Prayer Devotional - Tuesday

Devotionals

Introduction:

Begin by finding a quiet place. Get comfortable, but not too comfortable so that you go to sleep! Do not answer the phone ? in fact, turn your cell phone off before you start. Grab a couple of pieces of paper or a notebook and a pencil or a pen. Use one piece of paper as your offloading sheet. Any time some concern or to-do threatens to interrupt your prayer, just jot it down and let it go. You?ll come back later. Then you can get back to your reflection unencumbered. Use the other piece of paper to take notes based on the direction below.

There a quite a few prayers recorded in the Bible, especially when you include most of the Psalms. These prayers are great sources for learning more about how to pray. I did a Google search on ?prayers in the Bible? and came up with a great web site: biblia.com/prayer2. It offers a comprehensive list of Old and New Testament prayers. Some of the prayers that make this list do not exactly constitute prayer in my mind, but it is still a very helpful list.

I recommend using prayers from the Bible as a meditation to help energize your own prayer time.

Today, we are using an Old Testament prayer as our starting point. If you have enough time then linger over this prayer. It will provide a great launching pad for your prayer.

PRAYER BASED ON REFLECTIONS FROM JOSHUA 7:6-13

  1. Let?s start by reading Joshua 7:6-13.
    2. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?"

    10 The LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

    13 "Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it.
    (Joshua 7:6-13 NIV)
  2. This prayer exchange follows a great military defeat. Joshua had sent a portion of the army against the city of Ai and they had been roundly defeated. This was not only disappointing but surprising since Joshua had believed that God was delivering the entire land and its people into the Israelites? hands. So how do you think Joshua felt (see especially verse 6)?
  3. Look carefully at verse 6 again. How long did Joshua and the leaders pray? What adjectives would you use to characterize their prayer?
  4. Verses 7 through 9 seem to give a summary of Joshua?s day in prayer. How does he address God? What is the essence of his prayer? Why do you think Joshua feels justified in praying this kind of prayer?
  5. What does this prayer tell you about God? What does it tell you about Joshua? What does it tell you about your prayer life?
  6. Now look at God?s response. In the beginning He sounds almost dismissive. Why do you think God says what he says in verse 10?
  7. If you want to read the background to this passage, look at the first 5 verses of Joshua 6. In summary, some of the Israelites had kept some of the plunder from a previous battle that God had told them to destroy. This blatant sin was the cause of their defeat at Ai. When you experience defeat or setback, how often do you consider spiritual warfare or sin as a possible contributing element?
  8. Begin your prayer time by declaring the truths about God that come to your mind based on this passage. Praise Him centering on these truths.
  9. Next spend some time confessing to God. Ask Him to show you if there are things in your life that are preventing you from being more productive. If there are, confess those things and release them to God.
  10. Now let?s pray for ourselves in relationship to others:
    1. Identify one family member ? whoever God leads you to ? and ask God to help you be what He wants you to be for that person today.
    2. Identify one Gateway person ? whoever God leads you to ? and ask God to help you be what He wants you to be for that person today.
    3. Identify one co-worker or friend ? whoever God leads you to ? and ask God to help you be what He wants you to be for that person today.
  11. Now let?s pray about the needs of one country outside of the USA. There are plenty that commend themselves, so let God lead you to one. Ask for God?s will to be done there and if you know of any specific needs bring those to His attention.
  12. Pray for your own needs. Focus on what your concerns are for today. As long-term concerns come up pray for the strength to do today what you need to do about them. This is the time to bring to God?s attention the list you created on your offloading sheet.
  13. Jot down any final thoughts. This could be positive feelings. This could be more offloading concerns. This could be questions. It could even be some struggle you have discovered. Thanks God that He is in control (remember Joshua?s acknowledgement that God is sovereign) and that everything is in His hands.
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