Miracle Hour

This exercise has been adapted for Hope City Church from the book “Miracle Hour” by Linda Schubert

1. Praise (5 minutes)

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name” (Psalm 103:1). Throughout Scripture, God is very insistent about praise. I suspect we have much to learn about the amazing, mysterious power of this humble activity. When we praise, we seem to acknowledge His supremacy and authority in our lives. Through praise, we state that we are weak and He is strong. Praise makes room in our hearts for God’s will to be done and recognizes the absurdity of any attempt to manipulate God in prayer. He is sovereign. This awesome Creator, who loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die for us so that we might have a place in His family, deserves our adoration and praise. His love for us is outrageous, beyond comprehension.

There is something special about those who praise. They possess a bright light in their eyes that reflects something greater than themselves. People of praise are people of faith. Their very lives proclaim to the world that they trust their heavenly Father, know He intends goodness for His children, and anticipate extravagant answers to prayer.

The very act of "sacrifice" in praise – engaging in it even when we don’t feel motivated – leads us into the presence of the Lord. Those who praise discover that this response from the heart and mind (and sometimes driven by sheer will) is incredibly beneficial for our body, mind, and spirit. Praise fosters a healthy mental attitude. It enhances our ability to live and grow in love and holiness. Praise invites us into the abundant life for which God designed us to thrive. Let us praise God in all things!

Read aloud the following litany of praise and let it open your spirit, drawing you into the realm of the miraculous. For the next five minutes, forget about yourself and focus on God. He is awesome!

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Life, my Love.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Name above all names.

Praise you, Jesus, You are Emmanuel, God with us.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the King of kings.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the King of creation.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the King of the Universe.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Lord of lords.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Almighty.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Christ.

Praise you, Jesus, You are Christ, the King.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Lamb of God.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Lion of Judah.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Bright Morning Star.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Champion and Shield.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Strength and our Song.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the way for our life.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the only Truth.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Real Life.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Wonderful Counselor.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Light of the World.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Living Word.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Redeemer. 

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Messiah.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Anointed one.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Holy One of Israel.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Sheepgate.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Lord of hosts.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Rock of all ages.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Hiding Place.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Saviour of the World.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Strong Tower.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Mountain Refuge.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Bread of Life.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Font of all holiness.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Living Water.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the True Vine.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Maker. 

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Fortress.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Deliverer.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Victory.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Salvation.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Righteousness.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Wisdom.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Sanctification.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Justification.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Door.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the great I AM.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the great High Priest.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Cornerstone.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Sure Foundation.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Joy.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Portion and Cup.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Healing and Wholeness.

Praise you, Jesus, You are our Covenant.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Promise of the Father.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Everlasting One.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Most High God.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Lamb that was slain.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Just Judge.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Balm of Gilead.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Mighty Warrior.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Defense.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Bridegroom.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Patience.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Solid Reality.

Praise you, Jesus, You are my Provider.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Resurrection and the Life.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Alpha and the Omega.

Praise you, Jesus, You are the Beginning and the End.

Praise you, Jesus, You are all that I need.

Praise you, Jesus, You are all that I want.

Praise you, Jesus, You are worthy of all praise!

(Ps 34:1. Mt 21:16, Jas 5:13, Ps 150:2, Ps 92:1-3, 2 Ch 20:22, Ps 35:28; Ps 51:15, 1 Pe 2:9, Mt 18:3, Ps 107:22, Heb 13:15, Ps 116:17, Rev 5:11-14, Rev 7:11-12, Rev 19:5)

2. Sing to the Lord (5 minutes)

“Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.” (Psalm 95:1 & 2). It has been said that “He who sings, prays twice.” Anointed music has a great power to open our spirits. Close your eyes, be still and allow music to rise up in your spirit. You may choose to play worship music and sing along as well.

(Ps 89:1; Ps 149:1, 1 Co 14:15; Eph 5:19, Col 3:16, Ps 63:5-7; Ps 90:14, Ps 40:3, 1 Ch 6:32, Ps 57-7, Ps 126:5, Is 12:6, Ps 100:2)

3. Spiritual Warfare (5 minutes)

“Be strong in the Lord and His Mighty Power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes...(Ephesians 6:12).

