Prayer Reflection Report Assignment Instructions
Learning to pray for your leaders is an important Biblical principle (Ephesians 6:18; I Timothy 2: 1–4). Many people would agree that there exists a death of leadership in the world today. However, rather than dwelling on what your leaders lack, it is time for the Christian community to take some positive action. Thus, as part of your participation in this course, you must choose 7 leaders to pray for.
Begin praying for them in Module 1: Week 1 by using the Daily Prayer Guide outlined below. As you pray for your leaders each day, keep notes in a prayer journal so you can reflect on the time you have spent praying. Then, in Module 6: Week 6, you must submit a 1–3-page paper reflecting on your time of prayer.
Follow all the guidelines explained below as you complete this assignment, and use the Prayer Reflection Report Grading Rubric to improve the quality of your paper.
Follow these guidelines as you choose leaders to pray for during this course:
Ask God to guide you as you make a list of 7 leaders that you know personally for whom you will pray diligently for. Pray for personal wisdom regarding those who should be on your initial list. One of these leaders may be yourself.
Make a commitment to pray for each leader by name on a daily basis.
Use the Daily Prayer Guide (below) as you spend time in prayer each day, reading each of the associated verses or passages before you pray.
Develop a prayer journal, recording your thoughts and examples of the success of your prayer ventures. Be aware that the fruit of your labor may not become known until you reach eternity with Christ.
At the end of the first 30 days (1 month), it is suggested that you ask again for God’s guidance as you select another set of 7 leaders to begin praying for.
It would be beneficial to continue this effort for 1 full year. A consistent effort will mean that you have touched the heart of God on behalf of 84 leaders at the end of a 1-year time of prayer.
Include the following elements in your paper:
A brief introduction paragraph that builds the foundation for your reflection.
A discussion of your reflections based on your personal prayer journal, including any changes and/or positive things that you have seen occur in the lives of the leaders you have chosen.
Specific examples of ways that you have seen changes in the lives of the leaders you have chosen (if any have been observed).
Specific examples of the impact of the assignment on your own life.
Ideas about how this assignment has shaped the way you view leadership. (This specific element must demonstrate a higher level of thinking through critical self-evaluation and application of principles that you have learned.)
Specific references to Bible verses or Biblical principles.
Daily Prayer Guide
Day 1. Pray that each of the leaders (on your list) will love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. Pray that the Holy Spirit will work in a mighty way in the heart of each leader and that they will follow Biblical principles in making daily decisions as they attempt to live righteously (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 6:33; II Timothy 4:8).
Day 2. Pray that these leaders (the ones who are saved) will live in harmony with other leaders and people they lead as they exhibit a Christ-like attitude toward one another. For those who do not know Christ, pray for their salvation (Romans 12:16, 15:5; John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17).
Day 3. Pray that God will give these leaders the ability and desire to give hope to others. Leaders must realize that they are the source of hope for many and must be able to share this virtue. Pray that God will keep them in peace and thus overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 39:7; Romans 12:12, 15:3).
Day 4. Pray for the safety and comfort of the leaders on your list. Pray that they will feel the power of God protecting them and that they will not be distracted from their leadership role because they are worried about personal safety (II Corinthians 1:9–11; Philippians 3:1).
Day 5. Pray for the leaders’ personal walks with God (so that the leaders will develop one if they do not have one). Pray that their quiet time will be a time of refreshment and nourishment of their relationship with Christ and the Spirit. Pray that this time will strengthen them in their commitment to become the leader God has called them to be (Mark 1:35; Romans 12:1–2; II Timothy 2:15–16).
Day 6. Pray that each of the leaders will discover their specific motivational gifts and focus on urging and teaching others how to use their gifts. Pray that each of the leaders will learn to develop their gifts more fully (Proverbs 18:16; Romans 12:6–8; Galatians 5:16–26; James 1:17).
Day 7. Pray that each of the leaders will lead, counsel, and teach with Biblical and Holy Spirit guided wisdom. Pray that each of the leaders will be protected by God and His angels from those around them who try to bring them down and/or do harm to them (Malachi 2:7; John 17:15; James 1:5–6).
