Apostolic prayer
As the early church was birthed, the apostles prayed fervently for the congregations under their watch. Apostolic prayers, which are the prayers the apostles prayed, can provide us with a biblical guide on how we too can pray for our own church communities.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
An apostolic prayer for our church community
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for our church community. Just as the apostles prayed fervently for the early church, we unite with the same heart to pray for our own, that You would complete the good work that You have begun in our community.
Philippians 1:3-6 NKJV I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ
We pray that we will abound more and more in love towards the Lord, towards one another, and towards others, and grow in the discernment to know what is the Lord’s will or not, so that we will bear good fruits of righteousness that are rooted in Jesus Christ and in not man’s will. We commit to following Your agenda and timing in all things.
Philippians 1:9-11 NKJV And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Father in heaven, please sanctify each one of us completely so that our whole spirit, soul, and body may be preserved blameless before Jesus’ second coming, as we confess our sins to one another and forgive those who have trespassed against us, just as You have forgiven us. We welcome the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom You have poured out on us abundantly. We will humbly set ourselves apart for You.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NKJV Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Matthew 6:11-12 NKJV Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
Titus 3:4-7 NKJV But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Strengthen each one of us in our inner being through the Holy Spirit so that Jesus may richly dwell in our hearts through faith. As the Holy Spirit pours the love of Christ into our hearts, may our hearts grow mightily in faith to know that You are capable of doing exceedingly above all that we ask for think according to Your power that is at work in us. Forgive us for any time our faith has been weak!
Ephesians 3:16-21 NKJV that He would grant you , according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you , being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Romans 5:5 NKJV Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Lord, keep us united with one heart and one mind, increase our love for one another, and keep our hearts blameless in holiness before You. May we abound in joy, hope and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit, as the God of patience and comfort moves us to be gracious towards one another. Jesus is coming again. May He find us prepared for His return.
Romans 15:13 NKJV Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:5-6 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 NKJV And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
Lord, please open numerous doors for us to share the gospel in this window of opportunity before Jesus returns. We desire to glorify You and bring more into personal knowledge of our wonderful Saviour, Jesus Christ. May we boldly share personal testimonies of how Jesus has transformed our lives through the power of Your Word and the Holy Spirit. Open the hearts of our families and friends to witness the many good things that You have done in our lives. May the Word of the Lord and testimony of Jesus Christ advance and bear much fruit for the kingdom of God, all for Your glory.
Colossians 4:2-4 NKJV Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
1 Corinthians 1:5-8 NKJV that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philemon 1:6 NKJV that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
Lord, grant us all boldness to share Your Word. Stretch forth Your hand to heal, and may many signs and wonders be done through us in the name of Jesus. Let us lack no spiritual gift for the sake of advancing Your kingdom on earth.
Acts 4:29-30 NKJV Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
Deliver us from unreasonable and false accusations. Guard us from spiritual attacks and wicked people. Enlighten our understanding and open our spiritual eyes so that we may fully grasp the hope of our calling and the greatness of Your infinite power towards all who believe in and put their faith in You. Thank you that we have been given access to all the power and resources we need for the work You have set before us, because You are Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 NKJV Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you , and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you , both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
Ephesians 1:17-20 NKJV that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Along with all the saints around the world, strengthen us with all might, wisdom and spiritual understanding so that we can endure all things with all patience and long-suffering. Make us worthy of Your calling in the way we walk out our faith, fully pleasing to You. We seek to glorify the name of Jesus Christ!
Colossians 1:9-12 NKJV For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NKJV Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling**, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
** patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations (2 Thessalonians 1:4)
In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!”