The Bible reminds us that there are negative spiritual forces that can exert a controlling influence in our lives and diminish our capacity to be free, open and loving people. The Bible also reminds us that we have been given authority to come against the power of the enemy (Mark 16:17). 

Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to make us wise and courageous in the use of that power. At times in your life, you may have inadvertently opened your spirit to some of those influences. It’s time to close those doors. It is important when we pray to place ourselves specifically under the Lord’s protection and take authority over any powers of evil. (This has already begun, because praise is one of the most powerful weapons against the enemy). 

 SPIRITUAL WARFARE PRAYER 

Heavenly Father, I come before You in praise, worship and adoration. Thank You for sending your Son Jesus to give me life, to give me forgiveness, to give me a place in Your family. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to guide me and empower me in my daily life. Heavenly Father, open my eyes that I may see Your greatness, Your majesty, Your victory on my behalf.

I place myself now under the cross of Jesus Christ and cover myself with the Precious Blood of Jesus. 

I surround myself with the light of Christ and say in the name of Jesus that nothing shall interfere with the Lord’s work being accomplished in my life. I put on God’s armour to resist the devil’s tactics. I stand my ground with truth buckled around my waist and integrity for a breastplate. I carry the shield of faith to put out the burning arrows of the evil one. 

I accept salvation from God to be my helmet and receive the word of God from the Spirit to use as a sword. (Ephesians 6:10, 11, 14, 16, 17)

Heavenly Father, please show me any way that Satan has a hold of my life. I let go of all those ways now. Any territory I have handed over to Satan, I now reclaim and place under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, I reject the seductive lure of evil in all its forces and refuse to let sin have dominion over me. I reject Satan and all his works and all his empty promises. I renounce all openness to the occult, all false worship and all benefits of magical arts. I renounce every power apart from God and every form of worship that does not offer honour to Jesus Christ. 

I specifically renounce _____________________ (For example, astrology, fortune telling, crystals, tarot cards, Ouija boards or any occult games, etc.).

Thank you, Lord, for setting me free. “...in all those things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37).

Spend a few minutes in praise.

(Ro 13:12, 2 Cor 6:7, 1 Th 5:8, 1 Jn4:1-6, 1 Th 5:21; 2 Cor 4:4, Eph 2:2, Ac 26:18, 2 Th 2:9, Lk 9:42, 1 Pe 5:8-9, Eph 4:27, Ps 44:5, Lk 10:19, Ro 8:37, 1 Jn 5:5)

4. Surrender (5 minutes)

“Who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?” (1 Chronicles 29:5).

Our healing and empowerment begin when we surrender to Jesus. People generally find that He is the strongest in them when they surrender and are in a position of weakness before Him. There is nothing more important in your spiritual life than to say “Yes” to Jesus with all your heart and soul and then to allow the Holy Spirit to work out the meaning of that “Yes” in your life. You can be 100% sure of this: God loves you (1 John 4:16) and will always be with you, and all His purposes for your life are good. The more we open up, yield and simply allow ourselves to be drawn deeply into the Lord’s love, the more our lives will come into the right order. Will you say “Yes” to Jesus? You may have said “Yes” many times in your life, and yet today He may be calling you to go much deeper. Pray the following prayer now, from your heart. Pray it in your words, spontaneously, not as a ritual, but with an opening to God.

A PRAYER OF SURRENDER

Loving Father, I surrender to You today with all my heart and soul. Please come into my heart in a deeper way. 

I say “Yes” to You today. I open all the secret places of my heart to You and say, “Come on in.” Jesus, You are Lord of my whole life. I believe in You and receive You as my Lord and Saviour. I hold nothing back. Holy Spirit, bring me to a deeper conversation with the person of Jesus Christ. I surrender all to You: my health, my family, my resources, occupation, skills, relationships, time management, successes and failures. I release it and let it go. I surrender my understanding of how things should be, my choices and my will. I surrender to You the promises I have kept and the promises I have failed to keep. I surrender my weaknesses and strengths to You. I surrender my emotions, my fears, my insecurities, my sexuality.

(Continue to surrender other areas as the Holy Spirit reveals them to you).

