Day 20: Set Me Free from Negative Emotions

Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication,

with thanksgiving,

let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 4:6-7

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Lord, help me to live in Your joy and peace. Give me strength and understanding to resist anxiety, anger, unrest, envy, depression, bitterness, hopelessness, loneliness, fear, and guilt. Rescue me when "my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed" (Psalm 143:4). I refuse to let my life be brought down by negative emotions such as these. I know You have a better quality of life for me than that. When I am tempted to give in to them, show me Your truth.
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You have said in Your Word that by our patience we can possess our souls (Luke 21:19). Give me patience so that I can do that. Help me to keep "my heart with all diligence," for I know that "out of it spring the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). Help me to not be insecure and self-focused so that I miss opportunities to focus on You and extend Your love. May I be sensitive to the needs of others and not oversensitive to myself. What You accomplished on the cross is my source of greatest joy. Help me to concentrate on that.
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"The enemy has persecuted my soul; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead. Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Answer me speedily, O Lord; my spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit. Cause me to hear Your loving kindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You" (Psalm 143:3-8). Thank You, Lord, that in my distress I can call on You. And when I cry out to You, Lord, You hear my voice and answer (Psalm 18:6). May the joy of knowing You fill my heart with happiness and peace.* In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

- Matthew 11:28-30

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Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

they shall walk and not faint.

- Isaiah 40:31

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Woman. Ordering information is at the bottom of this page. I strongly encourage you to read this book as the chapter content is so powerful!
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Today's prayer for your husband: His Attitude
Today's prayer for your children: Receiving a Sound Mind

Day 19: Deliver Me from Ever Evil Work

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

- Matthew 6:13

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Lord, thank You that You have promised to "deliver me from every evil work and preserve me" for Your heavenly kingdom (II Timothy4:18). I know that " we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). Thank You that You have put all these enemies under Your feet (Ephesians 1:22), and "there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known" (Matthew 10:26).
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Lord, I know that I can't see all the ways the enemy wants to erect strongholds in my life. I depend on You to reveal them to me. Thank You that You came to "proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. But with You comes freedom from all that. "My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me" (Psalm 31:15).
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I know that my deliverance comes from You. Thank You that You "drew me out of many waters" and "delivered me from my strong enemy" (Psalm 18:16-17). Help me to stand fast in the liberty by which Christ made me free, and help me not to become tangled in any yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1).
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I call upon You, Lord, and ask that You would deliver me from anything that binds me or separates me from You. I specifically ask to be delivered from (Name a specific area where you want to be set free). Where I have opened the door for my enemy with my own desires, I repent of that. Where I am walking in disobedience, show me so I can turn and live in obedience to Your ways. Give me wisdom to walk the right way and strength to rise above the things that would pull me down (Proverbs 28:26).
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I know that though I walk in the flesh, I do not war according to the flesh because "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (II Corinthians 10:3-4). In Jesus' name, I pray that every stronghold erected around me by the enemy will be brought down to nothing. Make darkness light before me and the crooked places straight (Isaiah 42:16). I know that You who have begun a good work in me will complete it (Philippians 1:6). Give me patience to not give up and the strength to stand strong in Your Word.*
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The righteous cry out,

and the Lord heard,

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

- Psalm 34:17

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I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,

and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth

will be loosed in heaven.

- Matthew 16:19

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Woman. Ordering information is at the bottom of this page.
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Today's prayer for your husband: His Past
Today's prayer for your children: Enjoying Freedom from Fear

Day 22: His Emotions

Make no friendship with an angry man,

and with a furious man do not go,

lest you learn his ways

and set a snare for your soul.

- Proverbs 22:24-25

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Lord, You have said in Your Word that You redeem our souls when we put our trust in You (Psalm 34:22). I pray that my husband would have faith in You to redeem his soul from negative emotions. May he never be controlled by depression, anger, anxiety, jealousy, hopelessness, fear or suicidal thoughts. Specifically I pray about his homesickness (add your area of concern there). Deliver him from this and all other controlling emotions (Psalm 40:17). I know that only You can deliver and heal, but use me as Your instrument of restoration. Help me not to be pulled down with him when he struggles. Enable me instead to understand and have words to say that will bring life.
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Free him to share his deepest feelings with me and others who can help. Liberate him to cry when he needs to and not bottle his emotions inside. At the same time, give him the gift of laughter and ability to find humor even in serious situations. Teach him to take his eyes off his circumstances and trust in You, regardless of how he is feeling. Give him patience to possess his soul and the ability to take charge of it (Luke 21:19). Anoint him with "the oil of joy" (Isaiah 61:3), refresh him with Your Spirit, and set him free from negative emotions this day.* In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
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He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

for His name's sake.

- Psalm 23:3

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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Wife. Ordering information is at the bottom of the page. Watch for a giveaway coming very soon!
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Today's prayer for your children: Destroying an Inheritance of Family Bondage
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Is anyone being blessed by these prayers each day? If so, please leave a comment & let me know!

Day 22: Destroying an Inheritance of Family Bondage

If anyone is in Christ,

he is a new creation;

old things have passed away:

behold, all things have become new.

- II Corinthians 5:17

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Lord, You have said in Your Word that a good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children (Proverbs 13:22). I pray that the inheritance I leave to my children will be the rewards of a godly life and a clean heart before You. To make sure that happens, I ask that wherever there is a sinful trait in me that I have acquired from my family, deliver me from it now in the name of Jesus. I confess my sins to You. I ask for forgiveness and restoration, knowing Your Word says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). I know that cleansing from sin through confession lessens the possibility of passing the habit of sin on to my child.
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Jesus said, "I give you the authority... over all the powers of the enemy" (Luke 10:19). If there is any work of the enemy in my past that seeks to encroach upon the lives of my children, I break it now by the power and authority given me in Jesus Christ. I pray specifically for the lack of desire to attend church (name something you see in yourself or your family that you don't want passed to your child). Whatever is not Your will for our lives, I reject as sin.
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Thank You, Jesus, that You came to set us free from the past. We refuse to live bound by it. Thank You, Father, that You have "qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light" (Colossians 1:12). I pray that my son and daughter will not inherit any sin trait from their earthly family, but will "inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34). Thank You, Jesus, that in You the old has passed away and all things are new. In Jesus' name, Amen.*
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Stand fast therefore in the liberty
by which Christ has made us free,
and do not be entangled again
with a yoke of bondage.
- Galatians 5:1

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** Please pray for the Fry family today. At 2pm they will be having the funeral for their 22 year old son who died in a motorcycle accident on Sunday. Mr. Fry is a pastor in my home town. Aaron was a senior at Abilene Christian University and left behind Mom, Dad and one sister, Brittany (who attended the birth of my first child). **
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*Make this prayer your own! From the book, The Power of a Praying Parent. Ordering information is at the bottom of the page.