Day 40: Prayer Alphabet

Hey SIS!!!

We made it to the Finish Line of our #TagTeam 40 Day Prayer Challenge!!!!

The #TagTeam Prayer Finale will be streaming live for those who are unable to attend! This is the link you will use to view it February 21, 2014 at 7pm ( http://video.sqweekey.com/impact/live )

Wow! It’s Day 40 of the prayer challenge. We did it! It was exciting, unbelievable, good times with God. At times it may have been challenging, but we made it to the last day. Thank you Jesus! Although this is considered the end, we can view this really as a new beginning. Through our experience and the greater understanding we have gained in God, we are now seeing the world with fresh eyes…spiritual eyes. Ladies, things look a lot different! As we take on life with a fresh perspective we will continue to grow spiritually and learn more.

The focused scripture for today is Luke 11:1, which states “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”” Do you ever wonder what the disciples thought when Jesus prayed? They probably thought he was the best at praying. They knew Jesus was filled with wisdom and was their teacher. Therefore, they asked how they should pray.

I’m sure that like the disciples we all can relate to feeling like we aren’t the best at praying. Sometimes we have no idea what to pray about. But it’s ok. God is there to help us if we just ask. Batterson tells us a cute story about a grandfather who walked by his granddaughter’s bedroom one night and overheard her praying. Her prayer was literally, “Dear God, a,b,c,d,e,f,g….z” and then she said “Amen.” The grandfather asked the little girl why she was praying that way. The girl said “I didn’t know what to say so I figured I’d let God put the letters together however He saw fit.” Here are some suggestions from Batterson about praying:

1.       We need to ask God what to pray about. Batterson says “Prayer isn’t about outlining our agenda to God; it’s about getting into God’s presence and getting God’s agenda for us.” 

2.      If we aren’t sure where to start or if we get stuck, start reading the Bible. God speaks to us through his word. We might read a word or phrase that jumps off the page and propelled into prayer.

3.      Keep trying! Batterson says, “Acquiring a prayer language is as arduous as learning a foreign language.” Don’t get impatient with yourself.

4.      Be yourself. God wants to hear your words—exactly how you say it. He wants to hear your praise.

5.      Get creative. Sometimes prayer can become routine or “cliché.” Continue to explore new ways to pray that reflect you (i.e. gifts, personality, etc.)

This is the bottom line: Prayer makes all the Difference in our lives! “Prayer is the difference between the best we can do and the best God can do,” explains Batterson. It changes everything—from the way we work, feel, think, and even speak. Batterson says, “It doesn’t matter what you do; prayer is the key to your business, your practice, your career.” No matter what we do in this life—become a banker, doctor, singer, teacher—prayer opens the way for us to talk and hear from God. God is the source of our creativity and all our abilities. What better way to grow our abilities than to hear from our creator? The Holy Spirit can work inside us to give us the skills and knowledge we need to navigate this life. And that’s the BEST kind of Life…walking with God on our side!

Let’s pray as Jesus taught us to pray:

⁹ Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13

Post Written By: SIS Chelsea

 

Day 39: He's Everywhere!

Hey SIS!!!

Don't Forget to Register for the #TagTeam Prayer Finale!!! Click the link below to RSVP TODAY!!! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tagteam-prayer-finale-tickets-10387211429

We're almost to the finish line! To be able to have shared in God's love and to hear your testimonies has been truly an amazing experience. I'm so humbled and so grateful to have walked this journey with all of you.  We all had a reason why we committed to doing this challenge. Some of us may have needed healing or for specific blessings to be released. Some of us needed confirmation about a certain decision or move to be made, while others were simply desperate for a breakthrough. Whatever our reasons, we all agreed that seeking God was the first step. So now here were are 1 day left, and I just wanted to encourage you. Just because the prayer challenge is ending does not mean you lose your connection to God. He doesn't pop in for special occasions. He doesn't leave you after Monday night prayer has ended.  He is with you at all times.

Today's reading is titled "Holy Ground."  The scripture is Exodus 3:5: "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." In Exodus 3 God appeared to Moses in a burning bush and he was tending to a flock of sheep far off into the wilderness.  Mark Batterson explains that Jewish scholars used to debate about why God appeared to Moses in that manner. They concluded that no place is devoid of God's presence.

 The beautiful and remarkable thing about God is that he is everywhere—at all times. Many people feel like in order to be in God's presence you have to be in his house. I think many of us at one time or another have thought to ourselves "there's no way I'm missing church on Sunday after what happened today!" But the simple fact is, God can meet you right where you are. You don't have to step into "His house" for him to find you. You don't have to pray at the altar for him to hear your voice.  There is no "proper" place to worship or to call on Him. God created all of earth. Any place you could possibly be is his territory, and he is in the midst.

 Batterson tells us of an amazing dual testimony. An author, Ken Gaub was driving near Dayton, OH with his family and decided to stop for a bite to eat. He went to stretch his legs a little and heard a pay phone ringing. He answered the phone and the operator said "Long distance for Ken Gaub."  Amazed he accepted the call and on the line was a woman on the brink of suicide. She explained to him that she had written a suicide note but decided to pray one last time. She told God that she didn't really want to go through with it. As she prayed she remembered seeing Ken on television. She told God "If I could just talk to him, He could help me." As she continued to pray numbers popped into her head and she wrote them down. She called the number and Ken, in the middle of nowhere, answered.

This woman was able to come to God in her most desperate time. She called on God right where she was and he answered in a way that only He can. As for Ken Gaub, he was amazed that God knew just where to find him. We often say that He is always with us, but do we REALLY believe it? This was certainly confirmation for me!  Also, in knowing that God is with us at all times, everywhere we are is Holy ground. We must learn to treat it as such. We put on our best behavior in church, but we are ALWAYS in the presence of the Lord.  Let's learn to "Take off our sandals" ladies, and humble ourselves before the king at all times.

As I was reading today's message I kept being reminded of a poster that hung on the wall of my room for the first 17 years of my life. I'm not sure who bought it or who hung it there but, I'm grateful to have had a reminder of God's omnipresence throughout my years. Many of you may know this very familiar passage. For those who don't I wanted to share it with you!

 

 Click here to get a closer view of the picture!

 

Say this prayer:

 

Dear God,

Thank You for being with me during every moment of my day and everywhere I go. Thank You that there is no incorrect place or time to call on You. Lord, help me seek You right where I am. Help me to trust that if I call You, You hear me. Help me to have faith that You'll answer. Thank You that I never have, and never will walk alone. Help me to feel your presence. You know all, hear all, see all, and Your love conquers all. So, thank You for loving me and fulfilling my needs according to Your will. In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

Written by SIS Eboni R.

 

Day 38: Climb the Watchtower

Hey SIS!!!

 

Don't Forget to Register for the #TagTeam Prayer Finale!!! Click the link below to RSVP TODAY!!! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tagteam-prayer-finale-tickets-10387211429

When you pray are you completely distraction free and willing to cry out before the Lord? Well...I will answer that question for myself first. “No.” Since the bible says in Luke 18:1, “Then he spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” I pray any and everywhere, work, my car, grocery store, the mall, church, in my home. Therefore, sometimes I am multitasking and I can’t focus 100% on the Lord, but I want to glorify Him at all times so I pray anyhow. But, I am not always out and about. When I come home and pray I like to give the Lord my undivided attention. That means the television should be off, I shouldn’t be cooking or texting, I should only be in the presence of God. I wouldn’t feel loved if every time I talked to the Lord He was always busy with other people or occupied doing other things. Our God gives us his undivided attention, and He listens to our every prayer. For this reason, we should climb our personal Watchtower and concentrate only on the Lord as a routine in our daily prayer life.

The Scripture for Day 38 is Habakkuk 2:1 which says, “I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says and how he will answer my complaint.”

 

Batterson says, “We need to find a place where we are free from distraction, where we get good reception, where we can focus, and where our faith is strong.”

Our watchtower is symbolic to where we pray—even if it means going back to a place where the Lord has already proven himself faithful and just. Maybe someone was set free at college, in a hospital, or at a friend’s house. We don’t have to necessarily go to that place to pray to the Lord, but if we are ever in that location it’s a reminder that God can do all things, and we can say a prayer to show the Lord that we are grateful and that we have not forgotten.  We can even get creative with our watchtower. Sometimes going back to the exact place that God answered our prayer is not feasible. We could look at a picture of ourselves during the time we were praying for something, revisit that page in our journals or even listen to a gospel song that helped us get through the situation. When we have something as a reminder that God blessed us before, it builds our faith and causes us to trust that He has NOT ran out of blessings and that He can bless us again.

 

Can you hear? Praying from your watchtower allows us to be able to hear from God more clearly. Think about it; it’s hard to focus on the music in the car if we are trying to figure out directions to an unfamiliar place, eating a snack, and talking on the phone all at the same time. There are too many activities going on at once. Let’s not forget...when we drive we should be focused on the road! So, if God is trying to get a blessing to us during our prayer time with Him we should be focused on Him and only Him. If we are always distracted or giving Him a quick “I’m kind of busy right now” prayer, how will we get our answer? How will we get the directions to that unfamiliar place if we can’t hear? Any relationship requires “quality” time in order for it to blossom into something great. Our relationship with the Lord requires the same. So we need to go to our watchtower and offer up a prayer to the Lord. We need to go to a place where we are comfortable, a place where we can clear our minds, and a place where our hearts can receive what the Lord is telling us.

The bible says in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to the Father in private. Then your father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

Say this prayer:

 

Lord I come before You totally focused in on Your presence. I do not want any distractions to hinder me from giving You the worship that You deserve. Lord I love You. In loving You I know that I must sacrifice my time to pray and talk to You. I may sometimes get caught up in my busy schedule, but I now know that You take precedence over everything and every person in my life. It is because of Your grace that I am able to speak out of my mouth and praise You. My relationship with You Lord is priceless to me and I want to do all that I can to hear Your voice more clearly, and to show You how much I value our alone time. There aren’t any blessings, questions, or concerns that our too large for You to answer and I thank You Lord for sharing Your presence with me. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray Amen.

 

Post Written By: SIS Ebony E.

Day 37: Prayer Contracts

Hey SIS!

Don't Forget to Register for the #TagTeam Prayer Finale!!! Click the link below to RSVP TODAY!!! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tagteam-prayer-finale-tickets-10387211429

Chapter 37 is the most essential part of the whole entire book to me. It speaks of the importance of prayer, praying in God’s will and forming a prayer circle. God’s desire is to give us EVERYTHING that our heart desires, but he has a perfect will for our lives. It is crucial to pray without ceasing, but it’s even more important to pray God’s will. Sometimes we are praying and praying and praying for a specific thing that WE want God to do and the whole time that we are praying, God is saying, “that’s not what I have for you. That’s not the plans I have for your life.” It’s important to pray God’s will for every situation that concerns our lives. Whether it be for financial breakthrough or when we are praying for the healing of a sick loved one. God always knows what’s best for us.

Today’s key scripture comes from Matthew 18:18, which reads, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven.” Batterson explains that the word bind makes a legal reference. It means “to place a contract on something.” When we pray for the will of God, we are placing a “spiritual contract” for it to occur. In addition, when we pray by circling the promises in the Word of God and agreeing with others in prayer something really powerful happens.

 I can recall a specific situation where I was not praying God’s will. I wanted God to work a miracle so badly that I did not even stop to ask God if it was his will for the miracle to manifest. God did not perform the miracle that I so desperately wanted him to perform. I did not understand why this miracle did not happen. It seemed unfair. It’s not like I was praying for a million dollars. I was praying for a healing miracle to take place. When that didn’t happen, I was so confused! But God continuously repeated to me “it’s my will and I will be glorified.” Shouldn’t that always be the goal? That God be glorified?

“The purpose of prayer is not to get what you want; the goal of prayer is to discern what God wants, what God wills. But if your prayer is in the will of God, than it is backed up by full authority of the King and his Kingdom” (Batterson). I always view prayer and the word as combined forces used to destroy the works and the power of the enemy. We have to understand that we have authority over the enemy especially when we are praying Gods will. The Lord says in his scripture that the word is our weapon and prayer is our power. You can’t operate with one and not have the other. For example, imagine yourself on a battlefield. You have this huge sword in your hand. The sword is sharpened and ready for use. This weapon is of course the word of God. Now, without at proper prayer life, you have this huge weapon in your hand, but because you don’t pray, you have NO POWER…..think about it! Praying God’s will, with the word as a weapon against the enemy, what could even try to stop you…..NOTHING!!!!!

 James 5:16 reads “The effectual fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much.” We have full authority through Christ, anything that we ask in God’s will and with authority, we have. In the book of James, it talks about how Elijah prayed that the rains would stop, and they did. A few years later, he prayed for the rains to come, and they did. Women of God, we have the SAME authority! Because we are righteous, we can ask anything in the name of Jesus (in God’s will) and it is done before the entire prayer can ever leave our mouths. We are righteous children of God and that means that we can speak life (and life will form) or we can speak death to a situation (and death will occur). Let’s make the most of our prayers by seeking God for his will.