Day 8. Pray for the marriage of each of the leaders. Pray that each leader will work hard to have a godly marriage that can be shown as an example to others. Pray that each of the leaders will gently cherish his/her spouse and that there will be a Biblical understanding between the two parties regarding the individual roles in the marriage (Genesis 2:18–24; Proverbs 5:15–19; Ephesians 5:23–33; Hebrews 13:4). (If 1 or more of the leaders you are praying for is not married, pray for their relationships with loved ones and those who are close to them.)
Day 9. Pray for each leader’s spouse, praying specifically that the spouse will be protected from bitterness when the leader is criticized and or otherwise attacked (if he/she has no spouse, choose another family member). Pray that the spouse’s prayer and devotional life will be consistent and his/her heart and mind will be centered on the Lord (Hebrews 12:15; Proverbs 4:23).
Day 10. Pray that God the Father will give each leader mighty inner strength through the Holy Spirit. Pray that Christ will be more and more at home in the leaders’ hearts as their trust in Him grows. Pray that they will become deeply rooted in God’s marvelous love. Pray that they will have the power and wisdom to understand how deep God’s love is. Pray that they will understand the love of Christ and be filled with the fullness and power that comes from a personal relationship with Him and the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 3:6, 16:13–14; Colossians 2:7; Ephesians 1:15–19; 3:16–19; Hebrews 13:8–9; I Peter 1:21–22).
Day 11. Pray for the leaders’ children (if they have no children, choose another family member). Pray for them by name if you know their names. Pray that the pressures of leadership will not embitter the children. Pray that each of the leaders will spend time with their children and take an active role in modeling godly leadership in the home and that the leadership will be Biblically based. Pray that God will supernaturally stretch each leader’s time so that he/she has time for his/her children (Psalm 103:13; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:20–21; Hebrews 12:5–13).
Day 12. Ask God to protect each leader from evil. Pray that each leader will not be corrupted by the evils of the world as he/she interacts with the world around him/her (Psalm 9:9–10, 91:9–11; Isaiah 54:17; John 17:15; II Corinthians 2:11; I Peter 3:12).
Day 13. Pray the leaders by thanking God for them. Pray that the leaders will have God’s love in their hearts for other people they are leading. Pray that they will have knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God’s will for their lives. Pray that they will have a complete understanding of who Christ is and how to develop a relationship with Him (Philippians 4:6; Colossians 1:9–11, 1:16–20).
Day 14. Pray that God will bring godly friends and encouragers into the life of each of the leaders. Pray that these friends will minister to these leaders and provide them with meaningful times of fellowship and rest. Pray that these friends will give the leaders helpful advice and constructive criticism while always being faithful (Proverbs 17:17, 27:6–7; Philippians 2:19–25).
Day 15. Pray that the leaders will be both humble as well as authentic in their faith by not being given to pride or hypocrisy. Pray that they will have pure motives and give God glory for their leadership positions and the gifts that God has given them (Micah 6:8; Galatians 6:14; John 7:17–18; I Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 13:18; I Peter 2:1–3).
Day 16. Pray that the leaders will have alert and thankful hearts. Pray that the leaders will live wisely and make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 6:19–20; Colossians 2:6–8; 4:2–6).
Day 17. Ask God to heal any hurts the leaders have suffered due to their leadership roles. Pray that the leaders will serve the Lord with gladness and encourage those that they lead to live Christ-honoring lives (Isaiah 61:3; Colossians 3:16–17).
Day 18. Pray that these leaders will understand that Biblical leadership is others-centered and should never be leader-centered. Pray that these leaders will think about others and take a genuine interest in those whom they serve, doing so in all humility. Pray that the leaders will understand that unity comes through humility and service to others (Romans 2:8, 12:10, 15:1; Galatians 5:26; Ephesians 5:21; Philippians 1:17, 2:3–4).
Day 19. Pray that the leaders will work hard and communicate reliably (Proverbs 12:24, 13:17). Pray that they will take the time to learn the facts before making important decisions and that they will obtain the wisdom to know when a decision is one of great importance and when one is trivial (Proverbs 18:13).
