Breakthrough 

Our prayers can sometimes feel empty and powerless. Unknown to us could be unseen obstacles that turn God away from listening to our prayers. What could these be and how can we remove the blockages so that we can experience greater breakthroughs in our prayers?

(See Chinese versions: 简体中文 > 突破) | 繁體中文 > 突破 )

See What stops answered prayers.

A prayer for breakthrough 

“Dear Heavenly Father,

I confess that my prayers to you feel empty and powerless. I pray about the same things over and over again, and have little peace. I try my best to pray with faith, but I can’t seem to shake the anxieties and temptations that attack my mind and heart.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

I know that the Bible says You never forsake us and You are always by my side. Yet I can’t sense Your reassuring presence or Your comfort, counsel, hope, and peace. Are Your promises of an abundant life and every spiritual blessing being blocked or stolen from me? What do I need to get right before You, my Holy Father in heaven, so that Satan does not get any chance to steal, kill and destroy Your will for me?

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

As I quiet my heart and mind to wait on the Holy Spirit, please convict my heart of the things that block me from You.

Where I have cursed You, doubted You, or mocked You, please forgive me. I am sorry for my ignorance of Your highest sovereignty and perfect plans. You have been here since eternity. I am just a human being. What do I know about Your eternal plans? Today, I humble myself before You. Instead of constantly questioning You or asking You to do what I want and to bless my plans, I now fearfully seek to know Your will for me. I need to remember that You are not my servant. I was created to love You and enjoy a deeply fulfilling relationship with You, one that is full of love, hope and peace.

1 Samuel 12:20-22,24 NLT  “Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.  But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. But if you continue to sin, you … will be swept away.”

Where I have paid respect to or eaten food offered to false gods and idols, such as (please name them e.g. Buddha, guan yin, Confucius, yoga kundalini spirit, temple gods, village gods, ancestral graves etc.) and sought another source of power and blessing that is not of the Holy Spirit, such as (please name them e.g. fengshui, lucky charms, lucky names, horoscope, fortune-telling etc.), please forgive me. Where I bowed to statues, paintings, or human beings, I repent. Where I have bowed down to idolatrous images, I confess this too today. 

In the Second Commandment, You have warned us not to bow down to any image on earth. 

Exodus 20:3-6 ESV  “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

I confess I have followed the ways of the world and unknowingly been misled by Satan. Today, I declare I am a child of God and I will follow my Heavenly Father alone. 

Ephesians 2:2 NIV  in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Father God, You have given me the privilege to become a temple of the Holy Spirit. I confess that I have damaged or disregarded my body, which is Your temple. Today, I repent of every ungodly activity I have used this body for, to satisfy my own desires and fleshly lusts, including (please name all of them e.g. sexual immorality, pornography, drunkenness, smoking, taking drugs, cursing, slander, gossiping etc.) 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT  Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

I confess I have been following the ways of the world instead of obeying You. I haven’t been putting time into studying the Bible and relying too much on other people to teach me. Today I turn to Jesus as my only Instructor. Open my heart to studying Your Word for the Way, the Truth and the Life. Please cleanse my heart and mind from ungodly teachings from this world that are not from You. Holy Spirit, please come and teach me instead. I am your child.

Matthew 23:8 ESV  But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.

John 14:6 ESV  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

I also confess that right now, I don’t know how to trust You, when I have been hurt and let down by people. Inside my heart is a fear that You will let me down too. There are things I have promised myself long ago, which now block your Holy Spirit from touching my heart. Promises such as, “I will not let anyone hurt me”, “I will not rely on anyone”, “I will not trust anyone“, “I’m not good enough,” “ no one will ever love me,“ and (name your own personal inner vows and life rules). Today I cancel these promises I’ve made myself and confess that I cannot help myself, only God can! Today, I invite Jesus Christ into my heart as my Lord and Saviour.

See Inner vows must be revoked.

Father in heaven, I confess there are some people that I find difficult to like and forgive. Thank you that You call us to love the unlovely, not to like them or agree to what they do. If there is anyone whom I may hate or bear grudges against, please show me who I need to release forgiveness to. Jesus came to die for the forgiveness of my sins so that I can be made pure and holy, worthy of being called Your child. When I don’t forgive others, I mock Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for me. I don’t want to do that any longer. 

See Forgiveness brings us new life. 

Today, I pour out all my painful sorrow and bitter judgements about those who disappointed me to You. You are the only One who can reach deep into my soul and heal me. I cry out to You for Your salvation!

Psalm 73:21-26 ESV  When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Father, please continue to show me the ways that separate me from You. I desire to be made a clean and pure vessel for the Holy Spirit, so that there are no interferences in my relationship with my Almighty Creator.

Thank you, Father.

In Jesus’ name, amen.”