(Php 3:8, Pr 23:26; Ro 12:1, Mt 16:24, Lk 14:33, Ps 143:10, Ps 40:8, Di 6:5, Pr 3:5, Jer 29:13, Jn 3:16, 1 Pe 1:18-19, Tit 3:5, Ro 10:9, Ro 14:8, Ac 16:30, 1 Jn 5: 1,5)

5. Release of the Holy Spirit (5 minutes)

At Pentecost (Acts 2) the disciples devoted themselves to constant prayer until the Holy Spirit came upon them with tongues of fire, filled their lives and gave them courage and power to witness to the world. Some people call this release, or “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” His primary purpose is to empower Christians to bring Jesus to the world. Its primary effect is a tangible experience of the love of Jesus. Let us continually, daily, thank Him for a deeper release of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. Empowered by the Spirit we can change the world. As you pray the following prayer, change it in some way to make it your own.

PRAYER FOR RELEASE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you, and you will be my witness to the ends of the world.” (Acts1:4)

Come Holy Spirit and baptize me with the fire of Your love. I have surrendered to the best of my ability, and now I want to be filled with Your Spirit. I need Your power in my life. Please come and fill me now. You are the vine, and I am the branch of the vine. All that You are is within me. My life flows from You. I believe that as I yield and ask, You will release your strength, wisdom, healing to meet the needs of the hour. I yield now to receive your sanctification gifts of Isaiah 11:2, wisdom and understanding, counsel and might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord. I need these gifts in my life to grow as a Christian. I yield and ask You to release your manifestation gifts of service, as listed in 1 Corinthians 12, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues and interpretation of tongues. I need them to witness to a hurting world. Only in Your power, guided by Your Spirit, can my life be fruitful. Holy Spirit, come. I want it all, wrapped in the greatest gift of all: love. “…the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 12-13).  Give me opportunities to use Your gifts to reveal Your love and mercy. Stretch me, Lord, I will not limit Your gifts by my perceptions of what I can handle. 

Holy Spirit, expand my capacity. Work in me in a powerful way. I want every purpose God has for my life to be fulfilled, and I need You, mighty Spirit of God, to bring that purpose to fulfillment. Come Holy Spirit, come. As You flow through me to minister to others, I know that You are flowing within me to heal my life, too. Thank You for flooding the deep place of my life with Your love. Thank You for washing and cleansing any wounds and scars from the past that still have the power to dominate my thoughts and suppress my physical and emotional freedom. Thank You for bringing light into the shadows and warmth to any cold, dark rooms in my soul. Compassionate Holy Spirit, thank You for coming and drawing out the uncried tears, the unfinished grieving, the pain of loss, the traumas, the fear, the emotional hurts so painful that they were “buried alive.” Spirit of Wisdom, thank You for coming into the root cause of any chronic failures. Gentle Holy Spirit, thank You for walking through my early years and facing the past with me. Thank You for reminding me that the love of Jesus was always there, filling in the gap between the love I needed and the love I received. Thank the Holy Spirit for scanning my life and bringing to mind any hurtful memories that need to be healed. When they surface, say simply, “Holy Spirit, I surrender that event to You for healing. Thank You for bringing Your good out of the hurt” (Romans 8:24). Praise You, Jesus. Let this be an opportunity for a deeper release of the Holy Spirit as more of your emotional life becomes unbound.

Thank You, Holy Spirit, for Your presence with me, flowing freely in me and through me. Thank You for being my friend, my teacher, my comforter, my counselor, my intercessor, and the giver of extravagant gifts. Thank You especially for __________________________________________ (Continue thanking Him spontaneously.)

(Ro 5:5, Joel 2:28, Mt 3:11, Lk 11:13, Jn 14:26, Gal 4:6, 1 Cor 2:13, Jn 16:13, Ro 8:11, Zec 4:6, Ac 2:2, Ro 8-9, 1 Co 3:16, Is 55:1, Mt 25:35-36, Mi 10:8, 1 Pe 4:10)

6. Repentance (5 minutes)

The more you are open to the Holy Spirit, the more aware you will be of those areas in your life where Jesus is not yet fully revealed in you. With that awareness should come a deep knowledge of the Lord’s unconditional love. If you start feeling like a failure, remember the power of God’s forgiving love, as expressed on the cross of Calvary. Then praise Him! Someone commented once that when we have sinned we can simply “Run to God, yell ‘guilty!’ and get on with things.” This is a good reminder that we don’t have to stay stuck and paralyzed with guilt. The Lord wants us to celebrate our movement toward Him. Sin has the power to hold us down and block the flow of God’s love. We hide when we feel guilty. Repentance has the power to lift us up again and release the flow of God’s love. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Many are healed emotionally and even physically through this powerful instrument of grace. So this is a brief period of self-examination, of asking the Lord to reveal areas of unconfessed sin and then making some positive choices. The Lord may be calling you to speak with a pastor or a wise, trusted friend. He may call you to make amends to a person you have harmed. Be obedient to what the Holy Spirit tells you to do. He won’t ask you to do anything without giving you the strength to succeed. As you pray the following prayer, we are not recommending that you delve into all of your sins and failings but let the Holy Spirit guide you. Don’t be bogged down in the details of the prayer, but use it to stimulate an active conscience.  

PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

“...return to me with all your heart…” (Joel 2:12)

Loving Father, I am sorry for all the ways I have offended You, knowingly or unknowingly. I have sinned in thought, word and deed. I have sinned in what I have done and in what I have failed to do. I come before You and ask for the grace of a deeply repentant heart. You know my innermost secrets. I open my heart to You today and ask You to show me the ways I have blocked the flow of your love. Forgive me, Father, for all my sins, faults and failures. For all the times I have gone astray and not chosen life, I am deeply sorry. I repent of lack of faith, acting in fear instead of faith, unbelief in Your goodness, or lack of truly believing in Your love for me. I ask forgiveness for sins against purity, lust, fornication, adultery, unclean books, movies and videos, and sexual fantasies, especially ______________________.

I turn away from all those activities, and I turn to You. Forgive me, Lord. I repent of any compulsive addictive behaviour, drinking, drugs, gambling, sex, food and all addictions, especially _________________________. Thank You Father for setting me free. I repent for not taking care of my physical and emotional health, lack balance in nutrition, rest, and exercise, and perhaps the unhealthy suppression of emotions. I make a commitment today to take care of myself.

I’m sorry for the times I have hurt other people. I repent of any stealing, lying, deceiving and defrauding. I regret any lack of affirming others, brushing people off, coldness, unloving and inconsiderate behaviour. I’m sorry for gossiping, betrayal of confidence and all breaches of faith. I repent of any envy, hatred, resentment, unforgiveness, jealousy, criticizing or judging others, and not receiving love in the way it is offered and withholding expressions of love. I especially ask forgiveness for ____________________. I bring before You now those areas that I am the most ashamed to bring to You, areas that I have hidden, such as certain personal habits, secret guilt, and dark areas I have previously refused to bring to You. I bring You all those areas about which I am the most ashamed, especially _________________. Lord, I will no longer hide them from You, or from myself. Today is my day of healing. Loving Father, what else should I bring to You? (Be still and listen). For those offenses, I beg pardon today. I accept Your forgiveness and now share Your forgiveness with others. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

(Ps 51:10, Ac 3:19, Pr 28:13, 1 Jn 1:9, 2 Ch 7:4, Is 55:7, Ac 2:38, Ps 51:17, Joel 2:13, Eph 5:11, 2 Cor 7:10, Ps 103:3, Ac 13:38, Eph 1:7, Heb 9:14, Ro 12:2, Mic 7:18, Lam 3:22, Rev. 22:14, Is 43:25, Ro 8:1,34, 1 Co 14:25, 1 Pe 1:16, 1 Th 4:3, Heb 10:10, Eph 5:11)

7. Forgiveness (5 minutes)

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone forgive him, so that your Father may forgive your sins.” (Mark 11:25). When Jesus is at the center of our lives, we can expect His reconciliation with ourselves and with others. The Holy Spirit will not let us off the hook in our broken relationships nor will he expect to forgive in our own power. He will do it through us as we let Him. Make a decision to be reconciled with the people in your life. Resolve to set them free, and set yourself free. Life is too short and too precious to waste being trapped and bound in the chains of unforgiveness. Let it go today. You won’t be sorry. Forgiveness begins with a decision; the emotions will follow. A prayer covering some basic areas of life is included to help bring to mind buried anger, bitterness and resentment that need to be redeemed through forgiveness. (As you slowly and reflectively pray the following prayer, pause quietly in each category and allow the Holy Spirit to bring specific people or situations to mind.)   

