Canopy of Prayer - 10 Days of Prayer
Day 1: Prepare to encounter God as His people.
Lord God, You created us because You are a God of love.
You purchased us with the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, when we were still sinners, and invited us to enter into your presence behind the veil.
We present ourselves to You today as your beloved children, to serve You in spirit and in truth.
Set our hearts ablaze with love and obedience to You.
Cleanse us from all filthiness so that we can encounter You with pure and undefiled hearts.
Teach us to tarry in your presence and to simply wait on You.
You are the One who is enthroned in the heavens. You are God from eternity to eternity.
You are indescribable in glory and holiness. You abound in love, faithfulness and truth.
You cannot lie and will fulfill all your promises to us.
You called us as witnesses in the Kingdom of your Son.
Allow us to become eyewitnesses of your work among the children of mankind in our generation.
As we gather to pray as families, churches and communities, fill us with faith that You will bring lasting transformation in our lives and throughout entire communities.
Let your Kingdom come, let your Will be done on earth today as it is in heaven.
Day 2: Preparing to live for His glory.
Father in heaven, You are the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, and Your Name is holy.
You have commanded us not to take Your Name in vain, nor to profane or blaspheme Your Name.
Yet Your Name has been profaned among the nations and many people had forgotten Your Name and stretched out their hands to other gods. We confess that we have transgressed your command.
As we now pray and confess Your Name, and turn from our sin, please hear and restore us.
Please forgive us, and sanctify Your Name so that all nations, even Your adversaries, shall know that You are Lord and fear Your Name.
Unite our hearts to fear Your Name so that we will depart from iniquity and will hold fast to Your Name and not deny You.
Forgive us for wanting to make a name for ourselves. Forgive us for our foolish jealousies and selfish ambitions.
You revealed your Name through your Son, Jesus Christ, and You have given us his Name to call upon for salvation.
We declare that at His Name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to your honor and glory.
Sanctify your Name amongst us as we unite to pray and seek your face.
We lift our voices and bless your Name!
Amen
Day 3: Preparing to meet God in brokenness.
Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, we humble ourselves before You.
You humbled Yourself as the Son of God to become the Son of Man.
You even humbled Yourself to die a shameful death on the cross! Let this mind also be in us, for You, o Lord, require a broken and a contrite heart in those who seek You.
Soften our hardened hearts.
Melt our cold and distant hearts before the fire of your love.
We confess that inherently we are arrogant and full of pride.
Let arrogance and pride be removed from within us.
Teach us to make ourselves as nothing, so that we too can take the nature of a servant and value others more than ourselves.
Make us small in our own eyes so that we can see You and exclaim with John the Baptist: “You must increase and we must decrease!”
Help us to become honest with ourselves, honest with our struggles, and open to your discipline in our lives.
As we humble ourselves under your mighty hand, please have mercy on us.
Come and guide us in what is right. Show each one of us your love, acceptance, forgiveness and salvation.
Meet with us face-to-face. Teach us the ways of humility and servant hood, and lead us to walk in your footsteps.
Come, lay your gentle and humble heart within us, and give us rest for our souls.
Amen
Day 4: Preparing to pray beyond ourselves.
Holy Spirit, our Comforter, help us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but You intercede for us with groans that words cannot express. Reveal to us what You are praying for. Teach us to become intercessors and to pray for others. Open our eyes to see the need of the world around us. Move and break our hearts with the things that break the heart of God. Let us see the world through your eyes. We are selfish by nature, but Jesus commanded us to love others as we love ourselves. We submit to You our emotions and thoughts. You are abounding in love and kindness. You let the sun rise on both good and evil and let it rain on both just and unjust. Teach us to pray without judging, to love without prejudice, to give without expecting anything back and to honor and respect every person because You value each one of them. Fill our hearts with compassion for saints and sinners alike. Help us to look beyond the surface to see the needs and suffering in our communities. Help us to carry the burden of others before You in prayer and in practical ways. Let us understand the significance of standing in the gap before You, on behalf of our peoples and nations.
Amen
Day 5: Preparing to seek God’s face.
Lord God, You said: “Seek my face!” We come to seek your face.
We want to know You for who You are. Do not hide your face from us. You are a forgiving God and it is because of your forgiveness that we can stand before You this day. We desire to be intimate with You, to love You with all our hearts, our minds and our strength. We no longer want to meet You casually. We want deep encounters with You. It is when we behold your face that we will be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We earnestly pray that You will give us a burning desire to seek You more and more. When we are asleep, let our hearts be awake. You promised that those who seek You with their whole hearts will find You and that You will show us your glory. We open our hearts before You. Fill us now with a desire to know You and You alone. Fill us with a holy determination to seek You until You reveal Yourself to us. Let us not grow tired or weary in our desire to see your face. Come near to us and have mercy on us as we seek You.
Fulfill your promise that when we draw near to You, You will draw near to us.
Day 6: Preparing to repent.
Lord Jesus Christ, You began your ministry with these words: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!”
