Appearance

By Justin Jeppesen

This prayer guide, inspired by the chapter titled Appearance in Strategic Renewal’s resource 21 Days of Prayer for Your Church Leader, is focused on seeking God’s face through the following passage.

Colossians 3:12-17

¹²Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.¹⁴And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Appearance Prayer Guide

Reverence

Identify and celebrate God’s praiseworthy attributes

God chose us and called us to one body (vv. 12, 15)
God is everything He has called us to be (i.e. holy, compassionate, kind, humble, meek, and patient) (v. 12)
Forgiving, loving, and the Giver of peace (vv. 13-15)
His word is wise and brings thankfulness (v. 16)
His name is Lord Jesus, and Father (v. 17)

Prayer Prompts

Your name is worthy of our praise and devotion because…
Thank You Lord for how You have displayed…(list qualities from v. 12) to me when…
God I am grateful for how…(church leader) has reflected You to me by…

Response

Surrender to Him and His ways

Lord, I confess that I have not put on …when…
God I surrender my struggle with not bearing well with…help me to put on love towards them!
I repent of my lack of forgiveness over…

Requests

Ask the Spirit to guide prayer over concerns, resources, and relationships

Father, may…(church leader) be reminded that they are Your chosen and beloved ones so that they would put on…(list quality from v. 12)
Lord Jesus, help…(church leader) put on love so that they can bring harmony to…
May the word of Christ dwell richly in…(church leader) in order to wisely teach and admonish…
Cause…(church leader) to reflect You well by…

Readiness

Encouragement and strength for spiritual battle

Help…(church leader) to reflect the name of the Lord Jesus today as they…(words/actions)
Give us thankful hearts today even as we face…

*this prayer guide is an excerpt from the appendix of 21 Day of Praying for Your Church Leaders, by Strategic Renewal. Click HERE for more information on this resource.