Week One
WAKE UP NOW.
“And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.” Romans 13:11 NET
Every day, we wake up and go through our day full of tasks. In Romans 13:11, God calls us to spiritually wake up now: “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” Each day that passes is a day closer to when we will experience the culmination of our salvation as we are with our Savior for all eternity. As we begin our 40 Days of Prayer, let’s take time to prepare ourselves spiritually through activities we experience on a daily basis. We begin our day with opening our eyes to His reality around us and surrendering ourselves anew to all He has for us. So, as we go throughout our week, let’s wake up now to the reality that salvation is near.
Week Two
PRAY NOW.
“Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart.” Luke 18:1 NET
Always includes now. Jesus’ prescription for whatever we’re facing right now is prayer. There should always be this sense of urgency within us to seek the Father for His help, direction, and power. James echoes this when he writes, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray” (James 5:13a). Prayer should be our first reaction, not our last resort. That is part of what the Lord wants to teach us as we begin another year in prayer as the Alliance family. In the face of challenging circumstances, we’re all apt to shift immediately into problem-solving mode, trying to bring our resources to bear on the issue, only to find ourselves overmatched. As we ask the Lord instead, we turn our attention and faith to the unlimited resources of our Almighty God.
“Lord, teach us to pray!”
Week Three
HIS NOW.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” John 15:16 NET
God created us to be His possession and for His glory. However, sin separated us from the holy God, and all of us fall short of His glory. But through God’s grace, we have been justified freely through the redemption that came through Jesus Christ. Because of what Jesus did on the Cross, we are now reconciled with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. As joint heirs with Christ, we share the “glory of Christ,” which God the Father gave to Jesus. Hence, we are now His! We are His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, special possessions, sheep, messengers, and masterpieces.
Week Four
WORSHIP NOW.
“But a time is coming—and now is here—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such people to be his worshipers.” John 4:23 NET
The Lord desires hearts that authentically worship Him. Whether it be in song, conversation, prayer, or art, worship is an expression of gratitude, thankfulness, and love towards God, our Father. He is seeking people who worship Him with sincerity and authenticity, and in order to do so, our hearts must be surrendered completely to Him. We are called to fear the Lord, serve Him, and hold fast to His promises and truth (Deut. 6:13). Everything we do—really, all we are—should flow out of an abundance of praise and worship to the Lord. Let us surrender together, in humble submission to the Lord Jesus, and worship Him in spirit and in truth
Week Five
FAMILY NOW.
“Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you is a member of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27 NET
Families are important for growing, celebrating, enjoying, finding love, communication, safety, and a sense of belonging. However, many forces in the world seek to tear families apart. Similarly, there are competing forces that aim to separate the family of God, even though we share the same Father. In these troublesome yet encouraging times, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we must now safeguard and strengthen the Body of Christ. Let each one of us continue to grow strong and thereby grow together as the family of God serving out the purposes of God.
Week Six
EVANGELIZE NOW.
For he says, “I heard you at the acceptable time, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!” 2 Corinthians 6:2 NET
Queen Esther risked everything to go before the king to help bring salvation to her people. There was a point when she said it was time to act. Her mentor, Mordecai, said, “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). In our world today, people are desperate for rescue from empty lives and fears that plague them. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says that the time of God’s favor and the day of salvation is now. Let’s pray powerful prayers asking God to use us for such a time as this in our society to share His salvation, that people will receive His love for them