Cry Out! - Prayer
I call out to the Lord, and He answers me from his holy mountain. Psalm 3:4
Like Jehosaphat our cry may is one of humility because we don`t know what else to do, but know Someone who is watching and waiting for us to recognize His Lordship over all.
Sometimes we have caused the situation and need to come in repentance seeking a change of heart.
Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands
and a pure heart, Psalm 24:3-4
We need this right relationship so that we can come into His presence and seek help.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know
what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us
through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the
mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in
accordance with the will of God. Romans 8: 26-27
When have you personally felt the need to cry out to the Lord?
Perhaps for family, a child, a friend, or yourself. Perhaps for those things you hear about or see on the media - war, famine, poverty, our broken world, the Covid pandemic.
There are times we Cry out to the Lord because we don`t know what else to do, praying like Jehosaphat`s prayer:
"We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you." 2 Chron. 20:12
Consider the koinonia - fellowship not just between us but with God as an active, intentional partnership. As we Cry out to Him, we choose to engage and experience a relationship with Him.
We can only do this when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and yield to Him.
"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2
At times we long for more, to move out of any rut, and guided by the Holy Spirit seek His specific commission to share the Gospel. We want to move from the instruction and knowing we are to pray for all these things, to experiencing a vibrant relationship and relational faith.
How do you rate your supernatural intimacy with God on a scale of 1 - 10? What has made you give yourself that score? What would help increase it? Have you known times when it was higher / lower? - What made it so?
A Spirit empowered faith often is revealed in the fruit expressed (Galatians 5) and the gifts manifested for the common good. A Spirit empowered faith expresses bold believing prayer.
Recently my computer died. Power was present, but no glimmer on screen. If yours has similarly frozen, I am sure like me you have hit the "refresh" button. Jesus is the reset. Jesus restores us to our original design. He gives us a fresh start. So let us refresh with the basics:
Choose to be humble and seek His face
I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings Psalm 17:6-8
Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer- it does not rise from deceitful lips. Psalm 17:1
Many scriptures encourage us to pray both alone and together. It is with Him that our hope lies so we need to be in contact.
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When do you call on the Lord: as a discipline or in a crisis?
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We can be tempted to take the big things to God in prayer, but sort the little things ourselves, as if to say `I won`t bother You with this" This may indicate a level of self-dependence. God wants us to come with all our needs.
Thought Challenge: Do you have any needs? Could God allow those needs to make you be more dependent upon Him?
It is important to note, that in recognising our need of God, that we are not to be passive, but to actively seek the involvement of the Holy Spirit and Jesus in our lives.
We want to encounter Jesus Experience Scripture Love the Fellowship Pray
He (Jesus) is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Hebrews 7:25
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Jesus is praying for our needs, temptations and struggles. He
is praying for the vision, ministry, and calling on our life.
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Knowing this, what feelings arise in you as you reflect on Jesus prayers for you before the Father?
Challenge: Jesus often went out to pray alone. As you picture Him, alone, praying for you, allow your spirit to be prompted to join Him more often.
In the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. Mark 1:35
Prayer is our simple but amazing privilege to communicate with the Lord, experiencing unhindered intimacy and fellowship with Him.
Through prayer we boldly go into the throne room of Almighty God, the dwelling place of the Most High.
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May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. Psalm 141:2
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God loves our prayers—He loves to hear us talk to Him and He loves to show Himself mighty in answering what we ask of Him.
What prayers is Jesus praying for you today? - for protection, divine intervention, provision - all because He deeply cares about you.
How do you respond?
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Like Psalm 141, the book of Revelation tells us that our prayers are like fragrant perfume to the Lord. (Revelation 5:8).
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Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
1 Chronicles 16:8
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Express your gratitude
in praise.
Give thanks for your relationship.
Reflecting on the story of Gethsemane, Jesus pleaded with his disciples to watch and pray (Matthew 26:38,40).
How might you respond to a similar invitation from Jesus?
Prayer List
With all that is going on in the world we could make a list of prayer needs and requests. So how might we work in partnership with God to better know how to pray and what for?
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19
Who needs a fresh demonstration of God`s love through you?
Pray and ask God to open the eyes of your heart; ask Him to reveal the person or persons who need a fresh demonstration of Christ’s love through you. Claim the promise of Ephesians 1:18, that you might see and hear, just as Jesus does
As we submit to God`s agenda, we pave the way for the Holy Spirit`s transformation and power, causing us to be more like Jesus. God has a plan!
He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Ephesians 1:9-10
God has a plan! As this plan works out we need to be positioning ourselves in the correct place, ready to be used by Him.
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What parts of your life need to be surrendered more to Him, to be pleasing to Him? Is there a commitment to change required?
