Prayers for Lent: week six

Here we find Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by the enemy in three different ways. First, he plays on Jesus’ physical need for food. Then, he encourages him to doubt God’s integrity by putting his promises to the test. Finally, he offers a quick and easy route out of the wilderness – all Jesus has to do is turn away from God.

In our modern world, we’re constantly surrounded by distraction and temptation, willing us to turn our gaze away from Jesus, test God or find an easy way to get what we want. It’s so important that we train ourselves to be aware of temptation, in the many different forms it takes.

Ask God to guide you by the Holy Spirit in situations where you may face temptation, so that you’re able to judge what’s right for you. Pray that you would stay focused on Jesus and have the strength to overcome challenges.

We all face difficult times in our lives, and we can prepare spiritually to keep our faith strong in those moments! Take action by putting together a ​‘worship first aid kit’ for times when you need a reminder of who you are in Christ – this might be a list of spirit-filled Bible verses, a playlist of your favourite worship songs, a written prayer or a combination of things.

Pray for the determination to continue pushing forward in our collective mission to end UK poverty, even when it feels too big and overwhelming of a challenge and we’re tempted to give up and turn our attention elsewhere.

Listen to the hymn I Need Thee Every Hour, and reflect on the following lyrics: ​‘I need thee every hour / Stay thou nearby / Temptations lose their power / When thou art nigh’.