Spiritual Gifts Prayers, Part II

This post is meant to be a useful guide for your personal and/or your church’s intercession regarding discovery and use of spiritual gifts. Consider using one request per day or week. Perhaps send these out to a team of prayer warriors and ask them to pray these regularly for your church. Over time, you will see the Lord provide results in amazing ways.

Pray that the Lord will give each person at [our church] a “discerning heart”, granting His wisdom and His guidance…to both open our eyes to see where we are already using our gifts…as well as to see places where He is already at work and inviting us to join Him.

Pray for those for whom recognizing their spiritual gifts is a challenge. Pray that they would be surrounded by those who know them well and can provide input on gifts that they are perhaps already using but cannot see the impact as clearly as someone else might, and the ones that they might need to seek ways to start developing.

Pray for all of the opportunities that are mentioned on Sunday mornings, in church posts and emails, and on our website---that, as our people read of opportunities, the Lord would stir hearts for the right ones to resonate with the people who are the best fit. Give us a heart to try things, to pursue our God-given passions, to allow God to compel us to a place to use our gifts and talents to His glory.

Pray that we join the Lord in His concern for who we are becoming (less with our doing). Pray that we remember that God is with us everywhere at all times. [Jacob discovers this in Genesis 28:10-16—“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”] working in and through us as we submit to Him. Pray that we recognize that we can and often are using our gifts whenever and wherever we find ourselves. Pray for the Lord to help each person begin to see and know their contribution in often “non-specific job” places in the coming weeks/months. We are blessed…to be a blessing.

Pray for those who may be hesitating on a serving opportunity. Ask the Lord to give them courage to step into something new, expectant of the Lord’s empowering and leading. Pray that wherever they engage, the ministry leader/s are welcoming and prepared to connect them well.

Pray that we would remember that one of the New Testament words for “spiritual gifts” is charismata—or, literally: grace endowments; a gift of grace; a free gift undeserved; divine empowerment of a believer to share God’s work with others. Pray that we would live and work and worship with reliance on the Spirit’s empowerment, inviting God’s kingdom come on earth. Pray that we would always remember that NO gifts are “greater”, but all are grace-filled, Holy Spirit empowered, God-given and God-ordained supernatural abilities to bring Him glory and expand His kingdom reach.

Pray that everyone at [our church] would know that their God-given spiritual gifts show up when and where they show up—in church and outside of church; in paid work and volunteer exploits; with family and neighbors. We are the church gathered when together and the church scattered when we are not. All settings are fair game for use of gifts.

Pray for those whose gifts and callings seem to be changing due to significant life events (parenthood, illness, caregiving, unexpected job changes, retirement…). Pray that the Lord would gently and clearly meet these people as they ask “now what?” Help them answer the question: “Who am I to BE, given these circumstances?” Pray that the Lord would guide them on this new change of course and give them His understanding of their new purpose/newly-discovered gifts.

Pray for those in a season of “rest” or “transition” with serving, that, as with Joseph in prison, they would have a deep sense that the Lord is with them. May they know that there is not “nothing” happening, but perhaps is a time to be with the Lord and maybe for new character and faith development—for a future season.

Pray for those in a time of change and transition—to know that God is with them, allowing for rest, renewal. May they lean into these new rhythms, trusting God to do the watering and produce the growth…and leave any measurement of progress to Him. Give them the ability to intentionally let go and trust.

Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, DIOS. DONES. TÚ.: Tu llamado y diseño único (Spanish Edition), and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with hundreds of faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and executive leaders in a diversity of fields for four decades. She currently serves as Catalyst for Equipping at her church.

Photo © Shirley Giles Davis.

All rights reserved.