Warrior Prayers...Day Nineteen

Prayers for Day Nineteen

There are many adjectives that could be used to describe the Old Testament prophet Jonah:  disobedient, unloving, smelly (three days in a fish belly??).  But, in the first verse of chapter four in the book that bears his name, Jonah was angry. 

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.”

The sad thing is that Jonah was not angry because the people of Nineveh had ignored his call to repentance.  He was not angry because his time and effort had been wasted on these heathens.  On the contrary, his proclamation had worked.  The people of Nineveh had repented.  God was going to relent and spare them.  And, that’s why Jonah was angry.  The almighty God who had been merciful to Jonah in his willful disobedience was going to forgive Israel’s hated enemy.  Jonah treasured his national pride over the grace and mercy of the Father to a nation of lost souls. 

Pride and anger often go hand in hand.  Pride in our abilities, our positions, our history and our capabilities contribute to the arrogance that often resides in our hearts just waiting to overflow in a fit of anger.  However, there is hope.

“…the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,
     for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8-9)

We must teach our sons to be patient in their spirit, to reflect on issues that cause anger to well up before acting on them.  After all, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11)  May our sons reflect the Lamb who was led to the slaughter, “yet did not open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)

Commit to praying the following prayers for your sons or grandsons today.

Anger

May all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from __________, along with all malice (Ephesians 4:31).

May__________ put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from his mouth (Colossians 3:8).

May__________ give a soft answer, which turns away wrath, and avoid harsh words which stir up anger (Proverbs 15:1).

May__________ not be quick in his spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools (Ecclesiastes 7:9).

May__________ never avenge himself, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).

May__________ know that God Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14).

May__________ make peace, and so have a harvest of righteousness (James 3:18).

And let the peace of Christ rule in __________'s heart, to which indeed he was called in one body. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15).

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard __________'s heart and mind in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).

May __________turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it (1 Peter 3:11).