A Prayer about Spiritual Battles

by | Jun 13, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about Spiritual Battles

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

Mighty God,

As I’ve been dealing with some technology tangles

that have me fussing and fuming, 

I’ve realized this could be spiritual attack. 

I pray for myself and for all my fellow prayer warriors 

who are facing a battle with the “cosmic powers” 

and the “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12).

Help us, Lord, 

to battle in your strength 

against these forces, 

because you have provided a full set of armor, 

and because we’re too weak and frail to fight it in our own strength.

Your belt of truth holds us secure; 

your breastplate of righteousness defends against false accusations; 

your gospel shoes give us the peace of your shalom; 

your shield of faith catches flaming lies; 

your helmet of salvation keeps us safe forevermore; 

your Spirit’s sword, your Holy Word, steadies us in true truth; 

and last but definitely not least, 

the prayers of the saints keep us upright. 

Lord, strengthen us 

that we may continue to share the good news 

of our only hope:

Jesus’ conquering name. Amen. 

Read Ephesians 6:10-20.



A Prayer about Hope that Doesn’t Shame Us

by | Jun 12, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about Hope that Doesn’t Shame Us

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

Father God,

What a kind promise:

Hope does not put us to shame…

Many of us have known the shame 

of hoping for things on this earth—

hoping that our parents would get back together, 

hoping that our wandering child would return to you, 

hoping that we’d get that good job—

all good things to hope for, 

and yet we’ve felt shame about those hopes disappointed.

You dare us to hope again, 

promising that your love has been “poured into our hearts” (Romans 5:5).

Because of that love, even if our earthly hopes are disappointed, 

our hopes for the future are secure. 

One day, Jesus will return. 

One day, you will wipe away tears shed on this earth.

 One day, you welcome us warmly to your new heavens and new earth, 

where all hopes are fulfilled in your glorious kingdom. 

We can hardly wait for that day.

In Jesus’ hope-giving name we pray. Amen. 

Read Romans 5:5; Revelation 21:1-5. 



A Prayer about Holy Touch

by | Jun 11, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about Holy Touch

“Greet one another with a holy kiss. Romans 16:16

Loving Father,

After being asked for a hug 

by an elderly woman outside a senior center recently,*

I am more aware than ever of the “famine of touch” 

many in our world experience. 

Those of us who are married or who have children 

may not give much thought 

to how single and elderly people 

may long for appropriate touch.

Pastor Sam Allberry tells us, 

“Churches should provide a remedy [to the famine of touch] 

by being a place where healthy and appropriate touch is encouraged.”** 

Lord, may we become specialists at “gospel touch,”

which Pastor Zack Eswine describes as 

“meant to resemble the touch normatively appropriate 

between family members….” 

Because many of us have been harmed by abusive touch, 

may we remember and guard against 

“abusive, neglectful, presumptuous, or sensual touch 

[which] has no place in the tender touch of gospel life and ministry.”*** 

Help us, Lord, to recover 

a view of the body 

and of holy touch 

that accords with your view.

In the name of Jesus who became flesh for us.

Amen. 

Read John 1:14; 2 John 12; Psalm 139:13-14. 

*To read the whole story about this hug, go to https://elizabethturnagenumberingdays.substack.com/ and look for the column “Story Feast.”

**To think more about how God made our bodies for touch, see Sam Allberry’s excellent book, What God Has to Say about Our Bodies.

***Quoted in Allberry, 192.



A Prayer about Not Trusting in Our Own Righteousness

by | Jun 10, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about Not Trusting in Our Own Righteousness

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt….Luke 18:9

Merciful God,

Open our hearts and show us any ways 

we “trust in ourselves,” 

any ways we think we are “righteous”—

thoughts like, “I’m a pretty good person,” 

or “I went to church five times this month,” 

or “I gave a lot of money to that homeless ministry.” 

Open our hearts to show us 

any ways we “treat others with contempt” — 

things like, “I can’t believe she wore that to church,” 

or  “What a jerk to cheat on his taxes!” 

or “I’m glad I never have committed any of the big sins like so-and-so.”

Lord, you have made it clear—

We must come to you with bottomless humility, 

a deep awareness of we can do nothing “good” without you.

Show us our sin, large and small, 

and send us to our knees, 

begging your forgiveness, 

grateful for your mercy. 

In your humble and exalted name. Amen. 

Read Luke 18:9-14.



A Prayer about the Occupied Throne

by | Jun 9, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Spiritual Growth

A Prayer about the Occupied Throne

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” Revelation 5:13

 

Lord Our Heavenly King,

We confess, 

we’ve never seen a throne in real life, 

and sometimes it’s hard to understand 

what it means that you’re sitting 

on the throne of heaven, 

right this very minute. 

Show us, we pray, 

that we might see you as our glorious King 

even as we wait for the day 

we will gather before your throne in person.

Because you are on the throne, 

we can wait for that day confidently, 

knowing that the day of judgment is coming 

for evil rulers who seem to be winning over the world 

with their corrupt power. 

Because you are on the throne, 

we can wait peacefully, 

knowing that our King is seated on the throne, 

not pacing the floor wringing his hands in worry 

about the wretched state of the cosmos. 

Because you are on the throne, we can wait gratefully, 

seeing the King who suffered for us to make us his people. 

Because you are on the throne, we can wait worshipfully, 

bowing with all the saints of heaven 

before your occupied throne, 

singing the praise of our benevolent King.

In Jesus’ just and merciful name we pray. 

Amen.

Read Revelation 4-5.

A Prayer about the Profound Peace God Gives

by | Jun 8, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel Coaching

A Prayer about the Profound Peace God Gives

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

God of Peace,

When my kids were young, 

with four children in six years, 

sometimes all I wanted was a little peace and quiet. 

Nothing wrong with a little peace and quiet, 

but may we never forget that your peace 

is something far richer, far more wonderful.

Your peace, in Hebrew, is shalom, 

a state of “universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight.”* 

This shalom gives rise to wonder, awe, and joy, 

at the God who brings it.

After Adam and Eve sinned, 

the world, and all who lived in it, 

fell into a state of disorder, 

a state of chaos, 

in which disease and division and dissension ruled the day. 

But you, the God of peace, 

sent Jesus, our Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), 

to give us peace with you (Romans 5:1). 

Because Jesus died for our sins, 

we who trust in him for salvation, 

are reconciled with you (Romans 5:10).

Now, united to Christ, 

we live in his legacy of peace, 

of wholeness, flourishing, and delight. 

And even as we are still troubled at times by this fallen world, 

we look forward to the day 

when Christ our peace will return 

to fully restore all peace. 

In that day, we will live forever in harmony 

with you and with others.

Thank you for being our peace 

today and every day until that day.

In Jesus’ peace-bringing name. Amen. 

Read John 14:25-27; Romans 16:20; Isaiah 26:3; Romans 5:1-11.

See Cornelius Plantinga’s book Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin