As part of our training, we were asked to study a useful little book, Blessings: Ways to Pray In Hope, which described 7 ways to pray blessings for a person, a people or a place. Sometimes we would pray as teams walked up and down the streets of the small cities in the province of Cappadocia. Other times we would pray God's blessing from the top of a hill, overlooking the houses and businesses of thousands of residents. "Prayers of blessings are usually expressions of God's intended goodness prayed by ordinary people who pray in the power of having their hearts aligned with God's heart. Blessings bestow a future. Prayers of blessings are always prayers of hope."
- Peace. Pray that the Lord of peace extends that over a city, over the leaders, over individual lives and that those who work towards peace would be encouraged. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." - Matthew 5:9
- Increase. Pray that God will bring prosperity, body and soul and abundance without grief. "The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it." - Proverbs 10:22
- Family Fullness. Pray for flourishing families and integrity of the generations to follow.
- Abundant Life. "God's gretest desire is that people be alive with his kind of life" Jesus said he came "that they may have life, and have it abundantly." - John 10:10
- Provision. Pray that God may provide and protect in every way.
- Transformation. Pray that God's design for a person or city or a nation be revealed, making all things new.
- Presence. The best blessing may be to recognize him with welcome as he comes, finishing all he has promised. Pray for the personal presence of God, and that the earth is filled with his glory.
When we stopped stop before a business, or a mosque, or a home, or a garden, we could see some of the people, imagined their lives and prayed blessings over them. Prayers like we would pray for our friends. Not just prayers of rescue, but prayers of blessing.
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