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Easter Vigil Prayer Guide pdf
Easter Vigil - 2008
Opening Prayer
>Lord, you have given us a Counselor – the Spirit of truth (John 14:17) and it is written that “the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Rom. 8:26). Lord God, let your Spirit guide us now as we enter in to this time of prayer asking all things in the name of your son Jesus according to your holy will (John 14). Thank you for saving us by grace through faith, as a gift to us, not because of our own works (Eph. 2:8-9) and for making a way for us to appear blameless and holy in your sight. Thank you for Jesus.
Please feel free to use this guide-or not; follow the guidance of the Spirit. This guide is merely a tool to help you, if you need it. There are some suggestions for prayers & some scriptures you can read. There are also prayer journals and ideas on the table for you to use. If you are led to pray about just one thing, that is perfect, too.
Preparing Our Hearts and Minds
Praise and Adoration (Read Psalm 103):
Begin your time in prayer with a time of praise and adoration to God for his attributes.
(You may invite everyone in your group do a ‘popcorn’ prayer starting with “I praise You because...” or “I love You/adore You because...”)
Confession – Agreeing with God on sin
Read these scriptures and ask God to reveal to you any hidden hurt, bitterness, resentment or sin of any form that stands between you and Him. Confess these to the Lord and ask Him to fully restore you.
Psalm 51:17 (Amplified Version) “My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.”
Mark 11: 25, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop-leave it go-in order that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive your own failings and shortcomings and let them drop.”
Reading of God’s word -
Read the following passages at least three times (in different voices if in a group) and notice what word or words stand out to you.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Meditation - Briefly reflect on what word or words stood out to you and why. Pray about what God wants you to grasp about prayer through His word.
Thanking God and (Thanksgiving)
Presenting our Requests to God (Supplication)
For the Easter Services
Offer prayers of Thanksgiving for
...the very First Easter.
...Jesus. And God’s awesome plan.
...the freedom to celebrate.
...Lebanon High School.
...all of our volunteers.
...our church family.
Request that
...everything done and said would be of the God alone.
...Christ’s death, burial and resurrection be ever before us at Easter and always.
Present Requests for
...those who have been invited.
...those who will be visiting for the first time.
...the members of the church.
...the teachers and childcare volunteers.
...the children attending.
...the message and Lee.
...those leading worship.
...a time of celebration.
For our Church
Offer prayers of Thanksgiving for our church family and for those who serve among us humbly through actions and prayer.
Present Requests for the Growing Church
May those growing up in the church, grow each day to know You more and delight in your ways.
For our children to grasp how high, how deep and how wide is the love of Jesus (Eph. 3:18)
For our teens to do everything without complaining or arguing, so that they may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation. Help them to shine like stars in the universe as they hold out the word of life— 1 Peter 5:5-10.
For our college students and young adults to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will though all spiritual wisdom and understanding and that they may live a life worthy of the Lord to please him in every way (Col. 1:9-10)
Present Requests for Leadership
For our elders that they will be willing shepherds, eager to serve, and an example to the flock – I Peter 5:1-4
For our Bible study leaders and Sunday school teachers to proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. – Col. 1:28
Our volunteers and our ministry team leaders - that “the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
Our staff – That they will have “the wisdom that comes from heaven [that] is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” May they be “peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” - James 3:17-18
For those who lead by living a Godly example – we thank you so much for leaders such as these in our church family. Please bless them.
Prayers for the new in faith and those who are being called to believe
Lord, for those who are searching for you - may they find you and be found by you. May those new in the faith stand firm. For all of those in our church who haven't yet found a place to learn and grow, a place to serve and use their talents, a place be encouraged by other believers and grow to know you more – we ask that you would lead them and guide them to true community among us.
Prayers for Our Entire Church Body
Prayers for Holy Living - Colossians 3:1-17
Since, then, we at Lebanon Christian Church have been raised with Christ, may we set our hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. May we set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. For we died, and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then may we also appear with him in glory.
May we, at Lebanon Christian Church, put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to our earthly natures: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. We used to walk in these ways, in the lives we once lived. But now we must rid ourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from our lips. May we not lie to each other, since we have taken off our old selves with its practices and have put on the new selves, which are being renewed in knowledge in the image of their Creator. Here may there be no [insiders or outsiders] but may Christ be all, and in all.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, may we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. May we bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances we may have against one another. May we forgive as the Lord forgave us. And over all these virtues may we put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
May we let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, since as members of one body we were called to peace. And help us to be thankful and to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly as we teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as we sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in our hearts to God. And whatever we do, whether in word or deed, may we do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Imitating Christ's Humility – Philippians 2:1-11
If we have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then may we make [his] joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. God, help us to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility may we consider others better than ourselves. May each believer at Lebanon Christian Church look not only to their own interests, but also to the interests of others.
May our attitudes be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
A prayer to remember “the least of these” – from Matthew 25:31-40
Lord, when we are gathered before you and you say “to those on [your] right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'” May we be among those who have been faithful. Give us eyes to see those in need among us and the compassion of Christ to serve. May it me true of us when you say , “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' May we remember that whatever we do for one of the least of these brothers of yours, we are doing for you.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give us, at LCC a spirit of unity among ourselves as we follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 15:5-6
May we at Lebanon Christian Church, individually and as a whole, “consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus [our] Lord, for whose sake” may we be willing to lose all things. May we “consider them rubbish, that [we] may gain Christ and be found in him...”
Philippians 3:8-9
Lord, give us the strength to confess to each other and pray for one another that we may be healed. - James 5:16
For our community
Offer prayers Thanksgiving for our community.
Present Requests for
...the spiritually lost in our community.
...us to be the arms and legs as we encounter the hurting and those in physical and emotional need. – Matt. 25:34-40
...all church families in our community to work together to reach the lost for Christ.
...the missions within the community that we support.
For the world
Offer prayers of Thanksgiving for
...the freedom to worship God and speak freely of him where we live.
...being the one true God who created the world and loves all who live in it.
...that He so loved the world that He sent his son. - 1 John 3:16
Present Requests for
...peace on earth
...the members of our armed forces serving in the war against terror.
...those causing terror to come to know our Lord as Savior.
...everyone across the globe to come to know our Lord as Savior and praise His name.
...the persecuted church.
...God to call people, even members of our church family, to preach and teach about Him around the world (“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:37-38)
...the missionaries that we support.
...missionaries around the globe.
THANK YOU for praying with us!
Numbers 6:24-26
24 " ' "The LORD bless you
and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace." ' Amen.
