“Praying with the Holy Spirit.”
We must get beyond a prayer life that centers around the moment and it must become about His Presence.
John 16:33
Peace is the effect on a heart that has been quieted by the unmistakable sense of God’s presence. The essence of prayer is unbroken communion with the Father through the Holy Spirit. Much of our anxiety is traced to a lack of daily, consistent, unhurried time with God. Prayer demands sincerity, authenticity, and a raw desire for His presence.
- Duplicitous prayers have no effect. In the prayer closet there is no room for manipulation, narcissism, egotism, ulterior motives or personal agendas.
- Prayer must involve the heart, and the pouring out of self. Passion is needed. Prayer is neither a fervent effort of flesh or will, nor a self-control exercise based on Christian logic. Prayer demands the partnership of the Holy Spirit.
TEXT: Psalm 91:1-9
Psalm describes the inner workings of a life in the presence of God. This person has great confidence in their God.
Too many Christians focus on the devil and people. The battles we face are fought and won in the prayer closet.
The battles you face matter to God. God has a word right in the middle of your battle. Your biggest battle shows your biggest victory. It also shows your greatest ministry.
ILLUS.: A lot of Christians mention that the devil is chasing them. The devil doesn’t belong behind you, and we know he certainly doesn’t belong beside you. There is ONE place he belongs……under our FEET.
Deu. 11:24; Joshua 1:3; Luke 10:19
Do your obstacles appear insurmountable? They’re not. Are you in the struggle of your lifetime? Do you feel discouraged? Do you feel lost in your purpose?
3 ASPECTS OF PRAYER
- Communion- The heart of prayer with God.
- Petition -Asking things of God.
- Intercession- Is the middle position. From communion we intercede.
- All of these are wrapped up in the 4th Aspect: THANKSGIVING.
This is the overflow of the heart that recognizes that God has given us such a gift through Christ.
The battle is not always our choice, but taking our burdens to the Lord is our choice.
ILLUS.: Hymn- “Oh what we peace we often forfeit, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”
- Quiet reflection and meditation is increasingly viewed as being synonymous with Biblical prayer.
- Prayer is not reflectively and deductively thinking your way through a crisis.
Eastern meditation is currently an American rage, but its focus is the inner self. This means that it is subjective. Christian meditation is different: It is objective, focusing on Christ.
His character and His life in us. It calls us to fill your mind with Christ and scripture.
Biblical Prayer calls us out of ourselves. We don’t have wisdom to solve life’s problems.
God knew that you would face a battle, that is why there was a cross. Though failures are planned by hell, your recovery is found in His presence. The question is not the intensity of your battle, but the intensity of your prayers. Will we place ourselves in God’s presence. Will we allow the spirit of God to speak a word into your life?
There are many voices that will try to gain your attention. There are many voices that will try to speak into your consciousness.
ILLUS.: Friday Evening I was half asleep, and out the corner of my eye I caught a movement. You know what happens when you catch a movement out the corner of your eye? You are fully awake. I laid there just a minute till I realized it was a piece of paper blowing with the heating system. I thought the paper was trying to speak to me.
Prayer: You have a voice. The Hungry soul shall be satisfied because the Holy Spirit will fill them. The Holy Spirit has a voice, and He can be heard. He is a person, and He has a message for everyone in this room.
Luke 10:21; Acts 4:8; Acts 11:12; Acts 28:25
The Holy Spirit speaks clearly, articulately. He speaks definitively so you can have clear direction in your life. He speaks to each person, enough so that you can stake your life on what God has for you. By in large, many of the prophets in the Bible did not hear audible voices, but it was very clear that the spirit of God spoke to them. through a small still inner voice.
- THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS PERSONALLY. John 16:13
Here we see a glimpse into God speaking into this prophet’s life. He was training his ear to hear. Your ear doesn’t need training to hear, and audible voice, but your inner ear needs training to hear an inaudible voice. By in large the prophets did not hear audible voices. God can choice to speak in an audible way, if he wants to.