 

 

 

Heavenly Father,

Your word in Isaiah 55:9, says, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” And in response to your word I say, “I thank You for being above me and knowing what is best for me.” In this life, we are all searching for our purpose and asking for Your will to be done. But let us not be blindsided and naive to think that as we ask, so we are ready for it to be revealed and respond accordingly. I pray that as each of us comes to a point in our lives where we dare to ask You to reveal Your will for us, You would put us in a place of acceptance of what You reveal to us. It may not be what we want, but it will surely be what we need in order to live a life fully invested in You. When fear attempts to consume us, be the destroyer of the fear by Your perfect love for we know it casts out all fear. When You see that we are tempted to turn back and ignore Your will, chasten our spirits and help us to see that You only want the best for us. Help us to realize that anything You bring into our lives and anything You reveal to us is for our good. Give us a spirit of acceptance and a heart open to Your move in our lives. Most of all Lord, let us never get so caught up in seeking You out for a revelation that we forget to seek You—for you. Let us always desire to be with You above all things; seeking Your kingdom first and letting everything else be added afterwards. Let Your love surround us and cast out any fear or doubts. Help us to live in love with You, accept Your will for our lives and give us the proper response to your revelation.

In Jesus’ Name,

AMEN!

 

Post Written By: SIS Tish

Day 36: Senior Partner

Hey SIS!

We are almost to the end of our 40 day challenge! It went by so fast. I’m excited about the Tag Team Prayer Finale, which will allow us all to gather in prayer.  If you still need to register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tagteam-prayer-finale-tickets-10387211429

Mark Batterson introduces the idea of a “Senior Partner” in today’s chapter. The key scripture is from Matthew 6:20, which says “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Batterson tells the story of his ninety-five-year-old friend named Stanley Tam. He explains that more than a half century ago, he made the decision to make God his Senior Partner. This meant that Stanley’s current business called United States Plastic Corporation that made less than $200,000 in revenue each year now embraced God as a partner—owning  51 percent of his business.  As time passed he realized that he needed to make God the sole owner of his business, and Stanley made himself a salaried employee. Stanley believed that God would bless his business, and he wanted to honor God by letting God be “owner.” Batterson says “Since the day Stanley made that defining decision, he has given away more than $120 million.” Ladies, due the success of Stanley’s business, which God blessed tremendously, he has been able to pour into others’ lives by being a giver.

Have you ever wanted to have enough money to give away to those in need? Do you dream about being able to have all your needs met? If you answered “yes” to these questions, the real question that determines how close you are to reaching that point is “Are you allowing God to be your Senior Partner in your life?” This means giving the full tithe and offering to God. I learned a long time ago that giving offering to God isn’t just about money. God wants your time, gifts, and other resources also. Batterson says “We cannot out give God.” We must give God all access to our lives, and be willing to give him what we do have. Batterson says “If we don’t hold out on God, God won’t hold out on us.”

I remember when I was just learning about tithing and offering. At the time I was living in New York, and making about $900 every two weeks. I didn’t have much money or material items. I was going through a national service program called AmeriCorps. I knew when I signed up for the program, my finances would be tight, but the experience would help me to develop skills to gain employment after my year of service. I started attending a church in Brooklyn. I can remember one Sunday the pastor preached a sermon about giving God our best and showing our belief through action, which reflects our faith in God. As the time for offering came, I sat in my chair and it hit me—I needed to make a significant offering. At the time, I was having such a hard time living in Brooklyn. I didn’t like where I lived, I was far from any friends, and I had very little money. I couldn’t call my parents—complaining after I decided to move—because they warned me and then loving helped me move. I had $20 in my purse, and in my heart I believed if I gave that for an offering God would bless me. It was all I had—it was the best I could do—so I gave it. Shortly after sowing into that church, God opened a door for me to relocate closer to my job and in a much better neighborhood. My whole experience in living in a foreign city changed for the better. God took what I had and blessed me.  I realized that giving to God is a MUST!!! I learned that money isn’t important, and that God knows what I need and will provide it.

God can do the same for you! Batterson reminds us that we need to have childlike faith. We are serving the same God that others are serving who have become millionaires. And if God did it for them, he can do it for us! We need to take God for his word and believe on his promises. And don’t forget, our prayers don’t expire.  As we “pray the price” today, “good things will pass from generation to generation and become great things.” We must remember that “Every prayer we pray, every gift we give, every sacrifice we make, and every step of faith we take is an inheritance left to the next generation."

Say this Prayer:

Lord God, thank You for being who you are. Today I’m reminded that You are my Senior Partner in my life. You have all access. Father, I pray that You lead me to first give You completely.  I know that I can’t out give You. You know my needs, and I believe You will meet them all. Secondly, help me to give to others. Make be a giver! I love you today Lord. Continue to bless my family through every generation. In Jesus’ Name Amen.

Post Written By: SIS Chelsea

Day 35: The Longest Lever

Hey SIS!!!!! Don't Forget to Register for the #TagTeam Prayer Finale!!! Click the link below to RSVP TODAY!!! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tagteam-prayer-finale-tickets-10387211429

5 days left SIS!!! Can you believe it? It seems like just a couple weeks ago we were starting this challenge with Day 1 Chapter titled, “Get Ready,” now we are on day 35 and it feels Amazing!! I will be the first to admit, when I first agreed to do this challenge I completely cringed at a 40 day commitment. Did anyone else feel the same way? I mean, it’s only natural right? We start to have all of these thoughts that circle around all the reasons we shouldn’t do things and barely pay any attention to the many benefits of why we SHOULD move forward anyhow!

This chapter titled “The Longest Lever” is based off a partial passage from Zechariah 4:10 which reads, “Do not despise small beginnings.” I have heard many variations of this same passage so many times throughout my life. When faced with a dilemma or a new task people have always said “It’s the small steps that count,” “You have to start somewhere,” or my favorite, “it’s all about humble beginnings.”

Many times as we strive to get closer to Christ we can often get discouraged.  I know I have. Whether it’s personal situations going wrong, prayers not being answered in the manner we thought they would, or we just feel defeated; we sometimes can feel like “God must not be hearing me.” But that’s where you and I were wrong SIS. God loves and honors our prayers! Batterson says, “our prayers have the potential to rewrite history.”  I know you are thinking “we have the ability to rewrite history?” The answer is a bold “Yes.”  “How” you ask? By using prayer as our lever!

Batterson describes a lever as something that “amplifies the input force to provide a greater output force.  Simply put, the longer the lever, the greater the leverage.” Every time we kneel in prayer with a humble heart Batterson says, “God will extend His mighty hand on our behalf. He will leverage us in ways that are humanly impossible.” In other words, we need to do something so small as humbling ourselves before God in prayer and in return He will do something so extraordinary to take care of the rest! Now does it sound like we can rewrite History? Yup, with God and prayer we surely CAN!!

When we signed up to do this prayer challenge, for many of us—including myself—this  was a humble (small) beginning that was talked about in our key passage Zechariah 4:10. Batterson says “Like a parent that celebrates a baby’s first step, our heavenly Father rejoices when we take the smallest of steps in the right direction. And those small steps become giant leaps in God’s Kingdom.” So whatever challenges you may be currently facing stay encouraged SIS because God is rooting for You!!!

Say this prayer with me:

Father, I am so thankful to have You in my life! Though there are times I get discouraged, help me to not focus on my current situations and focus on the leverage I have instead. I may not be able to do everything, but Lord I now know through humble and consistent prayer You WILL do the impossible! Everything is all to Your Glory God, I take no credit. I thank You for my past blessings and I thank You in advance for the ways You will rewrite my story. I am humbled to serve such a Great and Mighty God! In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!

Post Written By: SIS Leigh

Day 34: Raise Up A Remnant

Hey SIS!!!!!

Don't Forget to Register for the #TagTeam Prayer Finale!!! Click the link below to RSVP TODAY!!!  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tagteam-prayer-finale-tickets-10387211429 

So I must say, Chapter 34 BLESSED MY LIFE!!!!!!!!! It was confirmation of all the things God revealed to me when He told us to start this prayer challenge.

Batterson talks about "The Order of a Mustard Seed," which was a group of Christians who "solemnly pledged to be true to Christ, to be kind to people, and to take the gospel to the nations." The group pledged to use all of their gifts, wealth and influence for the conversion of the non-believer. On August 27, 1727, a small remnant of 24 brothers and 24 sisters began praying around the clock. Similar to the day of Pentecost,  their prayer meeting was visited by the Holy Spirit! Their prayers reverberated all around the world and turned into one of the greatest missionary movements the church has ever known (Moravian Pentecost at Herrnhut).

Batterson states, "At critical junctures in history, God raises up a remnant to reestablish His reign and rule. It's rarely the majority. In fact, it's always a small minority. But all it takes is a faithful few to begin a reformation."  Batterson uses the scripture, 2 Kings 19:30 "Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above." I would just like to say WE are the remnant!!!!!! God revealed it to me before we started this challenge and this chapter provided the final confirmation I needed!!!!!

The Moravian Pentecost at Herrnhut in 1727 started with a remnant who had pure hearts and were dedicated to prayer. At the beginning of the year, God spoke to me in a dream and said I needed to pray like I've never prayed before. So the ladies of Saved In Style began praying everyday at 5AM.  We began praying around the clock; in our cars, on our jobs, at the store, everywhere! Praying became a normal routine. We also began to fast more and consecrate ourselves to the Lord. During this time, the 40 day Prayer Challenge was birthed out!!! One day, God spoke to me and said he did not want me to listen to any gospel music while driving in my car  for 10 days (I LOVE to get my praise and worship on in the car!). Instead, He told me to listen to the audio Bible. While driving on one particular day, the book of Acts was playing. God reminded me of how he moved on the day of Pentecost. It started with 120 believers who gathered together in prayer at the Upper Room and spread like wildfire!!!! As I was listening to the book of Acts in the car, God gave me the idea to have the #TagTeam Prayer Challenge. Acts 2:1-4  says, "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as if fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." He said he wanted the women participating in the challenge to meet in one place and pray like never before. He showed me it would be a modern day Pentecost. Immediately, the enemy tried to attack my thoughts and tell me I was having grandiose thoughts. Really, God was going to use Saved In Style to bring a revival and reformation to the world????? At that time, we had about 40 women who committed to the prayer challenge and it just didn't seem likely. However, He kept speaking to me about it and I said "Ok, God whatever you say." After I surrendered to God and told Him, "Yes", women began to join the prayer challenge from all over the USA and across the world. I still don't even know how they found out about it because we did not have any advertising besides Facebook and Instagram. It is ALL GOD! As women from Bahamas and Africa began to reach out to me, I knew this was confirmation that God was going to do exactly what He promised. My next confirmation was the icing on the cake. I had every intention to have the event at a hotel. However, God had different plans. God lead us to a Christian venue in Detroit, MI called the Upper Room. Yes, the UPPER ROOM named after the place where believers meet on the Day of Pentecost. I hope you ladies are ready for the #TagTeam Prayer Finale on February 21, 2014!!!!!!!

My favorite quote from this chapter:

"I believe there is a remnant within every church, within every city. It's time to rise up. It's time for  reformation.  The next great awakening won't be the result of a planning meeting. Just as it was for Pentecost, it will be birthed in a prayer meeting."

WE ARE THAT REMNANT!!! LET'S GO!!!!

Say This Prayer:

Father,

You are so powerful and so mighty. I pray with expectancy for what You are about to do in this nation, in my state, in my city, in my community, in my church and in my life. Lord, you are the same yesterday, today and forever! If you did it back then on the Day of Pentecost, I know you can do it again.  I pray for a powerful move of God in this Earth. I vow to pray consistently and fervently. I vow to use all of my gifts, all of my wealth and all of my influence to promote You in the Earth and lead others to You. I praise You for raising up a remnant to bring revival and reformation to the world. Lord, thank you for saving me and transforming me into a WORLD CHANGER! In Jesus' Name. Amen!!!!

Post Written By: SIS De'Nisha Sh'Lene

"Saved Girls Serve OUTREACH: Share God's Love

Hey SIS!!!

Saved In Style's values are:: #Love #Humility #Service #Sisterhood

Our "Saved Girls Serve" Outreach will be spreading God's love to those who may be hurting, alone and depressed in our Valentine's Day Outreach! We encourage you to participate with us!

Watch this video to learn how to participate in SIS Outreach! #GodsLove
 

 

 



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Day 33: Prayer Covering

Hey SIS!

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Do you every have one of those days…when everything seems to go wrong? If you’re not being stopped at the street light, then you are disagreeing with a friend, or even experiencing attitudes from people. When everything starts going off course, you sit back and wonder why. Why me? Why now? Well, many times when you are going in the right direction with God, the enemy “tries it” over and over with you. But, God says that in him you have the victory!

Today’s scripture comes from Exodus 17:12, “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.” In this verse we get a glimpse into what Moses experienced, and how his friends came and supported him when he was tired. God called Moses to lead his people, the Israelites, from Egypt and into the promise land. Moses started on the journey strong and focused, but they encountered trials. After encountering a battle between the Amalekites, Moses grew tired and the Israelites lost ground. Batterson says “That’s when Aaron and Hur stood alongside Moses and lifted up his arms until sunset.” Moses was not only going through a physical battle, but a spiritual one as well.

