Prayer Strategy #1 – Passion

Join Us in Person – Join our group discussion on the first and Third Thursday of every month July 18th through Dec 5th from 7:30 am to 9:00 am CT at:

Salem United Methodist
1200 S Lindbergh Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63131

Join Us Virtually – Join our group discussion on the first and Third Thursday of every month July 18th through Dec 5th from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm CT via Zoom video conference call.

Passion combined with fervent prayer is an explosive weapon against the enemy. That’s why he wants to dull your desire. He knows if he can steal that fire inside you, you will be an easier target for discouragement. If he can get you so discouraged you stop praying, you become ineffective.

Once you are ineffective, you will have lost your cutting edge — especially when it comes to your prayer life.

Key Scriptures: 

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Jeremiah 24:7; 29:12-13 I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart…12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Deuteronomy 30:6 Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

Mark 12:30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Ezekiel 36:26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ephesians 6:10-20 (The Amour of God) 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

2 Kings 6:1-7 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. 2 Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.” So he said, “Go.” 3 Then one said, “Please be willing to go with your servants.” And he [a]answered, “I shall go.” 4 So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a beam, [b]the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. 7 He said, “Take it up for yourself.” So he put out his hand and took it.

Key Points:

“Because praying — reaching outward and upward to Him — is the way His passion comes down. Once the wind of God’s Spirit starts blowing, you’re no longer praying rote, innocuous prayers. Instead, you’re praying deliberate prayers. ”

— Fervent, Priscilla Shirer

Losing Your Cutting Edge (Passion) 

1- God is still near

2- The sons were accomplishing something good when their “cutting edge” was lost

3- The ax was borrowed

4- Only God could retrieve the ax

Group Discussion Questions:

• What passions has God gifted to you?
• Have you lost your passion?
• What makes you excited to get up in the morning?
• What drives you and motivates you to want to serve Him?
• Describe a time when you were doing everything “right” and suddenly found yourself facing frustration or disappointment.
• Do you need a miracle in your life? In what way do you need a miracle from God to regain your joy and passion for life?

Prayer Strategy

Use the following framework as a reminder so the prayers you write stay anchored and strong:

P—Praise

R—Repentance

A—Asking

Y—Yes

Praise God for His faithfulness, goodness, victory over the Enemy. Repent for believing the enemy’s lies. Ask for Him to restore your passion. Say YES to trusting in God with and for everything.

Write Your Prayer: Use your prayer cards and write a prayer asking God to ignite or restore your passion!

Throughout this series, I’ll be sharing my prayers with you to serve as inspiration as you work to write your own. Here are some scriptures you might consider adding into your prayer strategy for passion:

• Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalms 51:10 
• I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart. Jeremiah 24:7 
• Call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all  your heart. Jeremiah 29: 12-13
• Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 
• For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34
• I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26