The Spirit of Prayer
Text: Romans 8:12-28
Prayer focus: Pray for the Spirit of Prayer to saturate our homes, schools, business places, government, churches, our local communities and our nation,
What is the spirit of Prayer?
Notice I did not ask what is prayer, or else someone would be quick to say:
Prayer is talking to God - acknowledging the presence of God
Prayer is a petition – admitting our needs and asking for favour.
Others would say there are many types of prayers such as:
Prayer of consecration – Lord I come to praise you and offer myself to you so you can bless me
Prayer of thanksgiving – Lord I thank you for my gifts and blessings
Prayer of intercession – Lord I pray that you will bless others
Prayer of faith – Lord I have faith that you will heal and bless
All these would be true but the question is: What is the spirit of prayer?
The Spirit of prayer is a burden, It is a weight a continual desire of the heart for revival, for sinners to be saved and righteousness to invade the nation. It is an agony, a travail, a groaning, deep distress, and grief.
The spirit of Prayer is the Holy Spirit Himself inside of us praying through our spirit so out of our belly flows a spirit of intercession:
Romans 8:26-27
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Notice: It is not ourselves groaning but the spirit himself groaning inside of us.
Why does the spirit grieve?
Answer: Only true love grieve.
Only someone who loves truly knows what means to grieve, agonize, travail is and be in deep distress over a loss.
The first part of the reading tells us that we are the Sons of God, the spirit of God lives in us but if we do the things of the flesh- murder, envying, sexual immorality, and selfishness then we are feeding the spirit of flesh.
If we pray just for blessing – and not concerned about our loved ones, Is this what the spirit asks?
How much do we love others?
Do we grieve when we see the immorality in our nation?
When last have you gone to your bed and not been able to sleep…wake up in the night crying over the political situation?
As we see the Day of the Lord approaching do we agonize?
How do we get the Spirit of Prayer?
First it's an acknowledgement that we do not know how to pray as we ought.
We are weak in our spirit and soul - We tend to pray from out intellect, but our mental faculties cannot attain to the greatness of the spirit of God and the fullness of His wisdom.
We are weak in our bodies – We get physically tired and drained and can hardly pray for 10 minutes or 1 hour, Yet we are commanded to pray without ceasing.
Next we trust the Spirit of God to pray through us
Results of the Spirit of Prayer?
The Spirit of Prayer
1) Births revival – When we study the history of great revivals we often see a week man or woman on their knees praying heat of the Spirit and not resting until the fire of God falls.
2) Engages in Warfare – Devils tremble – Jesus I know, Paul I know
3) Results in Complete Surrender - Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46)
I only say what the Father says
Nevertheless not my will but Thine be done.
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The goal of "Prayer Inspirations" is that we would develop the Spirit of Prayer
We would not rest until that Burden, that spirit of Travail come upon us. So that we can say like Jesus – I only say what my father says.
We endeavour to pray only what the Spirit of Prayer prays through us.
------Topic for next week - The Watchers ------