FORGIVENESS PRAYER

“In Him we have redemption through the blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 8:7-8)

Loving Father, I choose to forgive everyone in my life, including myself, because You have forgiven me. Thank You, Lord, for this grace. I forgive myself for all my sins, faults and failings especially __________ ______________________________. 

I forgive myself for not being perfect. I accept myself and decide to stop picking on myself and being my own worst enemy. I release the things I hold against myself, free myself from bondage and make peace with myself today, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I forgive my MOTHER for any negativity and unlove she may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially ______________________________. For any abuse of any sort, I do forgive her today. For any way that she did not provide a deep, full satisfying mother’s blessing I do forgive her today. I release her from bondage and make peace with her today. 

I forgive my FATHER for any negativity and unlove he may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially ______________________________.  For any and all abuse, unkind acts, and hurts I do forgive him today. For any way that I did not receive a full, satisfying father’s blessing I forgive him today. I release him from any bondage and make peace with him today.

I forgive my SPOUSE for any negativity and unlove extended throughout our time together, especially ____________________________. For all the wounds of our relationship, I do forgive my spouse today. I release my spouse from bondage and make peace between us today.

I forgive my CHILDREN for any hurts, especially ____ ____________________________. I release them from bondage and make peace with them today. Bless them Lord.

I forgive my SISTERS AND BROTHERS for any negativity and unlove especially _____________________________.

I forgive my BLOOD RELATIVES for any abuses, especially ____________________________________.

I forgive my FRIENDS for any actions of negativity and unlove especially _____________________________.  For any time they abused our relationship or led me astray. I do forgive them. I release them from all bondage and make peace with them today. In the power of the Holy Spirit.

I forgive my EMPLOYERS of the present and the past for any negativity and unlove especially ____________________. I release them from all bondage and pray a blessing on them today. In Jesus’s name.

I forgive all SCHOOL TEACHERS for any negative abusive actions especially _______________________.

I forgive LAWYERS, DOCTORS, NURSES and other professionals especially _________________________.

I forgive PASTORS and all representatives of the church, especially ____________________________________. I release them all in Jesus’s name.

I forgive every member of SOCIETY who has hurt me in any way, those who have hurt me by criminal activities or what have harmed my family. I forgive all in public life who have passed laws opposing Christian values. I forgive all the unfair, anonymous sources of pain and annoyance in my life.

Heavenly Father, I now ask for the grace to forgive the ONE PERSON IN LIFE WHO HAS HURT ME THE MOST. The one who is the hardest to forgive. I now choose to forgive, though I may still feel angry and hurt. I also make peace with the one family member, the one friend, and the one authority figure who has hurt me the most. Lord, is there anyone else I need to forgive? (Be still and listen).

Thank You, loving Father, for setting me free. 

I now pray a blessing on those who have hurt me Lord, do something special for each of these today. Thank You Lord, I praise You. Amen.

(Lk 17:4, Eph 4:31-32, Col 3:13, Me 6:14, Mt 5:44, Lk 6:35, Gal 5:14, 1 Th 3:12, 1 Pe 4:8, 1 Jn 4:12, Mi 26:28, 2 Ti 2:24, Tit 3:2, Jas 3:17, 1 Pe 1:22

8. Scripture (5 minutes)

Scripture is one of our most important avenues of interaction with the Lord, along with the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit. As we feast on the Bible we come to know the character of God. We are infused with faith, hope and love as we spend time in the Word of God. Spending time in scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit opens the spiritual communication lines. Prayer time can be an adventure, especially if we get into the habit of easy, spontaneous dialogue with the Lord. I believe if you practice talking to Him conversationally during the day, this portion of your “Miracle Hour” will be even more fruitful.

As you begin this section just say simply, “Lord please speak to me through Your word today.” Open your Bible, browse through it, and allow a word or phrase to catch your attention. Once something catches your eyes, stop there. If, for example, the word, “hope” catches your eye, ponder the meaning of it. Ask the Lord why that word captured your attention. Perhaps the phrase “integrity of heart” will suddenly speak to you. Ask, “Holy Spirit, what do You want to teach me through the word?” Write these reflections in your notebook and continue to meditate on them later. This is a very important record of your spiritual walk.

