2 Corinthians 10 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 2 Corinthians 10.

Meditate on verses 3-5.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh,

but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing

raised up against the knowledge of God,

 and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

What would you think if someone said about you, “your personal presence is unimpressive and your speech contemptible”?   Can you even imagine?  Well, perhaps you can.  If so, take heart because that is what people were saying about Paul (2 Corinthians 10:10). 

I wonder if he wanted to punch them and tell them what he thought about them.  I wonder if he had to repeat a hundred times a day, “I am taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” so he wouldn’t say something he would later regret.

What fortresses are you up against today?  Is it another person or a difficult situation?  Is it a battle going on in the lives of people you love?  Is it your vain imaginations you have thought about so much they have become your reality?

Paul knew that even people’s rudeness was actually spiritual warfare.  He refused to war in the flesh because in Christ, he had divinely powerful weapons for the destruction of fortresses.  Relying on Almighty God was Paul’s weapon.

Pray 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 over yourself and those for whom you are standing guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Lord, I do not want to war according to my flesh,

so I am depending You.

You are divinely powerful

for the destruction of fortresses.

Lord, help me destroy speculations

and every lofty thing raised up

against the knowledge of You

and take every thought captive

to the obedience of You, Christ.

In Your powerful Name, Jesus~”

2 Corinthians 9 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 2 Corinthians 9.

Meditate on verse 8.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you,

so that always having all sufficiency in everything,

you may have an abundance for every good deed.

The church at Corinth promised to give an offering.  Believers from Macedonia were coming to receive the offering.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians to ensure they were going to keep their word.  They promised a bountiful gift; Paul did not want them to be affected by covetousness and decide to give sparingly  (2 Corinthians 9:5-6).

Examine your life.  Is there a promise you need to keep?  How do you give to your church and to others?  Are you a bountiful believer or are you motivated by covetousness?  This applies to time as well as money.

Pray 2 Corinthians 9:8, 10-11 over yourself and those for whom you are standing guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“God, make all grace abound to ___________ and me,

so we will always have all sufficiency in everything. 

May we have an abundance for every good deed.

You, Who supplies seed to the sower

and bread for food will supply

and multiply our seed for sowing

and increase the harvest of our righteousness.

Please enrich us in everything for all liberality,

which through us is producing thanksgiving to You, God.

For the sake of Your Name, Jesus~”

2 Corinthians 8 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 2 Corinthians 8.

Meditate on this phrase from verse 5.

They first gave themselves to the Lord.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to disciple them in areas of Christian maturity.  By comparison, the Corinthian Christians were much wealthier than the Christians in Macedonia.  In their deep poverty the churches in Macedonia “overflowed in the wealth of their liberality (2 Corinthians 8:1).”  The Macedonian believers gave beyond their ability because they first gave themselves to the Lord.

When you give yourself to the Lord, He enables you to do things beyond your ability.  You do things by the will of God and not by your will.  God causes you to abound in everything to do His will.

Pray 2 Corinthians 8:5 and 7 over yourself and those for whom you are standing guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Lord, may ________ and I first give ourselves to You

then to others by Your will.

Make us abound in everything

in faith and utterance and knowledge

 and in all earnestness and in love,

 so we can abound in Your gracious work.

For the sake of Your Name, Jesus~”

2 Corinthians 7 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 2 Corinthians 7.

Meditate on verse 1.

Therefore, having these promises, beloved,

let us cleanse ourselves

from all defilement of flesh and spirit,

perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

In Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth, he admonished them severely for allowing sin in the church that would not even be committed by the pagans outside their church (1 Corinthians 5:1).  The Corinthian believers were saddened by Paul’s reproof in a good way because the sin was acknowledged and stopped.  Paul said in this second letter that such sorrow is according to the will of God and produces repentance without regret, leading to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10). 

Does sin make you sad?  Are you grieved when you see the results of sin in your life and in the lives of others?  Ask God to give you and those you love His perspective on sin. 

Pray 2 Corinthians 7:1 over yourself and those for whom you are standing guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Lord, since __________ and I have Your promises,

let us cleanse ourselves from

all defilement of flesh and spirit,

perfecting holiness in the fear of You, God.

In Your Name, Jesus~”

2 Corinthians 6 ~ Praying Scripture

Please read 2 Corinthians 6.

Meditate on verses 1, 3, and 4a.

And working together with Him,

we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—

giving no cause for offense in anything,

 so that the ministry will not be discredited,

but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God.

God’s Words in this chapter give you an opportunity for a Holy Spirit-evaluation of your life.  If you are a Christian, you are a recipient of God’s grace – His merciful kindness that drew you to Him.  God graced you with salvation.  The rest of your life should not be lived in vain but as an offering to God of thanksgiving for all He has done for you.

Paul listed about two dozen circumstances that could be used as excuses to be offensive, yet as a servant of God, Paul chose not to discredit the ministry.  The eternity of others was at stake.

Let the Holy Spirit examine you.  Is anything in your life causing offense, and is the ministry God called you to being discredited?  Earlier in this letter, God says you are called to the ministry of righteousness and reconciliation (2 Corinthians 3:9; 5:18).  Are you serving in those ministries as a servant of God?

Pray 2 Corinthians 6:1, 3, and 4 as you listen to the Lord today.

“Father, I want to work with You. 

Do not let me receive Your grace in vain.

May I give no cause for offense in anything,

so that the ministry will not be discredited.

In everything I commend myself as a servant of You.

Because of Your Name, Jesus~”