During Lent we are using Isaiah 58 as a guide for prayer. We will pray through a different theme each week from that passage. Below is a template to help guide your time this week. You are welcome to use whatever is helpful and pray as God leads you.

WORSHIP

God’s Character: We want to begin our prayer time by focusing on God and worshipping Him for who He is and what He does.

This week, as we pray about HEALING, take time to focus on who God is as our Healer-

• His Compassion: When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  -Matthew 14:14
• His Power:  And all the people were trying to touch Him, because power was coming from Him and healing them all.   -Luke 6:19
• His Sacrifice: Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.   -Isaiah 53:4-5

During the song, take time to connect with God’s heart-who He is and what He does and focus on His presence with you.

Song: Son of Suffering

THANKSGIVING

Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget any of His benefits; Who pardons all your guilt, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with favor and compassion; Who satisfies your desires with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.   -Psalm 103:1-5

Take time to thank God for the ways you have seen Him at work as a Healer and for the ways He is working through healthcare workers:

• For healthcare workers who are compassionately and sacrificially serving others
• For the wisdom and revelation He has given for medical breakthroughs
• That He is close to the brokenhearted and promises to bind up their wounds (Psalm 147:3)
• For the testimonies of people who have been healed of chronic or other conditions

CONFESSION/REPENTANCE

We want to take time to confess personal sins we have committed. We can also pray a prayer of corporate confession on behalf of a people/community (see Daniel 9).

Take time to confess any areas of sin God brings to mind (personal or corporate) around the idea of healing, and ask Him to give us clean hands and pure hearts (Psalm 24).

• God, we know that there is power in our words, and we can use our mouths to either bless or curse, to build up or tear down, to bring life or bring death (James 3:6-11, Proverbs 18:21). We confess that there have been times when we have used our words to wound others, mentally or emotionally, instead of blessing. Please forgive us for using our words to harm rather than bring life. Please help us to love others as you have loved us and use our words to strengthen, comfort and encourage one another (1Cor 14:3).

INTERCESSION

Pray for God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done here on earth, in the healthcare system and the lives of those who are sick, as it is in heaven.

HEALTHCARE WORKERS

• Pray for renewed strength and hope for the difficult work they are doing. And that God would restore their souls and they would find rest in Him (Psalm 23:3-4)
• Pray for wisdom and guidance for each situation they encounter
• Pray for physical and emotional protection for the things they experience at work
• Pray they would be filled with God’s peace and hope and that they would be channels of peace and hope for those they serve

THOSE WHO ARE IN NEED OF HEALING:

• Pray God’s perfect love would drive out any fear they are dealing with (1 John 4:18)
• Pray the hope of God would fill their hearts in the midst of their difficulty (Romans 5:4-5)
• Pray for freedom for those in captivity due to addiction or mental illness (Isaiah 61:1-3)
• Pray that any who are sick would be healed (James 5:16)