Holy Spirit Directed Prayer

SPEAKER B Greetings and a warm welcome. Thank you for tuning into You Shall Receive Power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and with me in the studio is my co host Colin Hone, international director and speaker for Holy Spirit Ministries and also the the North New South Wales Conference prayer director. We are continuing our current series of programs featuring the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to prepare for the latter rain and Christ return. And we are on day 16 today as part of our programs. But just before we start we just invite you to join us in prayer. Gracious Father in heaven, it's such a privilege today just to spend time in your word to see the importance of prayer and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Father, also to have Spirit directed prayer. And as we discuss this important topic, this topic of having communion with you, of communication with you Father, and you communing with us, we just pray for your Holy Spirit to anoint every listener that you'll also be with Colin and myself as we open these words and have a discussion about this beautiful topic. And we just commit ourselves into your care at this time and also for the person listening today. And this we pray in Jesus name, amen. You shall receive powers based on a promise of Jesus to his disciples which includes you and me. And we find that in Acts chapter one, verse eight where it says you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Colin, we've got a beautiful study ahead of us in the next hour or so. So what is the importance and how important is it that every person receives the Holy Spirit and then prays in the Spirit? SPEAKER C It's great to be here with you Etienne. We're going to be talking about praying in the Spirit or Holy Spirit directed prayer. So when we're praying we want to be filled with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit can even direct us what we even should pray for. SPEAKER B Well isn't that wonderful because quite often I know we've got to pray and we normally do. The know forgive me for my sins and thank you Lord for all your blessings and please bless us this night as we go to sleep, or bless me in this day as I wake up in the morning. But beyond that, what else do we have to pray for? So it's good to know that God will even provide the material and information required that can be petitioned to God and present to the Father. SPEAKER C Yeah, he'll put it on our mind and our heart what we ought to pray for. And we're going to unpack the Bible and look at what the Bible says about praying in the spirit or Holy Spirit directed prayer. SPEAKER B Wonderful. SPEAKER C Because as we've discussed in previous chapters of this devotional and in the Bible, that God works through our prayers, so therefore God will put on our hearts what to pray for, for his will to be done. So we know that every Christian, and I've been a Christian for 24 years, we're involved in a warfare against the enemy and there's eternal consequences at stake, isn't there? SPEAKER B That is right. We can so easily be distracted under the here and now and the temporary. And as someone said to me once, did you know that a 20 cent piece can even eclipse a RollsRoyce a block or two away? So quite often we can be distracted by things that aren't even that important, that are temporary. And the eternal things, the things that will last forever are the ones that we lose sight of at times. SPEAKER C Yeah. And there's eternal consequences at stake. There's going to be the saved and the lost at the end, isn't there? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Who's going to be in the kingdom of God? And so this battle is real. There is an evil being who was an angel called Lucifer yes. Who became the devil or Satan. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B And the word Satan means adversary. So he started opposing God and his kingdom and his principles and he even. SPEAKER C Talked convinced a third of the angels in heaven his argument. And they've come over to his side in this great controversy. Incredible. So this battle is real. And we know also, according to God's word in Revelations twelve, that Satan and his evil angels were cast out of heaven and the only place they're allowed to be or they're roaming on is planet Earth. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So a third of the angels in heaven who have turned away from God and Satan are on this planet. So there is a real spiritual warfare going on. But the good news is there's also two thirds of angels on God's side. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And they're fighting the battles for us as well. SPEAKER B That's good news. SPEAKER C That is good news. So this battle is as real as any ever been fought on this earth by nations. Now the battle is between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. This is what this battle is, this great controversy. And Paul describes this battle as a wrestling match, okay. Which is up close and it's personal. You know wrestling it's up close and personal. SPEAKER D Yes, it is. SPEAKER C And he reads in Ephesians, chapter six, verse twelve, if you could read that to us, that'd be great. SPEAKER B It says, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places. SPEAKER C Now, sometimes we think that we're wrestling against other human beings. SPEAKER B That's right. People who oppose us, people who say things against us or maybe slander us or they just difficult with us. But it's not the case, is it? SPEAKER C And we can easily get distracted and it becomes a battle between us and them, with other people. But the real battle here, it says, is not against flesh and blood. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C It says it's against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual weaknesses in high place. And that is our real battle. Now, on our own, we cannot fight that battle, no way we can't fight this battle. And that's why Paul describes what's called the armor of God. We're to put on this armor of God to fight this battle, and he lets us know what this armor is. And so let's go into a little bit of detail what each piece of armor is. SPEAKER B Okay? SPEAKER C Paul concludes description of the warfare in our defense. And we can go back to I think it's in Ephesians. Yes. SPEAKER B Would you like me just to read. SPEAKER C What'S the armor that God wants us to put on so that we can and eventually he finishes off with praying in the Spirit. SPEAKER B It says, therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and have done all to stand. So there's something that we need to do to stand. And we obviously take on the armor. SPEAKER C Of God, put the armor of God in that enables us to stand. Now, if you don't put the armor on, what's going on? SPEAKER B Well, you're not going to be able to stand. SPEAKER C You're going to be defeated, aren't you? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Because we are wrestling against a foe that's stronger to us. Strong sorry, stronger than us. So therefore, we need the power and strength of Christ. Ephesians 413 says, I can do all things for Christ who strengthens me. So unless we are surrendered to Christ and we fight in the battle and his strength, we are defeated. SPEAKER C So let's look at what's the armor we need to put on. First. SPEAKER B Verse 14 of Ephesians six says, stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth. SPEAKER C So the first step is what? Gird our waste with truth, our waist with truth. So what is truth? SPEAKER B Truth, okay. Jesus says there in John, chapter 17, verse 17, sanctify them by thy truth. Thy word is truth. SPEAKER C So what is truth? Is God's word. SPEAKER B God's word is truth. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER C And Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, I am the truth. And Jesus even says, and in John it says, and the Word became flesh. Yes, beautiful jesus and the Word, it's the same thing, the Word of God. SPEAKER B Old and New Testament, testify of Christ. Jesus says, you think you have eternal life in these just by studying the mirror's words, but no, these testify of me, he said. SPEAKER C So, step one, we need we need the truth. The word of God. SPEAKER D Yes. Amen. SPEAKER B And then it says, having put on the breastplate of righteousness. SPEAKER C So you notice this is like this illustration of a warrior with ancient Danes when they would go into battle. And he's using a spiritual, trying to link spiritual meanings towards this. So the first thing is we've got is the word of God and Jesus, who's the truth. The second thing is we need is what? The breastplate of righteousness. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Now, we know the Bible says that says no one is righteous, not one. It says that Isaiah says our righteousness is like filthy rags. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C So who is righteous that we're putting on? Who's this breastplate of righteousness? SPEAKER B Only one righteous, and that's Christ Jesus. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So there's two ways, isn't there, that you can put this righteousness or have this righteousness? How can we have this righteousness that will protect us so we can go into battle? SPEAKER B Well, you know, they says that text there in Jeremiah, I think it's Jeremiah chapter 17, where it says, this is by the name by which you will be known, the Lord our righteousness. So Jesus Christ is our righteousness, and that is what we are to put on. SPEAKER C We are to put on Christ Christ's righteousness. So Christ lived a life, didn't he? A righteous, perfect, righteous life. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And he wants to give that to us and it's accounted and accredited to us, isn't it? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Well, look, there's a couple of texts in the Bible actually refers to what righteousness is. If we understand the Law in its right setting, we can actually pick up on that. Romans, chapter eight and verse four. We can actually read the following. It says there that the righteous requirements of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. So the requirements of the law are actually righteous. It requires righteousness. And if we walk in the Spirit, we will fulfill those because of Jesus Christ. Now, there's also a psalm, Psalms 119, verse 172, and it says there, my tongue shall speak of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness. So the law of God, which is the principles of love to God and love to our fellow man, those are the principles of righteousness. And in a book by Alan White, it is Mount of Blessing, page 18. Alan White says that love, agape love is righteousness. So we are to put on that love, that righteousness that meets all the demands of the law, and we receive it through Christ alone. SPEAKER C So how do we receive this righteousness? I think Romans, chapter one, verse 16 to 17 tells us. It says in Romans, chapter one, verse 16, for I am not this is Paul speaking about how this righteousness is attained. He says, for I am not ashamed of the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news of Jesus, amen. What he's done for us and what he wants to do in and through us. For I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of god until salvation to everyone that. SPEAKER B Believes the dunamis of God, the power, dynamite power of God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C To the Jew first, and also the Greek or the Gentile. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C As is written, the just shall live by faith. So we receive this righteous by Christ. SPEAKER B By faith, by faith, and it's through the Gospel which reveals the righteousness of God. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Oh, beautiful, isn't it? So spending time in the Word reveals the righteous of God and receive it by faith. And as you're saying, from faith to faith. So that's a growth in faith as well. It's like from glory unto glory. SPEAKER D You know that? SPEAKER B Text sector Character Development Chapter 318 yeah. SPEAKER C Because not only is Jesus Christ imputed, and this might be a theological term, but basically Christ has paid the penalty for your sins when he died on that cross and he died on that cross. He died for my sins and your sins and every single human being that has ever lived, he paid the penalty for your sins on that cross. And so when you accept that by faith, that gift by faith, god looks upon you and you repent and confess your sins. Jesus taken them upon himself. God looks at you as justified and righteous. SPEAKER D Yeah. Isn't that beautiful? SPEAKER C Isn't that good? SPEAKER B Incredible free gift. The grace of God is incredible. SPEAKER C But there's more. I mean, it sounds like one of those ads where you say, but wait, there's more. You can get a set of knives and forks, but this is incredible gift. But he even says, not only have I accredited and counted you righteous because of Jesus sake and for what he's done for you, but he also says that he will impart his righteousness to us through the Holy Spirit. And we're going to look more into that as we go further along, going through each chapter, how Jesus will impart his righteousness. And basically what he's saying is, I'll come and live in and through you. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B He won't leave us orphans, he will come to us. SPEAKER C And that's so that we can live a righteous life, but it's his righteous life living in through us. So that's the next thing. What's the next step? SPEAKER B Okay, so now in verse 15 of Ephesians six, it says, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. So there's a bit of preparation to go into this, isn't it says, having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. So the Gospel, the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ and the Gospel is great news that God has saved us, he's redeemed us in Jesus Christ and he gives us that righteousness. We can stand before God as if we've never sinned because of Christ. SPEAKER C Wow, that's an incredible that's the imputation. SPEAKER B You spoke about again, because imputation just means it's credited to your account. It's almost like a financial transaction. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER B So if you had a big debt there, god has wiped out that debt and you can stand before a holy God as if you have never sinned. SPEAKER C But who paid the debt? SPEAKER B Well, very expensive. Very expensive debt. And Jesus was the only one that could pay. SPEAKER C He paid the debt. And it's a gift. SPEAKER D It's a gift. SPEAKER C It's a gift. Just like his imparted righteous is a gift as well. So this gospel shod the feet. What does that mean, Eddie? SPEAKER B So that actually means where you go to share the know, when it talks about putting something on your feet, you put something on your feet because you're planning on going somewhere on a journey. So you've got to take the gospel elsewhere. But it does say this word, peace, the gospel of peace. So peace between us and God. So the carnal mind is enmity, it's hostile towards God. The Gospel, if received by faith, takes that enmity away between us and God, and then we take that message of peace to the rest of the world as well. SPEAKER C Is it not a message of reconciliation amen. Between us and God? SPEAKER D Yes, it is. SPEAKER C The Gospel is a message of reconciliation between us and God and each other. When you have reconciliation between two parties, what do you have? What's the outcome of peace? SPEAKER D Peace. SPEAKER B You have peace. SPEAKER C Before there was war, there was enmity between us and God or even between each other. But when we have reconciliation, we have peace among each other. And so we're to take this message, this message of reconciliation and the gospel of peace to the world. So that's another part of the armor to go forward. So what's next, Eddie? And what's the next? SPEAKER B Okay, verse 16. Now it says, above all, take the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. SPEAKER C So the wicked one is obviously talking about Satan, these evil angels. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C They're going to be throwing fiery darts at you. So how do we shield those darts? What does he give us? SPEAKER D Faith. SPEAKER A Faith. SPEAKER C So what does that mean? SPEAKER B What does that mean? Whenever we are tempted to doubt, we are to rely on the word of God and to expect God to do what he said he would do. Because Jesus Christ and God the Father is the same. Yesterday, today and forever. Our emotions change, our circumstances may change, but God's love for us, God's salvation through Jesus, that does not change. And at times when it feels like we don't feel that God is loving us, we've got to remember the Bible says that God has not changed. We've got to grasp hold of God's promises in the Bible the revelation of his beautiful character of love. And we are to go through that difficulty even if we don't feel it simply by faith, believing that God knows the end from the beginning and he will weigh every temptation and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can endure. But with every temptation, he will make a way of escape. SPEAKER C So Eddie, is faith believing in the promises of God? I believe there's a chapter in eleven called the Faith chapter in Hebrews eleven? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And it says in Hebrews chapter eleven, verse one. Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. And so for example, we believe by faith that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things that we see are not made of things which do appear. So we believe that God created this. SPEAKER B Earth by speaking it into existence. SPEAKER C Speaking into existence power of the word of God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So faith is believing in the promises of God and what God says, or what he says he would do, that he will do, despite the evidences that might seem in your life the impossibility. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C It's believing in the promises of God. SPEAKER B Well, if we consider Eve, for example, god had said if they eat from the tree, they will surely die. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B She goes and looks at the tree, sees it as good for fruit. So she's now doing a scientific experiment. She sees it's desirable to make one wise and then she obviously eats the fruit. SPEAKER C So wisdom and also appetite, it looked desired to eat using her senses. SPEAKER B She couldn't see anything wrong with the fruit. But God said don't eat. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B So she went contrary by looking at something when the word of God says something else. So same with us. Even if our senses were to say something else, if we rely on the word of God, the fiery darts of the devil will not be able to harm us. That's what this text was saying in it. SPEAKER C Because you'll have the peace and have faith in God. Yes, that's right. I love that. SPEAKER B Full trust and confidence in God. SPEAKER D Amen. Yeah. SPEAKER C And if you want to look at the faith chapter, Hebrews chapter eleven, have a read of that. It's some beautiful illustrations of people having faith in believing God's promises. Despite the evidences. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B The three things that remain that they say is the most important things in the Bible is faith, hope and love. And of course we know the greatest is love. But faith, hope and love. Now faith is a substance of things hoped for. You know that God hopes for things in our lives. Christ has been the author of faith. Author and perfecter of faith. SPEAKER C Beginning, author and finisher. Yes. SPEAKER B So what we see in Christ is what God hopes for, for us. And if we receive it by faith, God can then fulfill because we actually agree to cooperate with God in the plan of salvation by surrendering to God and allowing him to work in and through us to do not only to will, but to do according to his good. SPEAKER C Well, how many times did Jesus say, your faith has made you well? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Go, your faith has healed you many times. You read in the Gospels that Jesus has your faith. I haven't seen such faith in all of Israel. He said to the centurion, he says, go, your servant has been healed because of your faith. So we have all these illustrations. So what's the next thing we need the faith? What's the next armor of God? SPEAKER B So after we've quenched the darts of the wicked one, the next one in verse 17 is to take the helmet of salvation. And then it says, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. So we got two things there the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. SPEAKER C And so what does that mean, the helmet of salvation, right. SPEAKER B Well, that goes over the head, doesn't it? Protects the mind, the seat of power. SPEAKER C That's your brain is where your head is. That's a vulnerable part, isn't it, of your body? If you're in going to war and you get hit in the head, it's pretty usually fatal, isn't it? SPEAKER B That's right, yeah. Well, that was fatal for the giant Goliath, wasn't it? He actually pushed his helmet back and that allowed for the stone to hit him in the forehead. SPEAKER C Hit him in the forehead and he fell down. So what's it mean? The salvation on ahead. SPEAKER B Okay. So that's actually taking into your mind the concept that through Jesus Christ, god has redeemed and saved us. He's the Savior of all men, especially those who believe. I think that's one timothy, chapter four, verse ten. SPEAKER C So you're believing with your mind that Jesus is your Lord and Savior? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C And he's redeemed us and that you have assurance of salvation. SPEAKER B I believe that actually refers to us settling into the truth both intellectually and spiritually so we cannot be moved. SPEAKER C Yes. Which you then have that faith. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So that's wonderful news. And the other thing he said was what the sword? SPEAKER B Sword of the spirit. SPEAKER C So now sword is a weapon, isn't it? SPEAKER B That is, yes. SPEAKER C So a sword is a weapon. So what is a sworded? Spirit is the word of God again. SPEAKER B It is the word of God again. That's right. SPEAKER C That's what we go with, the word of God. Now we want to come to our final thing, which is what we're talking about tonight, the Holy Spirit directed prayer and praying the Spirit. What is the last thing that Paul talks about? SPEAKER B Okay, so now we're in verse 18 of Ephesians, chapter six. It says, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. SPEAKER C So we're to pray in asking. Supplication is asking, but what in the. SPEAKER B What in the Spirit? SPEAKER C Okay. And what else does it say there. SPEAKER B Being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. SPEAKER C So we're to persevere. SPEAKER B Well, this was our lesson last week, wasn't it? That we are to persevere, same as Elijah persevered and prayed seven times for it to rain, for the rain to come back. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C So we've got to persevere. So that was the final weapon, was prayer. So put on the armor of God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And then you can go forward, because we're not wrestling against flesh and blood, but by principalities against powers, against rulers and darkness of this world. So note that Paul commands us to pray what, always. SPEAKER B Always. SPEAKER C That's the first thing you notice there. He says, pray always. So we must become prevailing prayer, intercessory praying consistently and persistently. SPEAKER D Persistently. SPEAKER C So be consistent and persistent. So it's prevailing prayer. Then he adds, in the Spirit. Here we see that praying in the Spirit is just as important as clothing oneself with the whole armor of God. If we want to have victory over the enemy. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So that's what we need to have. And so an important question then is what does it mean to pray in the Spirit? SPEAKER B Well, I'm hoping we can unpack that a little bit, because that's a very interesting statement, and I guess some of those people listening out there would like to know what the answer is to that. SPEAKER C Okay, so we're going to give a brief definition, and then we're going to unpack that more in our second half. But a brief definition would be that we pray in the Spirit when our prayers are prompted by the Holy Spirit. Okay, so we pray in the Spirit when the Holy Spirit has the Holy Spirit ever prompted you to pray for yes. SPEAKER B Yeah, absolutely. I've actually prayed for people, and just as happened to me just in this last week, where someone was having some issues with their work and I was praying for them. I didn't know what the circumstances were. I had actually been in touch with this person for a month, but I knew there were some issues going on, and it was ongoing, and I was praying for them on the Monday Tuesday and the Wednesday. Wednesday, I bump into someone who's a close associate with this person and said that on Monday they had gone into arbitration for their work. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B Now, I had not known this. SPEAKER C No, but God had put it on. SPEAKER B My mind to pray for this person all through the weekend and then also the first three or four days of the week. SPEAKER C So God knew. SPEAKER B God knew about it. I just prayed for this person because I just felt impressed their name came up in my mind while I was praying. SPEAKER C So the Holy Spirit impressed you to pray for this person, but you didn't even know what it was about? SPEAKER B I just had a general understanding of the issue. I didn't even know there was a meeting and how important the meeting was. I hadn't been in contact with this person. SPEAKER C There you go. So see that's Holy Spirit directed prayer or prompting by the Holy Spirit he prompts us. He knows a situation and he prompts us to pray. Sometimes you don't even know about the situation. I mean, I've got a prayer list. It's a growing list. And the Holy Spirit prompts me to pray for things, and I don't even know why I'm praying for this person. For example, I don't even know why I'm praying. And then later on it's revealed to me what's happened. And I understand now why God asked me to pray for that, because he had a will, he wanted to do something, and so he prompted me to pray for that. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C To pray for that person or a situation. And that happens all the time. And I believe that's what it means to be praying in the Spirit, to be prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for someone or a specific situation. And when the Holy Spirit prompts you, I suggest and advise you start praying for that because God wants to do something. SPEAKER D Yes, I agree. SPEAKER C God wants to do something. SPEAKER B I've even had it the other way around, quoting back quite a few years ago, I was in a really dark place. I'd stop praying for myself and at know, when a little bit of glimpse of light would come into my dark soul, I'd say, well, I hope someone's praying for me because I'm in such a dark place. At the know, I didn't even enjoy life anymore at that time. And I get a contact out of the blue from a cousin of mine in South Africa, and this person is a spiritual person that prays all the time. And she said, Is everything all right for you? Because I've just had this impression on my mind and I've been praying for you for the last week or so. But they reached out to me. I didn't tell them what was going on in my life, that I was on the point of almost being suicidal and really, really in a dark. SPEAKER C But God knew, didn't he? SPEAKER B God knew, and I knew, thank you, Lord. Although I wasn't praying for myself at that time, said, thank you, Lord, at least someone else is praying for me. You've put it into someone else's heart. SPEAKER C So God wanted to do something in your life, so he prompted someone else to pray for you. SPEAKER B I was blown away by that. That was one of the things that finally actually helped bring me back to the Lord. SPEAKER C Did God know that? God knew that, but he still prompted someone else to pray for his will to be done in your life. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B Well, look, we've started unpacking this a little bit more, and there's no there's more to go. So, dear listener, we're just going to take a quick break now, and when we come back, we'll start looking further at spirit directed prayer. SPEAKER E Welcome to the minute that makes a difference. I'm Margot Marshall. What difference does prayer make? You might be astonished at the. Difference prayer makes. Dr. Herbert Benson is dr. Benson is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. In his book Timeless Healing he says, and I quote I am astonished that my scientific studies have so conclusively shown that our bodies are nourished and healed by prayer and other exercises of faith. Unquote, everything that matters to you matters to God. So talk to him about everything that matters to you. Because when the minds of mere mortals connect with the mind of their creator, the effect on mind and body and soul is beyond estimate. Prayer makes a difference. SPEAKER B Welcome back. You are with, you shall receive power. And you're here with Etienne McClintock and Colin Hone. And our topic today is praying in the Holy Spirit or spirit directed prayer. And just before the break we were just discussing that and unpacking what that actually means and we were giving some examples. But Colin, let's take the topic a little bit further and see if we can elaborate on what we've said so far. SPEAKER C All right, so we're talking know when the Holy Spirit or the definition of praying in the Spirit is when our prayers are prompted by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit puts on our mind and our hearts to pray for a person specifically or a situation or something. He just put it on us to pray for that God knows about it. And we had a wonderful example about how the Lord brought you back through the prayers, through God's prayers. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B That he put on someone else's heart. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so that's an awesome illustration. So we are to be directed by the Spirit as to when to pray and what to pray. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C I mean sometimes I could be driving or doing something and all of a sudden I get this prompting you need to pray for something and I just pray and it's just that's the Holy Spirit prompting. So pray. So we're to be directed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is to guide us in every aspect of our prayer life. So when we are praying in the Spirit, our prayers will be empowered by the Spirit? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Does that make sense? Because if the Spirit is asking you to pray something, it's God's will. So the Holy Spirit is actually impressing on you what to pray for. We're empowered by it and our prayers will be effective and bring powerful results. When we're spirit filled praying in the Spirit believers, our prayers will be effective to bring powerful results. Hence the next question is eddie, how can our prayer lives be spirit directed and empowered? SPEAKER B So how good question. SPEAKER C Can our prayer lives be spirit directed and empowered? And the answer is found in another command that Paul gave us in Ephesians chapter five, verse 18. That's Ephesians chapter five, verse 18. Can you read that for us? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B And it says do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation but be filled with the Spirit. SPEAKER C Wow. So here's a command to be filled with the Spirit. And the only way we can pray in the Spirit is to be filled with the Spirit. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C The Greek verb form fulfilled here that Paul is using is a continuous action verb. So in the Greek he's saying basically keep on praying for the Holy Spirit. Keep on praying, continuously praying. And Paul said that we must keep on being filled with the Spirit every day. That's what he's saying, keep on being filled with the Spirit. So for example, in the morning when you wake up and when you start praying, by the way, God will wake you up early. He wakes me up early in the morning. SPEAKER B He wakes me up early as well. SPEAKER C To pray for the Spirit, to prepare for the day, to put on that arm, to prepare for yourself, for the battle of day. And so the only way we can pray in the Spirit is to be filled with the Spirit, isn't it? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And so we've got to pray for the Spirit every day. And Paul used the analogy of wine in contrast to the Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Just as too much wine will do. What if you have too much wine, what's going to happen? SPEAKER B Well, it's going to affect every part of your body, isn't it? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And your mind as well. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C It affects every part of your bodies and minds. So also the Spirit is to affect us or affect us completely, even to point of directing our prayer lives. So he's using the contrast of being do not be drunk with wine because of excess. Hey, but be filled with the Spirit. Yes, be filled with the Spirit. SPEAKER D Beautiful. SPEAKER B And this is God's will for us as well. The previous verse there in Ephesians five, verse 17 says, therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. So we have to understand it. And then the next part that's actually say that God wants us to be filled with the Spirit and continuously to be filled. SPEAKER C That's right. And the reason he wants us to be filled with the Spirit is in order so we can pray consistently in the Spirit. So the Holy Spirit can then prompt us to pray for God's will to be done in certain areas in our lives and other people's lives and situations. So the idea is so that we constantly can be under his influence, we constantly want to be. Now look at Jesus example. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C In his know, Jesus is our example, isn't he? He is an example all things. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And Jesus recognized the necessity of being baptized with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Yeah, he did. SPEAKER C He received the Spirit's infling at his water baptism after he prayed for it in Luke chapter three, verse 20 to 21. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER B And in verse 21 it says there when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus was also baptized. And while he prayed, the heaven was opened. And verse 22. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon him. And a voice came from heaven which said, you are my beloved Son. In you I am well pleased. SPEAKER C So what did he say? He prayed. SPEAKER B That's right, he did pray. SPEAKER C And he prayed for the Holy Spirit. He prayed for the Holy Spirit. And so Christ also recognized the necessity of continually be filled with the Spirit every day. And I just love what the Spirit of Prophecy or Ellen White says in the book christ's Object Lessons, page 139. SPEAKER B Right, Christ's. SPEAKER C Object lessons, page 139. It says that daily talking about Jesus, he received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now listen to this. In the early hours of the new day, the Lord awakened him from his slumbers. So Jesus got up early. SPEAKER B Yes, he did. SPEAKER C He got up early. But who woke him up? God woke him up. God woke him up. And the reason? His soul and his lips were anointed with grace that he might impart to others. So what was the purpose of being filled with the Spirit or Jesus being baptized daily with the Holy Spirit? It was so his lips and his soul were anointed with grace that he might impart to others. So why do we