Prayer Fuel

Pray as the Lord leads you as you read today’s verse

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27) ESV

Praying with insight

Today, many people in this place are building their lives on careers, family relationships, reputation, money, influence, and health. These are all things that cannot endure the floods and the winds of life. Pray for them to have the chance to learn of the Rock of Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

For believers

Riyadh grew up as a Muslim but came to faith in Christ as a young man. Despite persecution and losing relationships with family members, he held on to Jesus as his pearl of great price. He married a believer from his people group, and together, they began to build their lives based on the Bible, although they had few Christian examples to follow. They read the Bible, and Riyadh led his family in building their lives upon the Rock. Today, not only do their children follow Jesus, but God uses this couple to multiply His church by allowing them to teach others how to be disciples who make disciples. The rain has fallen, floods came, winds blew, but they are steadfast because they trust Jesus’ words. Pray for leaders like Riyadh and his wife to multiply themselves into many other leaders in this region.

For the lost

It started with cheating on exams in school. Then there was lying to parents and teachers…telling his fiancee what she wanted to hear… cutting corners, fudging accounts, taking a little here, and borrowing a little there. “As long as I don’t get caught,” Ali tells himself, “what’s the harm?” As long as he stays ahead of the creditors… as long as he doesn’t let his friends from different circles get to know each other. It’s all fine until the house of cards starts to crumble. Ali, and many like him in this place, build their lives upon the sand and cannot stand when unexpected floods and winds come. Pray that when their world crumbles, they will have the opportunity to read Jesus’ teachings, be convicted of the truth, and choose a different path. Pray that their testimony of transformation would result in friends and family also wanting to investigate the teachings of Jesus.

For the church

Obedience brings stability. When we obey Jesus’ commandments, we remain in his love. (John 15:10) This is the foundation, the rock we build upon. The love of God revealed in the sacrificial love of Jesus on the cross — this is unshakable. Suffering and persecution may come, but nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. He who did not spare his own Son, how will he not also give us all things? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Who will condemn us? (Romans 8:32-33) Pray that disciples in this place will not only hear the words of Jesus and believe the words of Jesus but also obey the words of Jesus and rest in the steadfastness of his love.

For areas of influence

Places of Religion

As Muslims leave the mosque tonight and begin to prepare for Eid, the celebration to mark the end of Ramadan, we pray many will be filled with a desire to read the Injil (New Testament). We pray for God to increase the access they have to ‘hearing these words’ of Jesus online or in bookshops. We pray for them to begin to discover its truth. As they put into practice the things they read, may they experience the blessing that comes from being like the wise man in this teaching (Matthew 7:24-27). We pray for groups of friends and family members who go to the mosque together to begin to read God’s Word together and be transformed.

Declaration of the scripture

Have mercy, O God. We confess that there are those in this area who have “forsaken [God], the spring of living water and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” (Jeremiah 2:13) Reveal their brokenness to their own hearts, Lord. Let them see that before their eyes is a spring of life, that their endless striving to build something themselves is futile. Houses built on sand will be destroyed and can never provide shelter. Cisterns that leak can never quench thirst. Please, Jesus, let them see that your Word is true, that obeying you brings life and rest.