opportunity, so many remain ignorant of the things of God. Despite the hundreds of different translations of His word, in nearly every language imaginable, so many still fail to read it each day. This is the symptom, but what are the causes? 

This week we will be praying against some of the underlying issues that lead to the "intentional ignorance" of ourselves and those in our lives. Please pray as the Spirit leads so that we might defeat these strongholds of the Enemy and avoid the destruction that they bring.

Intentional ignorance (week 9)

A simple concept of the gospel and yet one essential to our daily life: The TRUTH will set you free and lies will keep you in bondage. 

The Good News: Jesus came to offer us FREEDOM and LIFE through this truth. 

The Bad News: Satan knows this and his goal is to steal, kill, and destroy it through deception. 

This month we are fighting back through fasting and prayer! Join as the Spirit leads as we ask God to reveal to us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!

THE WHOLE TRUTH (FASTING GUIDE #2)

Imagine you have a vegetable garden in your backyard. You've spent months and months cultivating the soil, planting the seeds, and nurturing them in the hopes of a bountiful harvest. Now picture this: your wicked neighbor, jealous of your potential blessings, sneaks in one night and plants a poisonous root among the other seeds. This root, if undealt with, will lead to the death and decay of everything else in the garden and can also harm anyone unfortunate enough to partake of the corrupted fruit. How would you respond to this situation? Would you stand idly by while all your hard work was destroyed? Would you sit there and do nothing while the lives of those you care about was endangered by this poison? Of course not!

In the same way unforgiveness acts as a poison in the lives of Christians everywhere. It poisons the fruit of our salvation, limiting our impact and stunting our growth. It has led to uncountable numbers of divorce, church splits, and other forms of relational death and it is one of the greatest and deadliest epidemics the bride of Christ has ever faced. 

This week as we pray against this favored tactic of the Enemy, be on guard for attempts of his forces to bring up past hurts in an effort to tempt you to pick up an old offense. Follow the link below to access the prayer guide for more information on ways to cultivate forgiveness as an essential component of the Christian life. As always, please pray as the Spirit leads asking Him to fill, baptize, and saturate your time of prayer.

THE POISONOUS ROOT (WEEK 8)

As we live the Christian life we are often confronted with the schemes of our Enemy and his forces (Satan's demons, the world, and our flesh). If you have walked with Jesus for long enough you are sure to have experienced these assaults in their various forms. For example: doubt, fear, lust, worry, confusion, envy, insecurity, bitterness, and many other temptations to sin are common methods used to attack the hearts of God's children.

Mature believers are prepared for these attacks. Many have been trained and equipped to handle the traps of the evil one as they come, especially in preparation for times of obvious spiritual warfare. But what about after the victory has been won? Maybe you have seen progress in the rebuilding of your marriage, had the chance to witness to a dear friend, or walk out of an especially amazing service at church. These are the moments that our Enemy waits for to strike when we are least prepared. I call these assaults "Counter-Attacks", and they are a powerful tool of the devil to ruin the effectiveness of God's people. 

If you are looking for a biblical example of this strategy, the story of Elijah’s response to Jezebel’s threats after his victory over the false prophets paints an unfortunate picture of what can happen to even the mightiest men of God when these counter-strikes are successful (1 Kings 19).

Click the link below to access the prayer guide for more information on cures for these counter-attacks as well as some examples for how to pray them over yourself and others. As always, please pray as the Spirit leads asking Him to fill, baptize, and saturate your time of prayer.

CURING COUNTER-ATTACKS (WEEK 7)

Of the many names used to reference our God throughout scripture, one of the lesser quoted among many Christians today is "Jehovah-Rapha", the God who heals (Exodus 15:26). This name of God carries a powerful connotation though as it reminds us that we serve a God who created everyone and everything and because of this has the singular ability to heal us completely and totally from the inside out. 

Throughout the Bible, we see story after story of God healing ordinary people like you and I through ordinary people like you and I in both the Old and New Testaments! This week we will be praying in faith for God to reveal Himself as Jehovah-Rapha once more, so that this broken world might see and experience His healing power. The best part: God doesn't just want to heal us physically! Below you will find our prayer guide to provide further insight on how to pray to God as Jehovah-Rapha, inviting His healing into your personal life, family, community, and nation.