need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit daily? So our lips and our souls are anointed with grace, the grace that comes from heaven that we can impart to others. SPEAKER B I agree. There's a beautiful text. I think it's messianic in nature, but it also applies to us. And that's found in Isaiah, which is the Gospel in the Old Testament. Yes, Isaiah, chapter 50 and verse four, where it says, and the Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned. So it ties in beautifully what you were just saying there in regards to given grace that he might impart it to others. God has given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speak in season to Him who is weary, he awakens me morning by morning. He awakens my ear to hear as the learned. SPEAKER C So what do you think Jesus was doing early in the morning? SPEAKER B Well, definitely spending time in prayer and getting ready for the day ahead, but receiving a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit so he could receive and then give. SPEAKER C Was he praying? Absolutely, he was praying for it. Praying and asking for it. So why? Because he knew he must be spirit filled to have spirit prompted, guided and empowered prayers. This was the secret to his powerful ministry and the continual defeat of Satan's kingdom wherever Jesus encountered it. So if Jesus, that was Jesus'method, do we need to do the same thing? SPEAKER D Of course. SPEAKER B He's our example in all things. SPEAKER C We need the spirit's infilling. I mean, how many times have we promised God that we would have a more consistent prayer life. We've promised that. But without the Holy Spirit's infilling those promises are like chains of sand. They will not hold strong. Zechariah, he gives us the answer to achieving consistent prayer life that all Christians desire. So do you want to have a consistent prayer life? Let's see what Zechariah has to say to us in Zechariah chapter twelve, verse ten. SPEAKER B And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication. SPEAKER C So God's going to actually pour out a spirit of prayer or grace and supplication? I mean one of the prayers that I pray every day as Lord, as the prayer coordinator for our conference yes. Is I pray, Lord, pour out, I pray this prayer, this promise, I pray, Lord, pour out your spirit of grace and supplications upon our churches so that we'll become praying churches. Because if we become praying churches and fill with the Holy Spirit and spirit directed prayer churches, god's going to do amazing things. SPEAKER B He will do amazing. SPEAKER C So I've been praying for that now for a number of years and I'm just starting to see the fruits of it, that more churches are starting to pray together in schools and the churches and as they pray more they'll be filled with the Spirit, but they'll be prayer directed. What to pray for? SPEAKER B And it will be through surrender that we are filled with the Spirit. If self is present there that can crowd out the Spirit. But through the Holy Spirit and its subduing softening influence on our hearts, we make our hearts open to reception of the Spirit. That text there in Zechariah, chapter twelve and verse ten, where it says that God will pour out his spirit on the house of David, on the habitants of Jerusalem, and give him a spirit of supplication and also of grace. It also connects it back to Jesus and it's actually by Jesus being lifted up that our hearts are softened. It says, then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one, mourns for his only Son, and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn. So we'll have actually a deeper appreciation for what God has done for us in Christ, in the incredible sacrifice, the incredible price that he paid for our sins. Now if we go to chapter 13 of Zechariah verse, verse one there it says, in that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER B God will then take all the idols away and the unclean prophets and spirits and he will actually cleanse his church. And it all comes through the working of the Holy Spirit and by receiving that spirit of supplication because the Holy Spirit then tells us how to pray, what to pray and how to confess. SPEAKER C So there's a promise of Jesus right there, what he would do. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C And a spirit of grace and supplication. So what happens when we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? We receive the spirit of supplication. SPEAKER D Beautiful. SPEAKER C The Spirit's infilling is like it's vital to have a consistent spirit, empowered prayer life. The Holy Spirit fills us so he that's God can be the Lord of our praying. He fills with the Holy Spirit so he can be the Lord of our praying. I love what Spurgeon said. He was a famous evangelist and writer, Charles Spurgeon, he said these words, it is not true prayer to God except as the Spirit is total Lord of the praying. This is a fact well known to mighty men and women of God throughout the ages. You see, the apostles were not outstanding men of prayer until what they were filled with the Spirit at Pentecost. Did you notice after Pentecost, they'd spent ten days in prayer? They'd watched Jesus lie for three and a half years. They saw that he was consistently in prayer. And then you see their lives in the Acts chapter seven, for example, I think six or seven, where they said, hey, listen, there's a lot of activity happening in the church. And they pointed seven elders. And the reason they pointed seven elders was that so they could spend time in what, in the Gospel and prayer. SPEAKER D That's right. Yeah. SPEAKER B Acts chapter six and verse four. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. SPEAKER C That's what they want. They knew that was the main thing. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C To preach the word of God and prayer. SPEAKER B So prayer and the preaching of the Word go hand in hand. SPEAKER C That's where the power was. And so for this reason, a clear relation must present between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and our prayer lives. It is the only way to pray in the Spirit. If our prayer lives are weak, inconsistent and powerless, then the Spirit's infilling is minimal in our lives. A well known Christian leader and writer on prayer, probably one of my favorite writers on prayer was Andrew Murray. He has books just on prayer, right? Prayer. Just amazing. Writer Andrew Murray, and he wrote in this book, Ministry of Intercession, on page 120, he said these words, it is only as we give ourselves to the Spirit living and praying in us hear that? Living and praying in us, that the glory of the prayer, hearing God and the ever blessed and most effective mediation of the Son can be known by us in their power. SPEAKER D Yeah. Wow. SPEAKER C It's incredible credible. And again, he says in the same book, by stating that prayer is the index of the measure of the Spirit's work in us. How's that? Just amazing. SPEAKER B That is amazing. SPEAKER C Another guy you might have heard of is called Gordon Watt. He's written a book called Effective Fervent Prayer. His name's? Gordon Watt. And on page 45 he writes these words the extent of the abiding is the exact measure of the power in prayer. It is the Spirit dwelling within us that prays. Just so much as there is of Christ's Spirit in us, there is real prayer. So being baptized with the Holy Spirit links us with the Spirit to pray in us and through us. It's amazing. SPEAKER B So they said, from grace to grace, from glory to glory. So the more we pray, the more we receive of the Holy Spirit, the more we receive of the Holy Spirit, the better our prayer life is. SPEAKER C And the more we'll pray. SPEAKER B And the more we'll pray. SPEAKER C And the more we pray, because the Spirit will we've realized the power of prayer. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Because the Spirit's revealed that to you through the word. So what happens is this is why we need the Baptist and Holy Spirit, because the baptism Holy Spirit gives powerful results to our prayers and service of God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C You look at Paul's ministry, he testifies this. We read in Acts chapter nine. We read his conversation in verse 17. SPEAKER B And Ananias went his way and entered the house, and laying his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER C So God sent an eyes to Paul to receive his sight after the road to Damascus when he was blinded by the light. And he realized that he was persecuting God and persecuting Jesus. And now he was converted on the road to Damascus. But then Ananias comes to him to what? So he receive his sight, but also to what? To be filled with the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Right? SPEAKER C Yeah. And then writing to Corinthians, he described his ministry to them in these words. This is how he described his ministry in one Corinthians, chapter two, verse four to five. SPEAKER B And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. SPEAKER C Right. So he was demonstrated in the Spirit and power and concerning the Spirit's presence in our prayers. Again. Spurgeon. Charles spurgeon. He wrote this in his book Twelve Sermons on Prayer. He wrote Twelve Sermons on Prayer and page 57, he said the Holy Spirit must be present all through it to help infirmity and give life and power. So this connection of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and being spirit filled and praying and being Spirit directed prayer as well. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C But what's happened is God also talks about the Last Day Church in Revelation, chapter three, verse 14 and 22, where the Last Day Church is the latticean church. We're in a lukewarm condition and basically we've learned how to do the Lord's work without much of the Spirit's presence. We've learned to depend on our own wisdom instead of God's wisdom. We depend on our own methods and plans and strategies to advance God's work. We use our management and training skills to manage the daily operations of the church. We also look to psychological insights in order to deal with people rather than insights of the Spirit. It was once said that if the Holy Spirit were withdrawn, most Christians would not know it and the majority of the work of the church would go on. As know the baptism of the Holy Spirit changes all this in the Christian's life and in the work of the church. When we're church and individually and as a church are baptized with Holy Spirit and we have a Spirit directed prayer life from individuals and collectively as the church, it'll change the Christian's life and the work of the church because it'll be then directed by God. SPEAKER B Yeah, that's right. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C So when we begin depending on the Holy Spirit and all that is done is carried out and empowered by the Spirit instead of man made methods, then you're going to see incredible. Know Paul wrote the following concerning praying in the Spirit and this is what this devotional is about today is about praying in the Spirit. What does Paul say? In Romans, chapter eight, verse 26 and 27? SPEAKER B Eddie says, likewise, the Spirit also helps 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. Now, he who searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. SPEAKER C Yeah. In another translation says because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So there it is again. So what this is saying is that the Holy Spirit will pray or intercede through us by filling our minds with those things the Lord knows we need to pray for. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Concerning ourselves and others and God's work, he'll intercede and say, this is what you need to pray for. This is what I want to do. Please pray for this for my will to be done. SPEAKER B There's also another aspect of that text that actually encouraged me a lot when I was in a dark spot. I remember going to church one day, and this is shortly after my cousin had actually contacted me and said that she'd been praying for me if everything was all right because she just had this concern for me, that something was seriously wrong. And I had said nothing to anybody about my mental state. And then this text came on board and the person was talking about how the Holy Spirit intercedes for us as well. And I thought, at least, even if I'm not praying and I'm not Spirit filled and I'm not praying, a Spirit directed prayer at the moment, because I'm not praying at all. At least the Holy Spirit is still interceding for me and still praying for me as well. SPEAKER C Through your cousin's prayer? SPEAKER B Through my cousin's prayer, yes. And I think even in person, that the Spirit is continuously working for our salvation. SPEAKER C That's right. And I love what Ellen White says in the desire of ages. Page 189. She says, by the Holy Spirit just notice this by the Holy Spirit, every sincere prayer is indicted, which means made up or composed. SPEAKER B Okay. SPEAKER C And such prayer is acceptable to God. What a powerful statement on prayer. SPEAKER B It's a wonderful statement. SPEAKER C And referring to Paul's statement in Romans that we just spoke about in Romans, chapter eight, verse 26 and 27, ella White also. She comments on this in Christ's Object lessons, page 147. Listen to what she says. She says we must not only pray in Christ's name, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This explains what it meant when it said that the Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered, what you just mentioned. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C Such prayer god delights to answer. She says he delights to answer when the Holy Spirit is interceding for us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, because that's what God wants to do. He delights to answer that prayer. So when the Holy Spirit draws us into prayer, when he shows us some great need that must have in our prayers, the reason he's prompting us is because God wants to begin acting in meeting that particular need, just like he wanted to meet a need in you. That you're going through this dark time and maybe out there that you're going through a dark time in your life. Maybe there's things happen in your life that are out of control, and the Holy Spirit will put it on other people's hearts to pray for you. And I want to pray for you today as well. SPEAKER B Absolutely. SPEAKER C We're going to pray just at the end of this for you that the Holy Spirit's prompting us now to even pray for you out there. If you're going through dark times and times of illness or sickness or whatever, you're going through relational problems or even problems in the church, mental health, mental health, whatever it is you're going through, we want to pray for you today and intercede on your behalf and ask the Holy Spirit to do a work in your life. SPEAKER B And also when we pass on the contact details, by all means, if you would like us to pray for you in person, you can either do it anonymously or you can give us your name. We will add it to our prayer list every morning. We get together as a group here at three ABN, and we pray for those people on our prayer list. SPEAKER C Absolutely. So the Holy Spirit draws us into prayer when he knows some great need that must have in our prayers and we read. And the reason he prompts us is because God wants to begin acting and meeting that particular need. We read of such an experience in the case of Jesus praying for Peter. In Luke chapter 22, verse 31 to 32, jesus is praying for Peter. And the Lord said to Simon Solomon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee. So the Holy Spirit directed Jesus to pray for Peter because he knew that Satan wanted to sift and have a go at Peter. And so Jesus was inspired by the Holy Spirit, directed by Holy Spirit to pray for you. And so the Holy Spirit convicted Christ to pray for Peter and even revealed what Satan's plan was concerning Peter. He even revealed to it? SPEAKER D Yeah. Incredible. SPEAKER C And once Christ knew this, what did he start doing? He started praying for Peter. So the Holy Spirit will do the same through us. I believe he will bring to our minds someone for whom to pray for. He may or may not reveal why he wants to pray for them. Sometimes he'll reveal, but sometimes he won't. Yes, but the important thing, Eddie, is that we respond to the Spirit's prompting to pray. See, the Holy Spirit is putting the burden of our hearts to pray for a particular individual, because he knows that intercessory prayer is needed in his or her behalf. It might even involve divine protection from, you know, like Peter. Satan wanted to have a crack at him, and Satan might want to have a crack at some wants to have a crack at all of us. And so God will put on hearts to pray, to intervene, to protect that person. And listen to what praying. The spirit gives the Christians special access. Do you know? It gives us access into the very presence of God. SPEAKER B Isn't that amazing? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Listen to what Ephesians chapter two, verse 18 says for through him that's through. SPEAKER B Christ we both have access by one Spirit into the Father or unto the Father. SPEAKER C We have access through Jesus by one Spirit and the Father. So the Spirit ushers in to the throne of room of God in order for us to receive the grace and help we need. And I believe the Holy Spirit's lordship is to be the dominating influence in the whole each Christian's life. Look at the Bible says in Galatians 526 we are to what? Walk in the spirit. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C We are to live in the Spirit talks about in Ephesians chapter 1618. We are to pray in the Spirit. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER C The believers to be totally and completely under the Spirit's influence, guidance and power. Now, in the area of prayer, the Holy Spirit will influence every aspect of our prayer lives. First of all, he'll teach us how to pray. He'll impress us when to pray. He'll empower us in our prayers and impress us concerning specific prayer needs and increase our faith in prayer and ultimately convicting us that our prayers will be answered. And I just want to finish off with a couple of quotes because we're nearly out of time today. We've got so much we could have covered today. SPEAKER D That's true. SPEAKER C But Charles Finley wrote this vital truth in sermons on gospel themes, page 56 to 57. Do you want to just read that part? SPEAKER B Sure. If you would pray in faith, be sure to walk every day with God. If you do, he will tell you what to pray for. Be filled with His Spirit, and he will give you objects enough to pray for. He will give you as much of the spirit of prayer as you have strength of body to bear. SPEAKER C Wow. He's going to give you as much as you need. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And so when we're filled the Spirit, we are filled the presence of Christ. One John 324, it says, we're filled the presence of Christ, we remain in Christ, and his word remains in us by the Holy Spirit. So we have the mind of Christ. Thus when we pray in the Spirit, we pray according to the will of God. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And his purposes will be put into effect in power through our prayers, and we'll see amazing answers to those prayer. So praying the Spirit requires continual baptism of the Holy Spirit, which requires 100% submission to God's will in our lives. And so we want to just if we've got time, I'd like to pray. SPEAKER D Yes, please. SPEAKER C Let's pray for those who are listening. We'd like to intercede for you. Yes, let's just bow our heads. Father in heaven. There are many people listening right now, Lord, who are dealing with problems in their lives, relational problems, health problems, could be work problems, could be even spiritual battles that are happening in their lives, father in heaven. And so right now, Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ, please intercede on their behalf. We pray for healing for those who need healing, peace for those who need peace, protection against the enemy, those who need protection. And we pray that the gospel will go to each person's heart and that you will lead them to be spirit filled and prayer directed believers in Jesus Christ. So Lord, protect them and be with them and guide them. We ask them in Jesus'name. SPEAKER D Amen. Amen. SPEAKER B Thank you very much for that. Colin dear listener, if you would like more information or you would like to get hold of these books that we're using, the 50 Days of Prayers and Devotionals to prepare for the latter reign and Jesus Christ Soon Return by Pastor Dennis Smith, you're welcome to contact us here, or you can go to your nearest Adventist book center. And also there's another book which is. SPEAKER C Steps to Personal Revival being filled with the Holy Spirit by Helmut. Haubeil. You can get that at your local Adventist Book Center for like. One or $2. Or you can contact Three ABN and. SPEAKER B We can ship it to you for about the same price, plus postage. Yes, that's right. So praise God for that. So you can contact us, you can ring us on 024-97-3456, you can email us at [email protected]. Or if you're a person that's on Facebook, you can like our Three ABN Australia Radio Facebook page and you can even send us a message there. Thank you for joining us today. We pray that God will bless you. We will keep you in our prayers in a general sense. But if you would like specific prayer, please contact us with those contact details I just shared with you. So thank you for joining us and you shall receive power. We look forward to catching up with you next time. SPEAKER B You've been listening to a production of. SPEAKER C Three ABN Australia Radio.