The primary way that the prophets heard was by the inner ear. Rev. 1:10-12
ILLUS.: I can be in a room of people all talking and sharing Let someone mention my name: Greg. I turn around. Even though my conscious was tuned into my discussion, my subconscious was listening to other things. That is part of my inner ear.
When we are able to hear the voice of the spirit, we have immediate access to the greatest broadband ever conceived. If the HS is your ISP, then you will instantly, have fast and quick direction in your life. You may be busy, but your spiritual ears are always on. Is. 22:14
Much of what we call the Bible, what we call the doctrine of the church was given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, through the “inner ear” and it is dependable. II Peter 1:21
“Feromenoi”-As they were hearing, God was bringing forth something in their life. God was bringing a word to the prophet that was being delivered on to the church.
- The greatest word you can have is the word of the spirit. When the Holy Spirit speaks there is immediate confirmation, there is immediate revelation and there is immediate inspiration.
- Logos-Written; Rhema-a word for now.
The secret to our success is how you allow the spirit of God to lead you, how you allow the spirit of God to speak to you.
- If the Holy Spirit has to wait 14 days to get an appointment with you, chances are you will miss the opportunities and guidance of God in your life.
- The enemy of your soul is a liar. He wants to mislead you. He wants to manipulate you. He wants to seduce you into false doctrines. Satan despises God and hates anything that receives the affection of God. Therefore, Satan hates you and will do everything in his power to trick you, tease you and afflict you.
- We must realize that no matter how bad the battle, no matter how dark the dungeon. There is a hope. There is a message for you. God through the Holy Spirit can speak into your life.
ILLUS.: I remember when God began to call me. I was standing in front of the refrigerator. The Holy Spirit spoke 3x’s about me giving something up. I ask the Lord, WHY? He said to me: “I have something for you to do..” I believe that was when God began to call me.
We must develop our inner ear, to the voice of the spirit so that we can hear what the spirit is saying. Christian prayer reaches beyond ourselves and to God. Prayer and scripture go hand in hand. We hear God through the conduit of scripture. Memorization and Biblical meditation write Scripture on the walls of your heart.
Christ centered meditation is a powerful means of quieting the soul. It stills the heart and shuts out the Noisy World.
How are we going to respond to the attacks in our life? We need to hear what God is saying – He is always saying something.
- THE HOLY SPIRIT SPEAKS DURING YOUR BATTLES.
The Holy Spirit wants to talk to us during our battles. The Master Communicator is the Holy Spirit. Nobody talks more than He does. He created the universe by His words. Heb. 11:3
When the universe was in chaos, God spoke a word and brought order. When there was confusion, God brought peace to the world.
-God can speak peace into your confusion. He can speak order into our lives.
-I promise you that God will meet you at this altar today.
The cry of Jesus was that the Church would listen to the spirit. Hear what the Spirit is saying. John 16:13
The Holy Spirit speaks to us. Romans 8:26-27
COMMUNION WITH GOD DEMANDS SPEECH.
God created man with a desire for speech. The Biblical ELOHIM is a SPEAKING GOD. He could have willed the universe into existence by HIS omnipotent mind, but He choose to use speech. The Bible says, “He spoke the worlds into existence.”
ILLUS.: A man who believes that “thinking” He loves His spouse is the same as saying, “I love you” to his spouse is greatly mistaken. The capacity for speech sets the human species apart. Only God has omnipotent words.
Prayer involves intentional verbal speech. Thinking something is not the same as PRAYING SOMETHING. Abraham didn’t know when he was going to get to his promised land, but he knew that God would take him there.
Gen. 12:2; Gen. 12:4
PRAYER WILL KEEP YOU AWAY FROM DECEPTION.
Satan is a master at deception and hiding the truth. One single falsehood from the mouth of a clever reporter can damage the faith of millions. Only eternity will reveal the damaged faith that happened to millions because they didn’t listen to the spirit.