As always, please pray according to the Spirit's leading. Ask Him to guide your conversation and draw you closer to the God you speak with.

JEHOVAH-RAPHA (WEEK 6)

Throughout scripture the concept of the blood is referenced often. In the Old Testament we learn that the payment for sin must involve the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11). In the New Testament we are taught that the cost for our failures has already been paid by Christ's shed blood on the cross (Ephesians 1:7). It's no wonder then that Christians throughout the ages have found great comfort and encouragement in preaching, singing, and praying about the blood of Jesus!

One prayer that many of Christ's followers have adopted over the years is to "plead the blood of Jesus" over a person, situation, or thing. While this might sound odd to some, and has been misused by others, the concept is very biblical in nature and finds its roots in the Old Testament story of the first Passover in Exodus. (By the way, Jesus is referred to as our passover lamb in 1 Corinthians 5:7) 

Like the Israelites in this story, when we plead the blood of Jesus over something in prayer we are surrendering it completely to Him and submitting it to His absolute authority. In doing so, we allow for the work of purification to be accomplished through the power of His blood just as He did in Egypt all those years ago!

For more information on how to "plead the blood" in prayer, see the guide below. As always warriors, please invite and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer time as He intercedes for you and through you this week!

PLEAD THE BLOOD (WEEK 5)

The Bible warns us in Proverbs 29:18 that, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." This month the focus during our day of fasting and prayer is on just that, Vision. Other translations of scripture define the word used in this passage as "revelation", "divine guidance", "prophecy", and "seeing what God is doing". This is exactly what all effective leadership NEEDS and as prayer warriors it is our responsibility to ask God to bless them with it. 

As we join together to fast and pray for the leadership in our lives, remember to also ask Him for this blessing of vision in YOUR life as well! Below you will find a brief "bonus" prayer guide for this week to help us hone in on specific things we can pray over our leaders as they seek God's vision. 

HOLY VISION (FASTING GUIDE #1)

There is a Biblical principle found throughout scripture that is summarized in this simple quote from author John Maxwell: "EVERYTHING rises and falls on leadership." We see this truth displayed time and time again throughout the Israelites' checkered past: Good kings, priests, and prophets led to the success and blessing of the nation. Poor leadership had the opposite effect. 

This week we prayed for God to bless the leaders in our lives, specifically those He has chosen to lead us spiritually. An important note to keep in mind: as Christians we don't need good leaders. We don't need great leaders. We need DIVINE leaders (1 Samuel 13:14). Join us in praying for God to raise up, grow, and protect men and women to humbly lead His flock according to His will. As always, ask God to send the Holy Spirit to speak to you and through you, guiding and directing your every word in prayer!

DIVINE LEADERSHIP (WEEK 4)

The Bible describes the Christian life as a race in Hebrews 12:1 as it challenges us to "run with endurance". This week we examined what it looks like to treat life as an intense marathon instead of peaceful nature hike, looking at ways to ask God to renew our passion and excitement over His work in our life.

As we pray together this week, remember to invite the Holy Spirit into your times of prayer so that He can guide and direct them according to His will. 

RUNNING WITH GOD (WEEK 3)

Throughout the Bible we find many different names used for God. Each of these give us further insight into His character and teach us to pray to Him with greater confidence. This week we looked at one of those names in particular, learning how to pray in faith for God to do what He loves doing. 

One of my most consistent prayers involving a name of God is that He would reveal Himself as "Jehovah-Nissi" (Exodus 17:15) in our lives. To learn more about the depth of meaning behind this name and how we can pray it over our life and for those around us, check out the prayer guide below! As always, please pray as the Spirit leads. Ask Him to guide your prayer time, speaking to you and through you as you intercede for others!

JEHOVAH-NISSI (WEEK 2)

This week we prayed through the armor of God as found in Ephesians 6:10-17. While I hope you are putting on and taking up each piece daily in your own life, we can also pray them over the people and places God has positioned around us! 

Attached you will find a brief outline of each piece of God's armor as well as some examples of how to pray for it over yourself and others. As always, please pray as the Spirit leads asking that He guide your prayer time, speaking to you and through you!

THE ARMOR OF GOD (WEEK 1)