Scripture Reading:
Psalm 148, I Corinthians 9:24-27
Reflections of the Heart:
Discipline is developed and guided by decision. As a child of God, the decisions you make on a daily basis will determine the strength of your self-discipline. But, be well aware that the power to align your will with the will of the Father is endowed only by the Holy Spirit. Without Him, discipline (that bears eternal benefit) cannot take shape in your life.
Scriptural Prayer:
Loving Father, we thank You for Jesus. Thank You for working in us; giving us the desire and the power to do what please You. We give You thanks, O Lord, with all our hearts. We will sing Your praises. We bow before Your holy Temple as we worship. We praise Your Name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness, for Your promises are backed by all the honor of Your Name. As soon as we pray, You answer us. You encourage us by giving us strength.
Divine Father, apart from Jesus, the True Vine, we can do nothing. We realize that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We do not belong to ourselves for You bought us with a high price, so we must honor You with our bodies. As true disciples of Jesus Christ, we will remain faithful to His teachings. We know the truth, and the truth as set us free. We will remain strong and immovable. We understand the impact of our influence on others, therefore we make a decision today to live in such a way that will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. Father, we declare that we listen to Your voice. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we take authority over our minds, wills, and emotions because we are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith. Therefore, we strip off every weight that slows us down; especially the sin that easily trips us up. And we declare that we will run with endurance the race that You have set before us. We will do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the Champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Holy Spirit, today I will commit to developing greater spiritual discipline by doing the following (write down the Holy Spirit’s instructions to you):
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Holy Spirit, remind us that the Father has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. We ask You to guide our lives so that we won’t do what our sinful nature craves. Give us desires that are opposite of what our sinful nature desires so that we can remain faithful to the calling of God on our lives. Show us how to develop an ear to hear You when You speak the Father’s will to us and help us to be quick to obey. Whenever we are in danger of backsliding into our old ways, please help us to remember that we are the salt and light to this world.
Precious Father, forgive us of our sins. Forgive us for neglecting and rejecting spiritual discipline in our personal lives. Forgive us for straying away and leaving Your righteousness to follow our own sinfulness. Forgive us for being foolish and prideful. Forgive us for failing to hide Your Word in our hearts on a regular basis to safeguard ourselves from sinning against You. Lord, forgive me for (list any sins that You have committed). Holy Spirit, remind us of those we need to forgive and help us to be quick to forgive. As for me, Holy Spirit, bring to my remembrance those I need to forgive. (Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal names or faces of people that you may need to forgive. As He reveals them, say, “I forgive name of person(s).” Now, trust the Lord to heal any wounds in your soul caused by unforgiveness.)
Holy Spirit, help us all not to yield to temptation but deliver us from the evil one.
God, You are honored in Judah. Your Name is great in Israel. Jerusalem is where You live and Mount Zion is Your home. Salvation comes from You, the God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to You forever and ever! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Scripture References for Written Text: Philippians 2:13, Psalm 138:1-3, John 15:5, I Corinthians 6:19-20, John 8:31-32, Proverbs 4:26-27, Romans 14:13, John 10:27, Hebrews 12:1-2, II Timothy 1:7, Galatians 5:16, Matthew 6:13, Psalm 76:1-2, Revelation 7:10,12
Today, I will trust God to:
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