Prayer Points for November 2015

1. The Lord God Almighty has important plans for you. But you must first give up on your own plans. Trust him and the plans that he has for your life. “Lord, I give up on my plans, and I give myself to you. I trust you to accomplish your plans through me” (Jeremiah 29:11).

2. Praise the Lord for the fantastic tools for men’s ministries that Champions Arise, in cooperation with Every Man a Warrior ()offers through the monthly prayer calendar, audio programs and training material. Pray for men who will lead this ministry in their respective countries and coordinate the development of prayer and study groups with local churches and ministries (Matthew 9:38).

3. Life is for living. When you receive Christ as your Lord and Savior, he comes to indwell you. Christ is life, and he has come to be your life. So thank him for his indwelling presence. Then trust him to be your life. “Lord, live your life in me and make yourself known through me” (Galatians 2:20).

4. Men have been privileged with the role of leading their families spiritually. While this is a privilege, it also demands a deep level of personal integrity. Pray that men will learn to yield to the abiding life of Christ (John 15) and allow his life to flow into even the smallest matters of personal integrity, enabling us to lead our families by example in private as well as in public for his glory.

5. Are you feeling discouraged? Are you facing problems and challenges that are overwhelming you? God has provided a solution –Jesus Christ, our conquering king! Therefore, pray with confidence: “Lord, I trust you to live your victorious life through me. I thank you that I am now more than a conqueror through Christ!” (Romans 8:37).

6. Pray that fathers will set a good example for their children by not using profane or abusive language, but by using words that strengthen and encourage others (Ephesians 4:29).

7. It is a real battle out there. Unfortunately, for most people, it’s a losing battle. God offers a different kind of fight – the good fight. Therefore, God’s way is the way of faith, not force. Your part is faith. So simply tell him: “Lord, I trust you to fight my battles, and I thank you for the good fight of faith!” (1 Timothy 6:12).

8. Temptations come in various forms. Pray for men to be as sensitive to seemingly insignificant sins like “little lies” and “cheating on taxes” as to bigger ones like pornography and corporate theft. Sin is sin, and we should not excuse any. Jesus said:
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” (Luke 16:10)

9. Most Christians recognize the importance of glorifying God. But how can we do that? When Christ comes to indwell you, God’s glory takes up residence in you. Therefore, humbly pray: “I give up trying to glorify you by my works. I ask you to be yourself in me and live your life through me.” As Christ lives his life through you, God will be glorified in you! (See Colossians 1:27).

10. When we observe how events unfold in the world, we get a feeling of discouragement and apathy. However, these feelings never come from God. He wants us to be strong and courageous, to give thanks under all circumstances, and to proclaim the gospel diligently and with authority. Let us give him thanks for all his precious promises today (2 Timothy 1:7).

11. The Bible makes it perfectly clear that our Lord has given men a special responsibility for their families. Some people misinterpret God’s word and conclude that he has decided for men to rule over their wives. But our duty is to take care of our spouses and pay more attention to their needs than our own. Let us pray that we will be able to live our lives and fill our roles according to God’s plan (Ephesians 5:25-28).

12. Divorce rates increase rapidly in the Western world. Child bearing outside of wedlock and cohabitation without marriage have already had a devastating impact on the society. Imagine what can happen if thousands of men raise their voices against this development and make personal commitments to live according to God’s Word. Let us pray for such a movement to gain strength in our respective countries (Matthew 5:48).

13. Many women suffer tremendously as a direct result of men’s selfishness. Unfortunately, way too often, we men are more focused on ourselves than on our spouses and their needs. Let us pray today that God will grant us the wisdom and desire to become godly men – living lives that are pleasing to God and encouraging to our families (James 1:5).

14. Men from any culture have a built-in tendency to look lustfully at beautiful women. Whether we are single or married, we should always be aware of the potential temptations when we interact with the opposite gender. Pray today that you will have the strength and character to live a godly life pleasing to our Father in heaven and a blessing to your friends and family (Proverbs 5:1-5).

15. True character is who we are in the dark, when the eyes of men are not upon us. Pray for men to be consistent in private as well as in public, that our lives will not be compartmentalized but pleasing to the eyes of the Lord. God said to Abraham: “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1).

16. Many men worry about being able to provide for their families as they see unemployment rates rise and inflation increase. Pray that men will cultivate a strong faith in the Lord as their provider. Also, pray that their trust will be in the Lord as they do all they can to maintain a good work ethic and sound spending habits (Matthew 6:25-34).

17. Integrity and character are built over time but can be destroyed overnight. Pray that men will value and protect the investments God has made in their lives, thereby maintaining a good name, which is to be valued more than great riches (Proverbs 22:1).

18. The abuse of alcohol is damaging many families. The Bible says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Ephesians 5:18). Pray that God will break the curse of drunkenness among men.

19. We may not speak Latin, but a little of it is handy. Theology uses the word “omni,” which means “all.” Consider how God is omnipotent – all-powerful. One of our great incentives in prayer is the confidence that God is omnipotent; nothing is too hard for him. May we echo this prayer uttered 4,000 years ago: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You” (Job 42:2).

20. Our God is also omnipresent. With King David we can pray, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?… If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7, 9, 10).

21. The Lord knows everything about everything – he is omniscient. So prayer is not giving him new information (Matthew 6:8). But as you thank God and plead for the advancement of his kingdom, he has total knowledge of every situation. Therefore, we can trust him to answer in a way that glorifies him the most.

22. Pornography denigrates women to objects of lust. The increase in domestic violence and sexual abuse is rampant even in Christian homes. Seek help if you have become an addict. Confess your sin to the Lord and by his power forsake it. Determine by his Spirit to control your eyes and thoughts (Psalm 101:3).

23. One of our main needs in prayer is persistence. Therefore, remember Christ’s threefold invitation to A.S.K.: ask, seek and knock. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” He assures us further, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9, 10).

24. God wants to reassure us that prayer is real. The more intentional we are about fellowship with God, the more confident we are that prayer makes a difference. “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22).

25. Visual temptations are increasing in every society. Pray for men to honor God and their wives by not lusting over women with their eyes (Job 31:1).

26. Corruption and deception are destroying trust on all levels of society. Pray for those in authority to seek what is just and right. Pray for those in charge of the media to act responsibly and without bias in their reporting. Pray for leaders in the Christian Church to learn from the model of Jesus and to walk in integrity, humility and simplicity (Philippians 2:5-9).

27. Divorce is becoming more acceptable even in countries with historically low divorce rates. Pray that men will ignore teachings that contradict the Bible (2 Timothy 4:3) and commit to the Bible’s view of marriage (Ephesians 5:25-33).

28. Champions Arise is encouraging men through prayer, audio programs and discipleship training to be godly leaders. Praise the Lord for the growing ministries in Africa, in the Americas, in India and Indonesia. Pray for Kent Darcie and Edmund Spieker as they introduce CA this month in a difficult-access country where women suffer “from the womb to the tomb” (Ephesians 6:19).

29. Worldwide the number of women committed to serve Christ and to be involved in the life of the Church exceeds by far the number of men who are so committed. Praise the Lord for these women! Unfortunately, the lack of spiritual leadership by men in their homes also is reflected in the Church. Pray for God to awaken Christian men to seek him and his kingdom first and to bring revival to homes and churches (1 Corinthians 11:3).

30. Unless a man becomes a new creation in Christ, he will be defeated in his fight against indwelling sin, the world and the devil. Even Christian men need to be constantly watchful and humble in admitting their weaknesses. Pray for a friend or two with whom you can openly talk about your temptations (Mark 14:38).