Day 20. Pray that the leaders will be open to new ideas and listen to both sides of a story before taking action (Proverbs 18:13, 15, 17). Pray that the leaders will be wise in handing out any type of discipline and that it will be done in love and for the right Biblical reasons (Deuteronomy 33:20–21; Proverbs 3:11–12, 17:26, 29:15).
Day 21. Pray for mercy for the leaders and give thanks for them (Ephesians 6:18; I Timothy 2:1–15). Pray earnestly (as did Elijah) for these leaders (I Kings 17:1, 18:1; James 5:13–18). Pray actively, diligently, fervently, and continuously for each leader (I Thessalonians 5:17).
Day 22. Pray that the Lord will give each of the leaders the strength to confront and conquer the giants in their lives (spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical). One must be able to confront the evils of the world and conquer them in the power and strength of the Lord and Holy Spirit (I Samuel 17). Pray that each leader will be able to identify the things that are giants in their lives. Pray that the leaders will not be intimidated by the giants of the world but will rely wholly on the Lord and His strength to conquer these giants. Pray that they will have the wisdom to know that they must depend on the Lord’s strength to confront the giants in their lives.
Day 23. Pray that each of the leaders will put on the full armor of God and will walk in His ways. Pray that they will be able to withstand the schemes of the devil and stand firm in their faith in Christ (Ephesians 6:11–17; I Thessalonians 5:8).
Day 24. Pray that each leader will make wise lifestyle choices in order to protect his/her health, especially in the areas of exercising, eating moderately, and getting sufficient rest. Pray for times of relaxation and renewal to balance the stresses of leadership (Romans 12:1–2; I Corinthians 9:27; 10:13; 6:19–20; James 3:1–2)
Day 25. In I Timothy 3:1–13, Paul describes the Biblical characteristics of church leaders. Although this is for elders and deacons, many of the characteristics and qualifications are appropriate for all leaders. Pray that the leaders will possess these characteristics, and, if they do not, that God will deal with them in their areas of weakness. Pray for these specific characteristics and qualities today for each leader: 1) faithful to one’s wife/husband/family, 2) exhibits self-control, 3) lives wisely, and 4) enjoys guests in the home (the rest of the list will be continued on Days 26 and 27).
Day 26. Recall that Paul, (Day 25, I Timothy 3:1–13), describes the Biblical characteristics for church leaders. Pray that the leaders will possess these characteristics, and, if they do not, that God will deal with them in their areas of weakness. Pray for these specific characteristics and qualities today for each leader: 1) able to teach, 2) gentle and peaceful, 3) is not one who loves money, and 4) manages the household well. Some or all of the leaders you are praying for may be women. The Biblical principles apply to them as well.
Day 27. Recall that Paul (Day 25, I Timothy 3:1–13) describes the Biblical characteristics for church leaders. Pray that the leaders will possess these characteristics, and, if they do not, that God will deal with them in their areas of weakness. Pray for these specific characteristics and qualities today for each leader: 1) has respect for his/her followers and integrity, 2) lives with a clear conscience, 3) is committed to the Christian faith and Biblical truth, and 4) if he/she is a new Christian, ask God to provide mercy and wisdom.
Day 28. Pray that the Lord will supernaturally bless the health and financial needs of each of the leaders and their families (Philippians 4:19; Hebrews 13:5; I Timothy 5:11; Psalm 37:25). Pray that each leader will strive for personal excellence. Pray that each leader will believe in all that God wants to do for those whom he leads (II Peter 1:3; Colossians 3:23–24).
Day 29. Pray that these leaders will practice servant and service leadership. Pray that they will take it upon themselves to edify those they lead in wisdom and that they will lead with an attitude of serving through God’s agape love. Pray that they will have patience with difficult people while being able to gently teach such people the truth in love (Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 6:7; Mark 10:43–45; Luke 9:23–24; John 13:5–9; Philippians 2:3–4, II Timothy 2:23, 25).
Day 30. Pray that the leaders will not become discouraged and will learn to lean on the Lord and the Holy Spirit so that they can deal with the daily pressures and criticism that comes with any leadership position (I Peter 2:23). Pray that each of the leaders will be strong in the special favor that is provided in Christ and that: they will not become entangled in the affairs of this life, they will avoid quarrels, and they will remain faithful to Christ (II Timothy 2:1–26).
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