(Ps 119:15, Ro.15:4, 2 Ti 3:16, Ro 10:8, Col 3:16, Ps 19:8, Ps 119;130, Ps 119:140, Job 23:12, Ps 119,103, He 4:12, Ps 119:9, Jer 23:29, Ro 1:16, Jn 20:31, Eph 6:17, Eph 5:26

9. Wait for the Lord to Speak (5 minutes)

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him…”.(Psalm 37:7).

Use this time simply to listen to the Lord. How is He encouraging you? Exhorting you? Directing you? Be still and listen. Pray, “Lord teach me how to be a good listener.” This is one of the most special times in the “Miracle Hour.” The Lord tells us “My sheep listen to my voice.” (John 10:27). As Christians who sincerely want to progress in our relationship with the Lord, we must find a quiet place away from noisy distractions and simply listen to the voice of our Lord. Often it helps to close your eyes. He wants to speak to us more than we want to listen, He is a God of love and longs to communicate with us. Have a pen and notepad handy, and expect Him to speak. The previous steps have built up to this wonderful moment. You have quieted your mind, your heart is open, your conscience is clear, and you are centred on the Lord. And if you are like most of us, you need a word of encouragement from the Lord. Say, with Samuel, “Speak for Your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10). As words or thoughts begin to come into your mind, write them in your notebook. Most probably, it will be the Lord giving you a word of loving encouragement, hope and healing. You will grow in ability to hear Him speak throughout your daily affairs, as you spend quality time in prayer and scripture. Finally, it is also true that love does not require words. God may love you in the silence as well.

(Dt. 30:20, Lk 10:39, Rev 3:20, Ps 95:7, Is 30:21, Hab 2:2, Jn 16:13, Ac 10:19, Pr 8:34, Ps 25:9, Ps 73:24, Mt. 13:23)

10. Intercessions (5 minutes)

“I urge, them, first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone…”. (1 Timothy 2:10).

One of the greatest gifts we can give each other is the gift of prayer. This is the time to pray for other people. Pray for nations and leaders, pastors and those in authority. Pray for the homeless, the sick and the dying. Pray for those who have no one to pray for them. Pray for your enemies. Pray for your family, friends and associates. Most importantly, ask the Holy Spirit to bring people to mind. He surely will. Their name probably will continue to come to mind throughout the day, once you make yourself available because the Lord is always looking for someone willing to pray. As names come to you, simply lift them to the Lord. Ask Him to help them, to bring them wholeness, to forgive them, to touch them with His love, to release His power on their behalf. Pray with simple faith, as a little child turning to their Dad, knowing He longs to give you what you want. You might ask, “Lord, what does this person need?” Often an area of need will come to mind. When it does, you can say simply, “Lord, please meet their need.” Pray simply, from your heart. Pray, “Father, I pray Your heart’s desire be done in their lives.” He prompted you to ask so you can be sure that He will do something about the need? “The prayer of a righteous man (and woman) is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

(Is 65:24, Ps 106:23, Eph 1:16, 1 Ch 21:17, Ps 91:15, Is 58:9, Dan 9:4-23, 1 Sa 1:27, 1 Ki 8, 1 Ki 18:37, 2 Ki 19:19, Is 59:16)

11. Petitions (5 minutes)

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews

4:16). This is a time for you to ask the Lord to meet your needs. Get in the habit of asking for everything throughout the day; parking places, green lights, favour from the boss, etc. This builds a comfortable, free interaction with the Lord that will make it easier to ask, especially, when there are serious needs. Do you have certain fears that need to be released? Do you have a weight problem? A health concern? Do you have difficulty with an annoying person? How about building up to the Lord the long term goals for your life? Be specific: It helps to write down intercessions and petitions, as well as goals, so that when they are answered faith will increase. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8) (Mt 21:22, Jn 15:7, Lk 11:9, Jn 14:13, 1 Jn 5:14-15, Ps 34:6, La 2:19, Ps 61:2, Ps 130:1-2, Ps 120:1, Ps 119:169, Ps 119:147, Ps 91:15, Mk 9:23, Ps 62:8)

12. Thanksgiving (5 minutes)

“…let us be thankful, and so worship God …”. (Hebrews 12:28).

