A Bold Prayer For God's Blessing
Did you know that it’s okay to earnestly pray to God for His blessing? For His favor? For an abundance in your life?
If I can be honest I’ve often felt strange praying for more of God’s blessing. I’ve already received so much! Praying for more just seems selfish. But I consider what I’ve seen.
I’ve seen God use those He’s blessed with wide influence build up His church.
I’ve seen God use those He’s blessed with great courage and zeal take the gospel to the farthest reaches of the earth.
I’ve seen God use those He’s blessed with creative talent use film and songs and art to inspire awe and reverence.
Psalm 67 contains a powerful prayer. In it is contained a perfect outline for how we can and should pray for the favor of God. And what is possible when we receive it.
Psalm 67
v. 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us,
v. 2 that Your way may be know on earth, Your saving power among all nations.
v. 3 Let the people praise You, O God, let all the peoples praise You!”
Pray For God’s Grace
Before anything else, we need the grace of God. Without God’s grace we are left in our sin. Without God’s grace we are separated eternally and completely from God.
A posture of humble dependance sets the tone for this prayer.
Pray For God’s Blessing
You are guilty. You have a lifetime of crimes on your record. You are standing before the perfect Judge, pleading for mercy. And you receive it! Your crimes are erased, your guilt is removed, you are free to go.
But in the very next breath you ask for additional blessing. What boldness! The Judge not only tolerates the request but grants it. He is glad you asked.
Pray For God’s Gaze
The New Living Translation reads “May His face smile with favor on us.” We know God sees us. He delights in us. But we want to sense His pleasure. Experience His presence. To have the warmth of His smile nourish us like the sun nourishes the trees.
We want the work of our hands and the thoughts of our minds to be supernaturally charged with the power of Almighty God.
But why?
For God’s Fame
My Pastor draws from Romans 12:1 to describes the personal mission of every believer. “My body for God’s glory.”
We pray for Jesus Christ and His way to be know on earth. Every blessing we receive, every gift we’ve been given is a tool for God’s work. A weapon for warfare. A canvas to display His wonder.
For Worldwide Salvation
We pray for Salvation to come to ALL the nations. Our prayer extends even to those we dislike. Those who cause destruction and inspire terror and draw blood. The heart of God is that all would be saved. The heart of His servants is the same. They use the blessings they’ve received to work towards fulfilling this desire.
For A Response Of Praise
The servant that has received God’s grace. That has received His abundant blessing. That has experienced the favor of His smiling face. The servant that has seen his work and the work of others culminate in the fame of Jesus spreading and salvation coming to all nations has only one response.
Praise.
To see other’s stirred to Praise God because they’ve seen what you’ve seen and experienced what you’ve experienced brings a joy like almost nothing else.
So how can God’s blessing be an agent for His glory?
The blessing of good health allows you to actively participate in His work.
The blessing of a safe home allows you to extend hospitality and comfort.
The blessing of influence allows you to turn other’s towards Christ.
The blessing of wealth allows you to give towards His kingdom.
The blessing of children allows an extended legacy of praise.
I encourage you to ask yourself:
“In what ways can I use God’s blessing and favor on my life to make His ways know? To see His saving power spread? To see others turn and praise Him?”
For me, I want to pray bold prayers. I want to receive abundant blessing. I want to do some major damage for the Kingdom of God.