Sunday 13 February 2011

The ministry of the Holy Spirit in prayer


I'd been standing in my front yard for over 15 minutes now, trying to unlock the door, I could feel my palms beginning to sweat, if I was fairer skinned I'd be a nice shade of red by now, I was smarting with embarrassment. I wondered what the neighbours were thinking, grateful that I hadn't heard the sound of sirens yet ..the nosy old lady from across the road must be out or maybe it was just my lucky day ..some lucky day though.

Reading Luke 11 vs 1-13, I had always wondered why the Lord said in vs 13 "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Why is the Holy Spirit mentioned ?

Verse 1 shows a disciple asking the Lord to teach them how to pray. We see the Lord giving us the template for prayer in the Lord's prayer (1), we see Him teaching on the effectiveness of faith reflected by boldness in the parable that followed (2) and then we see Him concluding in verse 13 with the Holy Spirit (3).

Rather than standing in the front yard like the scenario described above trying one key after the other. The Holy Spirit allows us to access God's mind to find out what He thinks about a situation, this is what the Bible refers to by saying we have the mind of Christ, if we have His Spirit then we have His mind. It is by the ministry of the Holy Spirit that we have the mind of God revealed to us. Rather than walking about in a haze without any real confidence that we are praying according to God's will, we can cultivate the habit of leaning on the Holy Spirit for direction in prayer (how to pray) and steps to take after prayer, on whatever our issues are (what to do).

After reading the above referenced scripture in Luke 11, the Lord opened my understanding to begin to cultivate the habit of leaning on the Holy Spirit for direction on how to pray aright. The disciple had asked to be taught how to pray, the last step in the 3 step answer the Lord gave was: ask for the Holy Spirit. In asking for the Holy Spirit to help us in prayer, we are essentially asking to know the mind of God. We are welding God's mind and power in prayer to bring about His will. We are accessing Heaven for details ..for depth. We are accessing for solution, We are accessing for peace, We are accessing for the best. We are optimising our prayer.

There have been instances where based on my human reasoning, I would have probably taken a very different route from the optimal route revealed by the Holy Spirit. I have learnt to simply say 'Holy Spirit I don't know what to do about this situation, pls help me to pray aright ..in essence teach me to pray'. I am seeing wonderful changes in my prayer life, hearing His voice within my spirit saying 'ask for it to be like this' or 'go and do this or that' so rather than trying key after key without any direction, I am learning to locate the right key. Being able to walk in the confidence that I have the right key ..the right path (God's will) in the face of opposition maintaining my peace & confidence, fearing the judgement or criticism of no man or foe.

1 Corinthians 2 vs 9-15 'But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.'

Rev 4 vs 1-2a: After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this. At once I was in the Spirit

God is saying come up here, let me show you the details for your life, come up here let Me share with you the good things I have to give you ..a future and a hope ..an expected end, come up and let me share My heart with you. Will you come up? Will you access His vision for your life by the Holy Spirit? Are you tired of standing in the front yard trying key after key? Tired of dictating the outcome of a life for which you really only have a limited view or blue print? The Holy Spirit has been sent to earth to help you optimise your life, let Him help you.

Selah ...pause & think about it.