Praying Through God's Word: Revelation

Revelation 1:1-20

We thank You, Lord for "the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Revelation 1:1). It comes from Him. It speaks of Him. We thank You that Jesus "loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood" (Revelation 1:5). We thank You that He is "coming with the clouds" (Revelation 1:7). Help us to rejoice in the love of Jesus, our crucified Saviour. Help us to get ready for the return of Jesus, our coming King.

Revelation 2:1-29

We thank You, Lord, that Your Word is for here-and-now. It's not just for far-away and long-ago. You're calling us to a lifelong commitment - Don't lose your "first love" (Revelation 2:4); Be "faithful until death" (Revelation 2:10). Help us to "remain true" to You - to keep right on to the right on to the end of the road.

Revelation 3:1-22

Lord, there are doors that You must open - "I have placed before you an open door that no-one can shut" (Revelation 3:8). There's a door that we must open. It's the door of the heart. Help us to hear Your knock at the door - "I stand at the door and knock." Help us to believe Your promise: "If anyone opens the door, I will come in" (Revelation 3:20). Help us to say, "Come into my heart, Lord Jesus" - and help us to remember where this prayer really came from: "The Lord opened my heart" (Acts 16:14).

Revelation 4:1-5:14

"In heaven," there's "an open door" (Revelation 4:1). We thank You, Lord, that Jesus has "unlocked the gate of heaven, and let us in." From heaven's open door, we hear the voice of love. Jesus calls to us, "Come up here" (Revelation 4:2). May "the Spirit" lead us into Your presence (Revelation 4:2) - and fill our hearts with worship: "You are worthy, our Lord and our God"; "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain" (Revelation 4:11; Revelation 5:11).

Revelation 6:1-7:17

We thank You, Lord, that Jesus, Your Son, invites us to "come" (Revelation 6:1,3,5,7) - and look at things through His eyes. We look at earth. We look at heaven. We see a troubled world. We see tremendous worship. Our world is deeply troubled. Heaven's worship is absolutely tremendous. In our world, we see our sin. In Your heaven, we see Your "salvation" (Revelation 6:16-17). Help us to lift up our eyes, to see Jesus, to be saved through "the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:10,14).

Revelation 8:1-9:21

What a difference there is between real gold (Revelation 8:3) and fool's gold (Revelation 9:7). What a difference there is between the real thing and the counterfeit - ""Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven" Matthew 7:21). Help us, Lord, not to settle for anything less than the real thing. Let there be more than talking the talk, Help us to walk the walk, to walk with You in faith and obedience.

Revelation 10:1-11:19

Lord, we need to read and hear all of Your Word - the difficult parts as well as the verses that make us feel good. We need the "sour" as well as the "sweet" (Revelation 10:9). It's the "sour" - "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God", "Flee from the wrath to come" - that prepares us for the "sweet" - "God so loved the world ... ", "the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world" (Hebrews 10:31; Matthew 3:7; John 3:16; John 1:29). Create, in us, a real hunger for all of Your Word - not just the parts we like!

Revelation 12:1-13:18

We thank You, Lord for Your Word of warning. We need to watch out for "that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan." He's a determined enemy - "Day and night," he accuses Your children. He's a defeated enemy - "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:9-12). Help us to take our stand against Satan. Help us to stand in the victory of Christ.

Revelation 14:1-15:8

Lord, You're calling us to live Your way - With "patient endurance," we are to "obey Your commandments and remain faithful to Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). This won't be easy. Satan will do all that he can to draw us away from You. We need Your strength. The victory cannot come from ourselves. It must come from You. We look away from ourselves to Jesus. We see that He has died for us. We see that He has risen from the dead. We trust in Him, and we rejoice in Him - "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Revelation 16:1-17:18

We thank You, Lord, that Jesus is "Lord of lords and King of kings" (Revelation 17:14). Satan will challenge the authority of Jesus. There's no doubt about that. Satan will fail. There's no doubt about this! Help us, Lord, when the battle is raging, to lift up our eyes and see Jesus. Help us to see that He is "Lord of lords and King of kings." Help us to see Him and rejoice. Help us to grow strong in Jesus, our Saviour.

Revelation 18:1-19:10

We read about the fall of Babylon (Revelation 18:2,10,16-17,19,21), and we wonder about our world today. Have you abandoned us, Lord? or Are you still calling out to us, "Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4). Help us, Lord, to maintain a strong commitment to Christ, without ever giving the impression that we think we're superior to other people. Help us never to think that there's something special about us. Help us never to forget that it was You, Lord, who called us out of darkness into Your marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Revelation 19:11-21:8

We thank You, Lord, that Jesus, our Saviour, is "Faithful and True." He is "the Word of God," our "Lord and King" (Revelation 19:11,13,16). He invites us to come to Him: "Come, gather together for the great supper of God" (Revelation 19:17). What a great future You're preparing for us - "no more death or mourning or crying or pain" (Revelation 21:4). We thank You, Lord, for the precious promise which sets our feet on this eternal journey: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).

Revelation 21:9-22:21

Lord, You've given us a glimpse of a future which is heavenly, eternal and glorious: "the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" (Revelation 21:10-11). We thank You that You've also shown us the way in which this great future can become our future. You call us to come, in faith, to Jesus Christ, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). You give to us Your wonderful promise: "Blessed are those who wash their robes that they ... may go through the gates into the city" (Revelation 22:14).