SCRIPTURAL PRAYER OF PREPARATION
“...Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
Joshua 3:5 (NKJV)
CONSECRATE MYSELF (OURSELVES)
FATHER, YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Joshua 3:5 (NKJV), “...Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” So I am coming before You today to sanctify myself and to separate myself from the sin and perversity in this world. I choose to live a life of holiness so that I please You in every way. And you promised that if I would sanctify myself, You would do wonders. So in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I sanctify myself... and I declare that You will do wonders!
AND YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in James 4:10 (NKJV), “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Therefore, I humble myself before You today. I re- pent of every action and attitude of pride, haughtiness and arrogance. It is foolish to think I can do anything without Your help. As John 15:5 says, without Jesus I can do nothing. I refuse to promote myself, and instead, I humble myself and trust that you will pro- mote me Your way in Your time.
YOUR WORD ALSO SAYS...
... in Joel 2:12–13 (NKJV), “‘Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart ... return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful....’” So I repent of every sin, all disobedience, and all compromise. Whether “big sins” or “little sins,” it matters not; I repent of them all and turn back to You. And I thank You for always being so gracious and merciful when I repent.
AND JESUS SAID...
... in Matthew 6:9–10 and Luke 22:42 (NKJV), “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” and “... Not My will, but Yours, be done.” From my heart I pray these things today: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. May Your kingdom come, and may Your will be done here on earth—in every part of my life—just as it is in heaven. I yield myself to You and say, “Not My will, but Yours, be done!”
CONSECRATE MY (OUR) HOME
LORD, YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Joshua 24:15 (NKJV), “...
Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Therefore I choose this day and I declare that I, and everyone in my household, serve the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
AND JESUS SAID...
... in Matthew 21:13 (NKJV), “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’...” I also declare this over my home. My home is “Your house,” and because it is Your house, I declare, “This house shall be called a house of prayer.”
AND YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Psalm 101:1–4 (NLT), “I will sing of your love and justice, LORD. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.” So I declare that my home will be a place where songs of praise are sung to You; songs about Your love, Your goodness and Your justice. I will live a blameless life of integrity within this home by the power of the Holy Spirit. I refuse to look at or watch vile, vulgar, perverse or inappropriate things. I choose to maintain an atmosphere in my home that makes God feel comfortable.
YOUR WORD ALSO SAYS...
... in Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (ESV), “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children....” I declare that in this home, we will talk about and teach Your words, the Bible. We do this not only with adults, but also with children so that our hearts and mouths remain filled with Your precious word and promises.
FAST DISTRACTIONS
AND LORD, YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Romans 12:1–2 (ESV), “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Therefore I present myself to You—spirit, soul and body—to be holy and acceptable to You as part of my spiritual worship. I refuse to be conformed to this world, and choose rather to be transformed by the renewal of my mind that I may discern Your good, acceptable and perfect will for my life.
AND YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Colossians 3:1–2 (NKJV), “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” I believe that I have been born again and raised up with Christ Jesus, so I direct my mind and thoughts toward heaven, where Jesus is seated at the right hand of Father God. That is where I am seated in Christ spiritually, and it is from there that I receive God’s wisdom and instructions.
YOUR WORD ALSO SAYS...
... in Isaiah 58:6 (ESV), “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” I choose to fast distractions and everything that will interfere with the spiritual preparation of my life and home. I give my attention to the Lord, and I choose to focus on Him, so that I am spiritually prepared for His presence, His purposes, and His power.
“...Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
Joshua 3:5 (NKJV)
CONSECRATE MYSELF (OURSELVES)
FATHER, YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Joshua 3:5 (NKJV), “...Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” So I am coming before You today to sanctify myself and to separate myself from the sin and perversity in this world. I choose to live a life of holiness so that I please You in every way. And you promised that if I would sanctify myself, You would do wonders. So in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I sanctify myself... and I declare that You will do wonders!
AND YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in James 4:10 (NKJV), “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Therefore, I humble myself before You today. I re- pent of every action and attitude of pride, haughtiness and arrogance. It is foolish to think I can do anything without Your help. As John 15:5 says, without Jesus I can do nothing. I refuse to promote myself, and instead, I humble myself and trust that you will pro- mote me Your way in Your time.
YOUR WORD ALSO SAYS...
... in Joel 2:12–13 (NKJV), “‘Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart ... return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful....’” So I repent of every sin, all disobedience, and all compromise. Whether “big sins” or “little sins,” it matters not; I repent of them all and turn back to You. And I thank You for always being so gracious and merciful when I repent.
AND JESUS SAID...
... in Matthew 6:9–10 and Luke 22:42 (NKJV), “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” and “... Not My will, but Yours, be done.” From my heart I pray these things today: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. May Your kingdom come, and may Your will be done here on earth—in every part of my life—just as it is in heaven. I yield myself to You and say, “Not My will, but Yours, be done!”
CONSECRATE MY (OUR) HOME
LORD, YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Joshua 24:15 (NKJV), “...
Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Therefore I choose this day and I declare that I, and everyone in my household, serve the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
AND JESUS SAID...
... in Matthew 21:13 (NKJV), “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’...” I also declare this over my home. My home is “Your house,” and because it is Your house, I declare, “This house shall be called a house of prayer.”
AND YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Psalm 101:1–4 (NLT), “I will sing of your love and justice, LORD. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.” So I declare that my home will be a place where songs of praise are sung to You; songs about Your love, Your goodness and Your justice. I will live a blameless life of integrity within this home by the power of the Holy Spirit. I refuse to look at or watch vile, vulgar, perverse or inappropriate things. I choose to maintain an atmosphere in my home that makes God feel comfortable.
YOUR WORD ALSO SAYS...
... in Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (ESV), “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children....” I declare that in this home, we will talk about and teach Your words, the Bible. We do this not only with adults, but also with children so that our hearts and mouths remain filled with Your precious word and promises.
FAST DISTRACTIONS
AND LORD, YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Romans 12:1–2 (ESV), “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Therefore I present myself to You—spirit, soul and body—to be holy and acceptable to You as part of my spiritual worship. I refuse to be conformed to this world, and choose rather to be transformed by the renewal of my mind that I may discern Your good, acceptable and perfect will for my life.
AND YOUR WORD SAYS...
... in Colossians 3:1–2 (NKJV), “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” I believe that I have been born again and raised up with Christ Jesus, so I direct my mind and thoughts toward heaven, where Jesus is seated at the right hand of Father God. That is where I am seated in Christ spiritually, and it is from there that I receive God’s wisdom and instructions.
YOUR WORD ALSO SAYS...
... in Isaiah 58:6 (ESV), “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?” I choose to fast distractions and everything that will interfere with the spiritual preparation of my life and home. I give my attention to the Lord, and I choose to focus on Him, so that I am spiritually prepared for His presence, His purposes, and His power.