We are in a spiritual battle too! When we begin to press into God through prayer, and even intercede (pray) for others the enemy doesn’t like it. Batterson says “When we hit our knees, we pick a fight with the enemy.  And the enemy will fight back.” The enemy will begin to put things in our path to distract us, make us want to give up, and back down. We all need to know that the enemy “…cannot touch us. He has no jurisdiction in our lives if we are covered by the blood of Jesus, but we also need a prayer covering.” It’s important for us to have others praying for us—pastors, friends, family and spiritual mentors.

God is so awesome! Yesterday morning, SIS Chantele received a word from God saying that we all needed to cover each other in prayer. I had the pleasure of being covered in prayer. Little did I know that the enemy would try to hit be with his best shots: experiencing tiredness in my body, symptoms of a cold, and pressure at work. At the end of the day, I literally felt like throwing in the towel. Then I called on Jesus and prayed. In addition to being covered in prayer that morning, in the evening I got a wonderful word of encouragement from another SIS. And now through his strength I’m writing.

God always has our back. He loves us. So next time you face an unforeseen challenge—instead becoming emotional or having negative response—immediately pray and call on the Lord. Make sure that others are lifting you up in prayer also.

Say this prayer:

Lord,

Thank You for all those who intercede for me through prayer. Bless them Lord. I pray that You cover them as well. I know that no matter what challenges I face that you are with me. You love me. Your word says in Romans 8:37 “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Lord, it’s good to know that when I’m at my weakest, You can give me strength. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name Amen.

Post Written By: Chelsea

Day 32: Get a Testimony

Hey SIS!!!

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Have one of your closest friends ever told you an amazing story, and it was so unbelievably wonderful that you had to share it with someone else? And when you told the story to another person you were just as excited as when your friend told it to you!! Well...wouldn’t it be cool if you had your own story? Not just a story, but a sequence of events that really meant something to you. A time where things weren’t really looking the brightest, relationships weren’t the happiest, inner peace wasn’t quite peaceful, or money wasn’t in full abundance or even half abundance for that matter. However, somehow some way you made it through, and you came out victorious in the midst of the storm. Yeah—that would be a good story to tell. Except now it’s no longer a story, it’s a testimony and the “some way somehow” is Jesus.

The scripture for Day 32 is Revelation 12:11 which says, “They triumphed over him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

Batterson says, “A testimony is powerful, in part, because we cannot argue with it. It’s irrefutable and undeniable. A personal testimony is our secret weapon, and that’s why the enemy wants us to keep our testimony a secret. It’s not a testimony if we don’t share it with others. If we don’t share our testimonies, we are robbing God of the glory He deserves.”

EVERYBODY GET DOWN! This isn’t just another forceful blog phrase used to get your attention. This is what I remember. These are the words that resound in my thoughts from my testimony. My mom and I had a few errands to run one Saturday morning while I was home for the weekend from college. She was rushing me so I grabbed a t-shirt (my favorite t-shirt) and some jeans. We weren’t supposed to be gone long. Little did I know, my mom and I would literally be customers in a bank that was going to be robbed. This only happens on television...right?! Not this time. I remember every single detail about that day in the bank. In fact, I can clearly remember the guy who robbed the bank. He kept watching me; I just figured that he was going to try to talk to me when he was done taking care of his business. I was hoping not, so I made a point to look away and engage in more conversation with my mom. When the guy got to the counter the teller screamed, which alarmed him. So he panicked, he took out his gun and told everyone to “GET OUT!” However, people raced out screaming and crying, which brought too much attention to the bank. So he demanded to everyone left inside the bank, “EVERYBODY GET DOWN!” I was in shock. The world slowed down and I felt like I was the only person standing after his orders were given. My mom had to pull me down. I wasn’t praying or anything while I was on the ground. I didn’t even really have a relationship with the Lord. I mean yes, I knew who He was...but not really. After the guy left with the bank’s money, the police came inside the bank to interview all of the witnesses. When they got to me they asked me about my attire. No big deal, I had on flip flops, jeans, a scarf, and my favorite t-shirt. My favorite t-shirt—the same navy blue t-shirt that read POLICE in big bold white letters across the front. The officer told me that the guy was probably watching me because he was trying to see if I was an off duty police woman or a cadet. My mom immediately broke down crying. I am only 5’3’’ and 135 lbs; he could have easily without a problem taken me as a hostage. God spared my life! I do not know why! I was not living for Him, I didn’t pray to him ever, and I didn’t even thank Him for saving me. But, God had a plan for my life. He cared (and still does care) about me more than I care about myself.