Then You commanded us to go and preach repentance and forgiveness of sins.
If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, because You have shed your blood to pay for our sins.
What You require of us is repentant hearts, that we will not merely rend our garments as an outward sign of repentance, but that we will rend our hearts.
Lord, break our hardened hearts with godly sorrow over the shallowness and superficiality of our spiritual walk with You.
Let us see the poverty of our spirits and our need for a deep inner transformation of our hearts.
Confront us with your holiness, your purity and your infinite and tender love and kindness.
Your kindness leads us to repentance.
Allow us to enter into your awesome presence and there be broken so that we can receive your love and forgiveness anew.
Give us the desire to live a life free of sin, free of evil and free of fleshly ways, and give us a deep hunger for holiness and purity.
As we lift our hearts to You, fill us with faith and expectancy that You will create in us a clean heart and a steadfast spirit, o faithful God.
Day 7: Preparing to confess.
Jesus Christ, Our advocate in heaven, You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.
You forgive iniquity, transgression and sin. Reveal to us our sin in the light of Your purity and holiness. You are infinitely holy in nature and sin is an abomination in your sight. We come to plead for mercy and grace for ourselves and for our generation. Justice is far from us. We look for light, but there is darkness! We grope around as if we are blind. We stumble and fall because our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities. We speak oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. Justice is turned back in our nations and righteousness stands afar off; Truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter. Oh, send your Spirit to convict us of sin, righteousness and judgment because You are faithful and will forgive us if we confess our sins. Free us from the burden of the guilt of our sins and from the bondages of the power of sin. Help us not to live according to our fleshly desires, but to put to death the deeds of the flesh through Your Spirit. Let the fruit of the Spirit become evident in the Church and may our conduct be honorable amongst the unbelievers so that they may see our good works and glorify You. Search now our hearts, oh God, and see if there are any wicked ways in us.
Amen
Day 8: Thursday, May 8: Preparing to be transformed.
Father God, we pray that You will shine in our hearts with the light of the gospel.
We plead with You to transform us by renewing our minds through Your Word, so that we will not be conformed to this world, but may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Your WORD is alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Come, pierce the division of our soul and spirit and discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.
Let a hunger and thirst for truth grow in us. Create in us a longing to be truly sanctified, to be like Christ in all of our hearts and minds and souls. Your Word is like a fire and a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces. Send your Word into our hearts and accomplish your will in us.
Break down the strongholds and ideologies that have been raised up in our minds that resist the knowledge of who You are.
Let your word be a lamp to our feet and a light for our path.
You have the words of eternal life. We hope in and put our trust in You that You will bring about transformation and restoration in your Church and in our communities.
Use us to be the agents of transformation in our societies by becoming a living sacrifice to You.
Here we are, send us.
Amen
Day 9: Preparing to meet God’s gaze.
Jesus Christ, You are our Heavenly Bridegroom.
We, as your Bride, turn to fix our eyes upon You.
It is when we behold You that we will be transformed into your image.
Open our eyes to see You; to behold the glory which the Father has given You.
You are our High Priest, the Author of our salvation.
Complete the work of salvation in us, so that we can share in your glory.
Your death on the cross opened the way for us to enter in behind the veil.
We have full access to the throne of grace.
Gaze upon us as we seek your face, and release your manifold grace to enable us to break through the restraints of the flesh to meet You in spirit and truth.
Your eyes are like a blazing fire.
Purify us with the refiner’s fire, until we reflect your glory.
Remove from us all shame and guilt so that we can behold You with unveiled eyes, unashamed and unafraid.
Allow us to see the love that You have for your Bride.
Draw us with your love into your presence.
Unite our hearts with yours so that we may be one with You.
Give us understanding of your purposes for your Church in our generation.
Set our hearts ablaze with love and uncompromising obedience to your will.
Speak to us, we are listening.
Amen
Day 10: Preparing to consecrate ourselves as His dwelling.
Father God, we pray that You will give us a Spirit of wisdom and revelation to know You.
Enlighten the eyes of our hearts. Strengthen our inner man with power through your Spirit, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. Root and ground us deeply in love, so that we may comprehend with all the saints through the ages, what is the length, breadth, height and depth of the love of Christ. Strengthen us to understand the meaning of this love and fill us with the fullness of God. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and Jesus promised that both You and He will come and live in us and make your home in us. Wash us, cleanse us and strengthen us through your Spirit so that we can truly become your dwelling place. Sanctify us and set us apart as belonging to You. We come to consecrate our hearts, our minds, our wills, our ways, our hands and feet and to invite You to come and inhabit your Church. We dedicate ourselves to You, to live only to your glory, so that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will fill the earth as the waters cover the seas. Come, Holy One, Ancient of Days, Creator of heaven and earth; Come, Jesus Christ, Son of God, High Priest, King of Kings; Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of wisdom and understanding, Spirit of counsel and might, Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; Come and consecrate us and fill us, your temple.
Amen