Pray that we would be effective and productive for the Lord Jesus, useful and not useless. 2 Peter chapter 1 spells it out very clearly. In order to be effective and productive it all starts with faith.
So please pray that first and foremost, we would be people of faith. Not relying on our own resources – but with all our confidence in Jesus. He is the Righteous One who gave His life for us. He is the One who gives us the power and equips us with all we need to serve Him. Please pray that we would depend on Him together and know His great power at work through us. But Peter says that added to faith we also need goodness.
Pray that we would live our lives in a way that is excellent in the eyes of God and of men. That we would be known as people who are willing and eager to do good. That we might be alert and ready for the good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. But that’s not all, Peter says we also need knowledge.
Please pray we would know Jesus more and more. Please pray for the preaching of God’s word, that we would be fed, that we would grow in our knowledge. Please also pray that others may come in, hear God’s word and know Jesus for themselves. But still there is more self-control.
We are all sinners who naturally have a tendency to selfishness. We want an easy life with a minimum of hassle. Please pray we would be ready to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus. Pray that we would be ready to make sacrifices for Him. Pray we would be willing to put aside our own preferences, habits, desires. Pray we would be quick to serve, just as our Lord Jesus so willingly served us. Then of course we will need perseverance.
It is easy to start things, much harder to keep going!! Please pray we would take a long term view of the work God has called us to. If we get to a point where we feel like giving up, please pray we would persevere. After all Jesus persevered to the cross in order to save us. Pray we wouldn’t be quitters! And don’t forget to pray for godliness.
If we are going to be effective for the Lord Jesus then we need to be conciously God centred in all we do. I am aware that there will be plenty of things that could distract us from that position. We need to allow Him to set the agenda. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Him. Plus we will need a good dose of brotherly-kindness.
One of the wonderful privileges of being a Christian is belonging to the family. Please pray that we would develop deep and genuine relationships such that we care for each other as brothers and sisters. I don’t mean that we would just be “friends” and "be nice" to each other. Instead please pray for that depth of relationship which means we show real spritual concern for each other. And finally love.
Please pray we would be characterised by love (not “airy fairy” love – but God like love). Remember He demonstrated His own love for us in this, while we were still sinners Christ died for us. He doesn’t love people because they are lovely, He loves the unlovely. He loves those who have treated Him appallingly. Pray that we would be given a supernatural love for those around us. That we would not love as the world loves – but that we would love people enough to share Jesus with them. Please pray that our evangelism would not be motivated not so much out of guilt but out of love (for God and for others).
It would be fantastic of you would pray these things for the team who are going to be involved with the four o’clock Service. Without these eight qualities we will be useless. Therefore please pray that we possess them in increasing measure.
By the way, in case you hadn’t noticed, these things are needed by every Christian who desires to be useful to our Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t just pray this for the four o’clock Service, let’s pray that each of us would possess these qualities and so be useful to Jesus. Shall we pray...?
Jonty Allcock - EEFC Focus Magazine September 2007