Prayer - Honor the Body of Christ: The Church

1 Corinthians 12:12 – 14, 26 & 27 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many….And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to honor Your Name and the Name of Your Son, my Lord Jesus Christ.
Holy Spirit, come and help me pray for the Body of Christ.

Father, you have placed all who profess the name of your son Jesus into His body. You have created one New man. We are a many membered body, yet we do not see this body rightly.

Father, this body, the Church, is a broken body. We bite and devour one another, we judge one another out of insecurity and jealousy and we have made a mockery of the Name of Jesus before the world. Lord, forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Open our eyes to see the beauty of your Church. Help us to rejoice in the victories that you have won in and through those who profess the name of Jesus. Teach us how to honor your people and be thankful for those who are blessed by you.

Father, thank you for the Pasor's that You have brought to my home town. Thank You for their hearts, that they are men and women who follow hard after you. Thank You for the revelation you have given them of Your Body and for the desire that you have birthed in them to minister to this community as a unified Body of Christ. Lord protect those you have called to lead your people. Increase their revelation of Your Glory and the Glory of your Son Jesus. Increase their relationship with Your Holy Spirit, that they may be refreshed as Your Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus before their eyes.

Father, there are many who profess the name of Christ who have believed that You have called them to judge and tear down other members of the Body of Christ.

Father, forgive us and pour out a spirit of repentence upon us, open our eyes to see the Body of Christ as You see it. But Father, I ask that you would close the mouths of all Your people who open their mouth to devour the body of your Son, Jesus. Close my own mouth when I begin to speak with a critical heart. Help me to honor and restore the members of your body, rather than tear it down.

Father, help us to hear Your heart as You cry and mourn over the critical heart of your people...it is a poison that infect's the Body of Christ, bitterness that infects the soul of your people. Have mercy on us and bring revelation to us of your great grace that has been given to us through the death and resurrection of Your son Jesus.

Lord God! Deliver us from the bewitching lies of self righteousness so that we may stand humbly before You and give glory & honor to Jesus our Savior and King.

Renew our speach and our thinking that it may reflect the scriptures that say in Philipians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, what ever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."

Open our eyes that we may see the Body of Christ - the Church as You see it and love & honor each member as You.

In Jesus' Holy Name
Renee