Welcome to the February 2012 Prayer Vigil!

 

Welcome to the February 2012 Prayer Vigil!

In this prayer time at the beginning of the New Year of 2012, and throughout the year, let us pray together for the effectiveness of each believer in IBC in being the salt and light in the world that Jesus said that we should be (Matt. 5: 13 – 16). To have an impact in this world for Christ we need to pray and live our lives as Jesus’ true disciples, exercising the power that he promised that we can have through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1: 8). We need to be continuously connected to our source of power and be appropriately equipped. Otherwise, like a car without gasoline or its wheels, or an electric appliance with the wrong wiring or a disconnected power cable, or as Jesus said – salt that had lost its flavor; we will be useless for the Kingdom of God.

Let us pray –

Holy Father, help us to continually abide in Jesus and for him to abide in us (John 15: 5 – 8) and may we live our lives knowing and acknowledging the reality that our lives are not about us (1 Cor. 6: 19, 20) but it is all about you, our creator, master and Lord. I am just a participant in your vast plan and picture which is immensely greater than I or my church. May we rejoice in the privilege that you loved us first (1 John 4: 19) while we were still your enemies (Rom. 5:10) and yet you chose us to be your own to participate in your plan (Eph. 1: 4, 5; John 6: 65).  May our desire be to put you first in our lives by denying ourselves, carrying our cross daily and following Jesus that we may be true followers of Christ (Luke 9: 23 – 26; 14: 27), always mindful that we “have been brought from death into life” and to offer our bodies to you as “instruments of righteousness” (Rom. 6: 13). The cross and Christ’s resurrection means we are “dead to sin but alive to God in Jesus Christ” (Rom. 6: 8 – 11)! Father, help us not to be ashamed of the Gospel but rejoice in the salvation we have because of it, and be courageous in proclaiming it to the world and let our desire be to lose our lives for Jesus instead of struggling to fulfill our own plans to gain the life or the things of this world that our fleshly-self desire.  Transform us by the renewing of our minds so that we will no longer conform to the pattern of this world (Rom. 12: 2).

Father, I pray that the faith that we have is based on the power of God and not on men’s wisdom (1 Cor. 2: 6), and similarly, I pray that all that we do at IBC is not just according to the wisdom of man but in accordance to your Spirit who knows the things that are from you (1 Cor. 2: 6 –16).

Father help us to know fully the truth in all of the scriptures which you have given us, the whole counsel of God, because it is the word of life and so that we will be “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3: 14 – 17; 1 John 1: 1); and it is the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17), “Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4: 12). Let us remember that we are engaged in a war not against flesh and blood (2 Cor. 10: 3 – 5; Eph. 6: 12). Keep us save from false or erroneous doctrines so that we will not be led astray and become ineffective for your work (1 John 2: 24 – 26).

Father, protect us from the Evil One, our dangerous and powerful adversary (Jude 1: 9; 1 Peter 5: 8) and help us to flee from temptation (1 Tim. 6: 11), to resist the Devil (James 4: 7) and to “pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6: 18).

Father, open our eyes to see the things that you want to show us, just as you had shown your son Jesus our Lord (John 5: 19 – 20) so that we will know how to go about your business, and through our faith in Jesus we will do what he was doing and even more for your glory (John 14:12 – 14).

Father, help us in our relationships so that we can fulfill your command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12: 33; Romans 13: 8 – 10) and “in everything, do to others what I would have them do to me, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7: 12). May the love that we show in all our relationships, especially marriage relationships, witness to the world of our love and submission to our Lord Jesus and his love for his church (Col. 3: 18 – 4: 1; Eph. 5:15– 33; John 13: 34).

Father, help us to go forth in your power recognizing that what you want us to become and have sent us to do can only be accomplished by your divine power (2 Thess. 1: 11; 2 Peter 1: 3; 2 Cor. 10: 3 – 5). May all the good work that we accomplish through your power draw the world’s attention to you that you may receive praise and glory.

Father, I also pray for –

- Pastor Dan and his family.

- The deacons, church staff, ministry leaders and all those who work quietly but diligently behind the scenes at IBC.

- The revelation of the Lord’s purposes and plans for the ministries and missions of the church; and for those ministries and missions in partnership with IBC, such as Pastor Tony and Marsha Woods’ relief and outreach work in Sandai, Japan;

- Health and healing for Pastor Dan, Y. M. Chen, Henry Koo, Doreen, Beatrice Ariwi, Wendy Teh, Kevin Ip, Catherine Sun’s father, Vicky Lee’s parents.

- The growth of the men’s ministry in faith and fellowship.

- Plans for the children and youth ministries and the need for more workers.

- The church budget preparation and the people involved and that the budget will truly reflect the Lord’s purposes for IBC.

- Our individual outreach and witness for the Gospel.

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And I pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3: 16 – 21).

[This prayer guide was prepared by Charles Ip, words which are underlined in Scripture quotations have been changed from the original NIV text]