“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Philippians 1:27
The word “joy” cannot describe how I feel when I think of how You saved me from darkness and chose me from before time to be adopted into Your family. I praise You for sending Your Son to live a perfect life and die in my place, and for sending Your Spirit to seal, guide, and comfort.
I am grateful for both Your holy love and sanctifying Spirit; and yet I confess my utter imperfection, sinfulness, and need. I have often failed to live a life worthy of the gospel and have treasured sin more than You. I have taken your grace lightly and failed to exalt the Risen Christ with my actions, words, and thoughts. Please help me be ever watchful and prayerful so as to avoid sin. And when I do sin, help me confess it and be quick to repent. O, Lord, rescue me from lies of the world, my flesh, and the devil and reorient my life around Your created reality!
As you speak to me by Your Word, open my eyes to see and treasure Your wondrous truths and understand how they triumph over the world’s pervasive (and sometimes persuasive) lies. Cause your Word to shine it’s light on my sin, exposing it and making sin disgusting to me. When I read Your written Word, may it lead me to the Incarnate Word—Your Son Jesus Christ. May Your Word by my heart’s delight, constant meditation, the default status of my mind; dwelling richly within me.
As I speak to You in prayer, please rid me of distracting or distressing thoughts that drain my prayers’ vitality, and cause delight and thankfulness to well up within me to the praise of Your glorious grace. By Your Spirit, draw me nearer to You and guide my intercessions toward greater Kingdom usefulness. May the longing of my heart increasingly be for Your glory displayed in Your image bearers, the building up Your church, and the advance of the gospel around the world.
Thank you for the opportunity and privilege of being a channel of Your grace to others. Fill my lips with Your truth to speak and live out Your gospel to a lost and dying world. Help me follow Christ’s example and forgive as I’ve been forgiven, live with exceeding generosity, bear the burdens of others, encourage the discouraged, show hospitality, and most of all, walk in love. Grant that my fellowship with other believers would nourish and edify like the rejuvenating effects of a rich, soaking rain.
Fix my mind and heart on the glory of Your Son and the sufficiency of His sacrifice. Father, strengthen me to take up my cross and follow Jesus. Help me to boast in only two things: the cross and my weakness that demonstrates Your unmatched strength. Until Christ returns, make me zealous for good works and increasingly transformed into the image of Your Son.
Thank you Father, for the sustaining grace of Your Holy Spirit that makes it possible for me to live a life worthy of the gospel.
Editor’s Note: I wrote a book to help believers overcome obstacles in prayer! Learn more about When Prayer Is a Struggle or buy it on Amazon.