In the closing five minutes of your “Miracle Hour” turn to the Lord and worship Him through your gratitude. Use this prayer as a jumping-off point and begin to thank Him spontaneously.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

“..thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:12)

Thank you, loving Father in heaven, for the amazing grace of the “Miracle Hour” with You. Thank you for drawing me to prayer and giving me a hunger and thirst for You. Thank you for the joy of surrender, repentance and forgiveness. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to teach, guide and counsel me. Thank you for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit today, and a release of the gift of the Spirit. Thank You for sending the people for ministry. Thank you for the fruit of the Spirit working in me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. Thank you for encouraging me to ask when I have a need, and helping me to understand the desires of my heart. Thank You for the wonderful gift of praise.

Thank You for breaking the power of old habit patterns and bringing me to deeper conversion. Thank You for the grace to listen to You, Thank You for all the ways You have helped me and intervened on my behalf. Thank You for Your plan for my life, for creating me with a high purpose in mind, for giving me a sense of worth. Thank You for loving me unconditionally and never leaving or forsaking me, no matter what I do. Thank You for being there at all the moments in my life, the rough and the smooth, and bringing me through those moments to a place of maturity and deeper faith.

Thank You for Your living Word that strengthens and empowers me. Thank You for enabling me to rise out of discouragement and walk in joy. Thank You for lifting me up when I fall. Thank You for keeping me in perfect peace, as my mind is stayed on You. Thank You for making all things work together for good as I place my trust in You. 

Thank You for giving Your angels charge over me, to guide me in all my ways. Thank You for blessing me as I come in and go out. Thank You for guiding me and giving me wisdom. Thank You for your goodness and mercy that follow me wherever I go. Thank You for the grace to lean on Your understanding, not my own. Thank You for enabling me to forsake all negative thoughts today and only think those thoughts that are healing and uplifting. Thank You for giving me a tongue that speaks healing and life. Thank You for the abundance of your love that casts out all fear. Thank You for fighting for me against my enemies, and even making my enemies at peace with me. Thank You for the grace to choose life today. Thank You for enabling me to keep my heart fixed on you.

Thank You for giving me a spirit of power, love and sound mind. Thank You for always causing me to triumph in Christ Jesus and turning curses into blessings. In You, I am more than a conqueror. Thank You for giving me the ability to think Your thoughts and walk steadfastly in Your ways. Thank You for opening the gates of heaven and pouring out blessings. Thank You for supplying all my needs in accordance with Your riches in glory. Thank You for giving me favour with You and with my fellow man. Thank You for freeing me from sickness in my body, mind and spirit, and bringing good out of the times when trouble comes. Thank You for giving me a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know the great hope to which I have been called. Thank You for flooding my heart and mind with the light of heaven. Thank You for revealing the immeasurable and unlimited power of God available to me. Thank You for the grace to walk in forgiveness, faithfulness and love. Thank You for my exceedingly growing faith. Thank You for opening my hands to give to the needy, opening my eyes to see the needs of my brothers and sisters, opening my ears to their cry, opening my heart to love the wounded and lost, opening my lips to speak of Your love, and opening my arms to receive others in love. I especially Thank You for ____________________________.  

Thank You for all the blessings of life; godly ancestors, family, friends, teachers, professional people, pastors and church. Thank You for all who have helped me along the way. Bless them, Lord. Thank You for faith, freedom, health and work. Thank You for science and art and medicine, and all the material advancements that improve the quality of life. Thank You for the wonderful gift of my life, exactly the way it is. I embrace it as a priceless gift from You. And I thank You for the greatest gift of all – Your Son Jesus. “Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift.” 

 (2 Corinthians 9:11) (Ps 100:4, 2Co 3:18, Lk 8:39, Ac 13:47, Da 12:3, Ps 126:3, Jn 1:16, 2 Co 9:8, 2 Pe 1:2, 2 Pe 3:18, Phm 7, Ps 91:11, Ps 90:17, Ps 29:11, Dt 23:5, Ps 107:22, 1 Th 15:16)

“You are the God who performs miracles. You display Your power among the people.” (Psalms 77:14)

Amen! Lord, please give me Your blessing. 

Let Your light shine in me today.