Not only am I alive, but I didn’t lose ANY of my possessions either. This is my testimony, and this instance alone is enough for me to believe that God can do ALL things. But just like Batterson says, “Don’t be satisfied with second hand faith: get a testimony!” We need to get excited about telling people about what God has done for us, and how He worked a miracle on our behalf. It’s encouraging to others, and it prompts people to praise God and share their own testimonies. We never know how our testimony can change someone else’s life. Testimonies cause us to put life into perspective, and really really think about how GREAT our God is. We aren’t to water down our testimonies, we aren’t to be ashamed, and we aren’t to fear the Test that precedes the testimony. God loves us. He will protect us.

The bible says in Mark 5:19, “Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’”

 

 

Say this prayer:

 

Lord I come to You humbly and grateful for all that You have done for me, and I thank You that You have blessed me more than I will ever know. Lord, I am sorry if I haven’t been obedient in sharing the goodness of You to others. From this day forth I will try my best to let someone know about how You have been a protector and a provider in my life. I promise to not be fearful during my test, because You have not given me the spirit of fear. I understand that releasing my testimony is the way to give You honor and praise, and I want nothing more than to make You smile. In Jesus’ mighty name I pray Amen.

 

Post Written By: SIS Ebony E.

Day 31: Spell It Out

Hey SIS!

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Today's chapter for Day 31 presents this question: "What do you want me to do for you?" (Matthew 20:32)

Can you believe that God wants you to spell out everything that you want him to do for you in detail? This is what Mark Batterson talks about in today's reading. It's not that Jesus doesn't  already know what you want, it's because He wants to make sure that YOU know what you want. This may sound foreign to some, but it's exactly what He wants you to do.

So let me ask you...

What are you believing God for?

What are you expecting Him to do at the end of this 40 day prayer challenge? At the end of this month? Or at the end of this year?

If God came down right now and asked you what you wanted, would you know right then and there ,or would you need time to think about it. Batterson stated that many of us have no idea what we want God to do for us, and then we wonder why it seems like God isn't doing anything for us. Most of us don't get what we want simply because we don't know or we don't ask. It says in James 4:3 “Yet, you don't have what you want because you don't ask.” First, you have to know what you want then you have to ask. And when you ask, ask with boldness, not because you call the shots and tell God what to do but because God likes it when we pray bold prayers—he wants us to be specific! God said to write it down and make it plain (Habakkuk 2:2), so do just that.

On this very day (Day 31) when I was doing the prayer challenge for the first time, I pulled out my prayer journal and pen and began to write. I wrote in detail EVERYTHING that I wanted God to do for me personally, my marriage, my children, my business etc. I wrote down every single thing that I wanted God to do and after that I prayed over it. Some things have already began to come to pass and some things I'm still praying and believing God for, but the most important thing is having it written down. Batterson said, "Well-defined prayers give God an opportunity to display His power in new ways. Well-developed faith results in well-defined prayers and well-defined prayers result in well-defined answers."

Although, God IS a mind reader....He knows your dreams, your desires, and aspirations but He wants you to SPELL IT OUT!

If you haven't already, I challenge you to take some time throughout the course of this day and begin to write out in detail what you want God to do in your life. After you write it out, begin to circle each one in prayer daily and add in scripture references to back it up and confirm what He already promised you.

Define your dream. Claim your promise. Spell your miracle.

 

Here is my journal entry for Day 31 the first time I did the prayer challenge!

 

Say this prayer:

Lord, I come before You as boldly as I know how, thanking You for who You are and who You are in me. Thank You for elevating my mind and helping me to dream big and pray big prayers because I know I serve an even bigger God. Lord, as I spell out what I want You to do in my life, I thank You in advance for honoring every prayer request. As I take this act of faith, thank You for moving on my behalf, for working on my behalf and for bringing each and every request into full manifestation. Lord, help me to never quit, to never give up, and to never stop praying over what I'm believing you for. Regardless of how long it takes—I will never stop praying. Have Your way Lord. Move how You want to move and bless how You want to bless.

In Jesus' Name Amen!

Post Written By: SIS Chantele