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A Life-Changing Prayer

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. — Colossians 1:9-12

Charles Finney, a nineteenth-century American evangelist, sometimes wrestled with what to say in prayer. One day an acquaintance of his fell deathly ill. She did not know Christ, and her husband asked Finney to pray for her. Finney immediately became burdened for the woman, but he did not know how to pray.

Finally, after grasping for the right words, Finney received a breakthrough. He said he “was enabled to roll the burden upon” God and that he immediately felt sure the woman would not die. Not long afterwards, the woman made a full recovery and committed her life to Christ.

Intercessionary Prayer

Like Finney, we must intercede for others according to God’s will and believe in faith he will answer us (Hebrews 11:6).

As an example to believers, Paul often included powerful prayers in his letters. We find one of them in Colossians 1:9 – 12. In seven requests, Paul covers every area of our lives that need the Lord’s daily touch:

1. May we be filled with the knowledge of his will through all wisdom and spiritual understanding (verse 9). Ask God to fill you with the spiritual discernment you need as you walk in his will and study his Word.

2. May we live in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 10). Jesus lived a blameless life, exactly what we should pursue.

3. May we please God in all respects (verse 10). Paul encouraged believers to live a life that honored God — always obeying him and excelling in their Christian walk.

4. May we bear fruit in every good work (verse 10). A Christian’s life should have an eternal impact, and we should be influencing those around us for the sake of his kingdom.

5. May we increasingly grow in the knowledge of God (verse 10). We should always be laying hold of a deeper, more intimate relationship with the Lord.

6. May we be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might (verse 11). Ask God to empower you to do his will for his glory — and he will do it.

7. May our lives express joyous thanks to the Father for his grace to us (verse 12). Our love for him should run so deep that we can’t help but give all the glory and honor to him. And those around us will rejoice in him as well.

Put It Into Practice

Who can you intercede for in prayer today? Take a moment right now to talk with God about them and believe in faith he hears and will answer.

Listening To God

Does God still speak to us today? And if so, how can we distinguish His voice from the deceptions and distortions of the enemy? Join Dr. Charles Stanley as he helps you identify the voice of God, listening actively for His guidance and separating truth from false messages intended to deceive. Discover your key role in the practice of prayer and listening to the voice of God.

Why Is It So Hard to Forgive?

All of us need forgiveness. But too often we treat forgiveness like it’s optional, when in reality, it’s a prerequisite to grow in our faith. In this 5-day Plan, we’ll discover hope and truth from different biblical accounts about forgiveness as we receive it for ourselves and extend it to others.

Focusing Forward: Recognizing and Overcoming Distraction

Focusing Forward: Recognizing and Overcoming Distraction

Distractions are constantly pulling for our attention, time, emotions, and focus. In this devotional, we will discuss the impact of distractions on fulfilling our assignments and take a look at how Nehemiah handled the people and situations that were trying to hinder the work he was called to complete.

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers? Do the days, months, and years go by with no evidence that your deepest longings will ever be fulfilled? If so, you’re not alone. Join Dr. Charles Stanley as he draws on personal experience and biblical principles to offer you encouragement when all hope seems gone and guidance to help you make the most of God’s delays.

Victory Over Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal response to the uncertainties we face in life. But what we do with our anxiety—and how long we allow it to live within us—is the key. Join Dr. Charles Stanley as he defines this destructive emotion, shows you how to gain the upper hand, and helps you find God’s solution for anxiety once and for all, leading you to enjoy a victorious, faith-filled life.

A Journey From Worry to Confident Hope: Praying Through the Lord’s Prayer

We often worry when faced with an uncertain future. In these difficult times, prayer connects us to God and energizes us to navigate anxiety with God. Yet, we often do not know what or how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer anchors us to Jesus’ own petition for provision and protection. In this Bible Plan, these familiar words will encourage you to prayerfully journey from troublesome worry to confident hope.

There’s still time…

Make this your moment.

Whatever you are going through right now, you can always draw near to God. He never stops waiting for us to refocus our hearts and minds on Him.

The Mid-Year Challenge is a great way to seek God’s heart—and there’s still time to join. Just finish at least one day of a Plan for 7 days in a row before July 31, and you’ll earn an exclusive Badge.*

Seize the moment and get started!

Still need a Plan?

What are you focused on?

Can you believe we’re already halfway through 2020? So far, it’s been a year filled with heaviness and hardship. Fortunately, even though we know we’ll face difficulties in this life, we also know that Jesus promises us rest when we draw near to Him.

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

MATTHEW 11:28

We started the Mid-Year Challenge to help you do exactly that. Complete at least one day of a Plan for 7 days in a row during the month of July, and you’ll earn the 2020 Mid-Year Challenge badge!

A Higher Calling

When Harold and Rachel Earls met, they didn’t expect to soon be navigating a long-distance engagement, the struggles and joys of early marriage, and a life-threatening climb up Mt. Everest. Yet their journey of faith, love, and perseverance through their unusual courtship and newlywed days strengthened their relationship—and reminds us what it means to live with courage as we follow our own higher calling.

Your Marriage Story

Wherever you are in your marriage, you are in the middle of a story. Like writing an actual story, you can approach your marriage in one of two ways: aimlessly, going with whatever pops in your mind on a given day, or intentionally, based on a deep study of other great stories. Learn how to model your marriage on the greatest love story ever told: The Gospel.

Real Hope: Thankfulness In Times Of Uncertainty

In times of uncertainty how do you respond? All too often our response is fear, stress, anxiety, and selfishness. But there is a perspective that can shift our focus in the midst of these moments; a perspective that can turn our uncertainty into joy and thankfulness.

OVERCOMERS With the Fruit of the Spirit

The fruit of the Spirit empowers us to rise above hardship, witness with more boldness, and personalize His hope to a desperate world.

Follow Peace With All Men

Vance K. Jackson leads readers in this heart transforming devotional to choose the path of peace with all men. Choose to live a life that’s filled with peace. Let not gossip fill your mouth. Choose not to let bitterness fill your heart. Release the stain and sting of the past. Forgive and release others from the prison of offense. Let God lead your heart as you read this powerful message.

What Is God Doing?

It’s sometimes really hard to see what you aren’t looking for. When it comes to our spiritual lives, God is always working, communicating, or moving in our lives. Unfortunately, if we aren’t actively looking for it, we may miss what He’s doing altogether. Over the next five days, we’ll start unlocking the keys to seeing what God is up to in our midst.

Disruptive Compassion

Sometimes we see injustice in the world and think, “There’s nothing I can do about it.” But that’s where we’re wrong. Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus set forth a model for revolutionaries that is just as powerful to guide our journey today. This plan is your playbook for moving beyond helplessness and becoming the change you want to see in the world. Will you join the revolution?

How To Love People You Disagree With

With eight billion people living in the world, there’s no one who will completely agree with you on everything. Our viewpoint on social injustices, politics, current events, and religion is uniquely ours. But even in our differences, we can and should find common ground. In this 5-day Plan, you’ll learn how to love, respect, and empathize with people by speaking truth with grace and gentleness.

Can a conversation change your life?

Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

COLOSSIANS 4:6

In a world filled with hurt and heartache, it’s never been more important to show empathy and compassion. But as we talked about last week, if we want to see healing and restoration, then empathy and compassion have to involve action. And one of the ways we can put compassion into action is by creating a safe space for meaningful discussions.

That’s why we created Plans with Friends, to help facilitate those conversations. Simply pick a Plan and select “With Friends” to invite others to join you. Our prayer is that these grace-filled conversations will enrich your life and help change our world.

Prayer

Make Prayer a part of your everyday life.

What do you talk to God about? Many people find the idea of prayer intimidating… but it was never meant to be this way. Prayer is simply an ongoing, honest conversation between you and God — and sometimes it includes your trusted friends.

YouVersion Prayer can help you make prayer a daily habit. Draw closer to God and your community by creating and sharing Prayers from within your Bible App.

Plans

oices influence us constantly: friends and family, news and entertainment, and even our own thoughts. Plans help you invite God’s Word to speak into your life, giving you just a little to reflect on each day. Often called Reading Plans or Devotionals, we prefer simply Plans because they can offer video, audio, images, and more that help you focus on the Bible each day.

Pick a Plan

All Plans start here…

On the menu bar, just tap the Plans icon.

Find Plans is where you search for Plans. Browse new Plans, Plans grouped by Category and by Emotion, Plans you’ve saved, and Plans we recommend.

To search by keyword, just tap the magnifying glass and start typing.

My Plans shows the Plans you’re doing now, as well as links to Plans you’ve saved for later and Plans that you’ve completed.

The Bible App offers thousands of Plans, in dozens of languages, featuring content from YouVersion partners that can help you study, understand, meditate on, and apply biblical truth to your life.

Discover Plans