P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Joseph rises from the pit to become the second most powerful man in Egypt.
Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.
As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.
Prayer of Approach
We lift up our souls to you, O Lord. Help us to direct our full attention to you with undistracted devotion. Keep our hearts from being far from you as we draw near to you with our mouths and honour you with our lips. With humble boldness we enter the most holy of all places through the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he has consecrated for us through the veil, which is his torn flesh. Psa. 25:1; 1 Cor. 7:35; Matt . 15:8; Heb. 10:19, 20.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in The Sermon on the Mount…
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:11,12
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:37-43
As I reread the passage, I reflect on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”
This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:37-43
Overnight, Joseph moved from the dungeon to becoming Pharaoh’s right hand. God’s favor and Joseph’s faithfulness prepared him for leadership. The same God who was with him in the prison exalted him in the palace.
Lord, I ask for integrity to live the same way obediently to you when I am in the pit or the palace.
Lord, in this broken and evil world, would you bring revival? Our hope and prayer is for a supernatural season of your Holy Spirit’s empowered presence being poured out on us.
As I read the passage for the final time, I listen to how the Lord is inviting me to respond to him. Where in my life do I need to yield in obedience to what he has for me?
This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:37-43
Yielding Prayer
Lord, obediently, I trust your plans. I trust them in the valley and the mountaintop. Give me a trust in you that is greater than my circumstances, whether good or bad. Fill me with your Spirit today and let me live obediently to your Word today.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Genesis 50…
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good
Genesis 50:20
Closing Prayer
Lord, enable me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you today with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to serve you today, by loving and caring for others as I do my own self; and, to exalt you today, by telling the people in my world about the abundant and eternal life found only through faith in Jesus.