During Deceptions – We really don’t know what we don’t know. Satan comes as a voice too: You must recognize which one is of the Lord. He will come and bring temptation your way, where is the voice of the Spirit in temptation?
John 17:17 – If you don’t know what to do. Wait on God to speak a word of truthWHEN YOU DON’T KNOW – DON’T. WAIT ON GOD.
DURING DISTRACTIONS GOD SPEAKS HIS WORD.
Broken focus of the goal brings confusion. Your energy and time is too precious to waste on unproductive, unworthy criticisms. Bible based, Spirit led prayer speech is powerful. When Heaven and earth is aligned, global change occurs.
HISTORY TURNS ON THE BACK OF INTERCESSORS. *Many urgent things take priority of the important things.
Allow the HS to be your daily agenda. Allow the HS to be your guide. Is. 26:3
God will speak peace, direction when there has been distraction. Allow God to speak peace into your mind.
Are we going to dwell on the negative. Are we going to think about the hurt till it makes you crazy? Or are you going to allow God to speak a word to you that will set you free? Satan’s favorite entry point will be those closest to your heart. Those who are closest to you can cause the greatest pain & the greatest joy.
When you read the book of acts, you see over and over again that the Spirit of God is moving and speaking. He has something to say. This is why the early apostles could say: “We have something to say, and the HS is a witness to these things, and He will testify with signs, wonders and words.
3. THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTS TO PRAY THROUGH YOU.
What you hear first determines what you will speak next. When you hear His voice blessings flows to your family.
**You listen to his voice for your family. (He knows your families needs)
**You listen to his voice before and after trouble.
(With the advent of knowledge, medicines and information. We can be afraid to eat anything, and even leave our house)
*You listen to His voice before others have an opportunity to affect you.
(His voice is confidence, and strength)
-You listen to His voice instead of the critical words of others.
(Some only know how to speak in one language-CRITICAL)
**-Learn to speak words of life, truth and encouragement.
-You listen to His voice and your attitude will change from the sulky to the miraculous. (There is always someone who will question everything)
**-You listen to His voice before you listen to the doubters.
(There is always someone with a word of discouragement)
**-You listen to His voice before you listen to the ideas and suggestions of those near you.
(Some people will what if all day long)
-What if God starts blessing. Let’s start expecting.
THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UNLOCKS PEACE. John 14:26-27
Prayer produces the ultimate state of peace, as the HOLY SPIRIT speaks Christ to us and through us. HE PRAYS FOR US. When we are yielded to the HOLY SPIRIT, there is an inner harmony that says: “ALL IS WELL. GOD IS ON THE THRONE.” The essence of prayer is the sense of His presence.
ILLUS.: So many speak the wrong things:
-When the spirit gets on the inside of you—you begin to say “I know I am more than a conqueror because my spirit man says: “Greater is He that is in you then He that is in the world.”
THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL UNLOCK OPPORTUNITIES. Deu. 28:1-2
-When the HS speaks to us and teaches us to obey Him with our finances……then uncommon blessings can flow into our life.
-He is the greatest economic advisor in the world. You need Him as your partner.
ILLUS.: There are strong voices in our society that speak to us as consumers. He will help you to stay in budget. He will help you to
THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UNLOCKS REFRESHING.
Even in drought your soul can be satisfied. Even when there is spiritual dryness around you, you can grow in truth, life and increased spiritual fervor. Ps. 63:1-5
When your spirit is heavy, when the load of life is too much to bear. God will speak strength-He will speak encouragement to you.
Ps. 1-Planted by the trees of living water.
THE HS will unlock the gifts in your life.
Conclusion:
If you are listening to the spirit. The valley is not as low. You have a clear exciting vision for the future. You are more inclined to pray about problems, than dwell on them.
How do you get a word from the spirit of God? Get into God’s presence.
God created man with the capacity to enter into fellowship with the God of the universe.