October 30

Standing Firm - Praying in the Spirit - Day 30 by SGLY Ministry

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, Jude 1:20 NKJV

Praying in the Spirit is powerful prayer. It is prayer that is led by the Holy Spirit and prayer that is in His power.
It is prayer that is prayed according to the will of God, for often our minds don’t know how to pray as we cannot discern the mind of God, but the Spirit knows what the will of God is according to our circumstances, and He can lead us in what and how to pray, and God, 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.
Romans 8:27 NKJV.
Therefore, that is why Paul tells us as we are standing firm in covered in the Armor to Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 NLT.

Jacob Gregory, Christian Author said: “No human can pray without divine help.”

Therefore, it can be said that prayer with divine help is what praying in the Spirit is. We who have believed and received Jesus as our Savior have all been given the Holy Spirit. He resides in us as our Helper and Teacher. Jesus said in John 14:16 and John 14:26 “…I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—” , “…the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

The Holy Spirit’s power is also within us as Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1:8 “But 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 end of the earth.”

Therefore, we all can pray in the Spirit anytime and anywhere and we should do so daily, just as we should wear the Armor daily.
Remember Paul said we should “pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your Armor, who is Your Son Jesus Christ that is my covering and protection daily against the evil forces of darkness that roam about seeking to bring destruction to my life and the lives of believers everywhere. Thank You also for the Holy Spirit who indwells me as a believer and helps me to know how to pray according to Your will. Thank You that I have all of this available to me daily because I chose to believe and receive Your Son’s sacrifice for my sins. I am deeply grateful and want to serve You as a good soldier by wearing the Armor daily, standing firm, and praying in the Spirit according to Your will. Amen.

Today: Wear the Armor. Stay Alert. Stand Firm. Pray in the Spirit.

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The Prayer of Commitment

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. —1 Peter 5:7

When we are tempted to worry or take the care of some situation in life, we should pray the prayer of commitment. For example, if I have done my best to get to an appointment on time, and due to circumstances beyond my control it appears I am going to be late, I have learned to pray the prayer of commitment. I say, “Lord, I am giving this situation to You; do something to make things work out right.” I find that when I do that, things do work out all right. Either the Lord gives me favor with those I am supposed to meet and they totally understand, or I arrive and find they were also running behind and were concerned I would have to wait for them.

God intervenes in our situations when we commit them to Him. Commit to the Lord your children, your marriage, your personal relationships, and especially anything you may be tempted to be concerned about.

In order to succeed at being ourselves, we must continually be committing ourselves to God, giving to Him those things that appear to be holding us back. Only God can take proper care of those types of situations.

Lord, I commit into Your hands and care everything that is going on in my life. I desire that You may be glorified today and forever. Amen.

From the book The Confident Woman Devotional: 365 Daily Devotions by Joyce Meyer

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Isaiah 50:10 ‘If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God.’

- No matter how much darkness we face, we have One on Whom we can rely.
- Even if it seems like there is no ray of hope, we can trust Him, for He is with us.
- When the way forward seems uncertain, and we do not know what to do, He is there.
- Trust in the Lord, and rely on your God.

PRAYER: Lord, as I walk through life, it is great to know that You are always watching over me. No amount of darkness can extinguish the ray of hope and confidence that I have in You. I will trust in You and I will not be afraid. Amen.

Kind Regards
Pastor Andrew Roebert

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Freedom from Addiction by Sarah Phillips

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12: 1-2

Have you ever met someone you thought was beyond God's reach? Someone whose life has sunk to such depths all seems hopeless? Most of us can think of people we've encountered like that. It may even be someone we love.

When we start to lose hope for another's soul, it's good to remind ourselves that some of the greatest Christian Saints were some of the most broken people. This week, in my search for Christian heroes, I encountered the story of one such person that did not resemble the perfect stained-glass images I grew up with. His name was Matthew Talbot, and here's a glimpse into his life.

The second of 13 children, Matthew was born in Dublin, Ireland on May 2, 1856. His family was poor and heavy drinking was the norm among his father and brothers. So from the start, Matthew was predisposed to alcoholism -- and sure enough, his drinking began at age 12.

As Matthew entered his teen years, odd jobs led way to a career working with bricklayers. While the local community considered him excellent at his trade, his drinking became central to his life. By the time his twenties arrived, it was common for Matthew to spend all his earned wages obtaining alcohol. When that wasn't enough, he began selling his possessions and eventually resorted to credit. Finally, after racking up too much debt, he sunk to an all-time low: stealing.

Not only was Matthew a heavy drinker-turned-thief, but he had a terrible temper and a vulgar tongue. Gripped by his disease and his poor choices, Matthew's life was going nowhere. His mother, Elizabeth, pleaded with him to change his ways. Finally, Matthew's life sunk so low he had no earthly place to turn.

So, in 1884, Matthew's mother received an answer to her prayers. The 28-year-old went to the only place left to go: Church. There, he confessed his sins and took a pledge to avoid drinking for 3 months. He seemed an unlikely candidate to keep the pledge. Yet Matthew had experienced an interior conversion in that church.

Three months passed, and he was still sober. Inspired by his progress, he pledged to avoid drinking for life and also gave up tobacco.

While Matthew's first several years of sobriety consisted of intense, interior battles, he lived the rest of his life with unwavering devotion to God. The once angry, vulgar Irishman became kind to those he encountered, and he paid back all his debts. He lived simply, prayed daily, and served those in need, eventually taking monastic vows.

Mathew Talbot died at age 69 while walking to church. He had been sober for 41 years.

Matthew's story is a testament to God's transforming power as well as our participation in that transformation. A tearful mother pleaded, a broken young man made a decision to change, and God poured out His graces. It's also worth noting that Matthew, with the help of his pastor, employed many of the same steps later incorporated into the Alcoholic's Anonymous 12-Step program. While he wasn't healed overnight, Matthew Talbot eventually experienced new life, giving hope to those battling addictions and the people who love them.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Devote your quiet time this week to praying for the "impossible cases," especially those in the throws of addiction.

Further Reading: Matthew 14:34-36 34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.

35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him
36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

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Bible Verses

JOHN 13:34-35 NKJ 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

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Proverbs 21:23 23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

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But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:15

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"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5)

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Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation -- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life -- of whom shall I be afraid?

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Prayers

Prayer of St. Richard of Chichester (1230 A.D.)

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ, For all the benefits thou hast won for me,
For all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.

O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I know thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly
For ever and ever.
Amen.

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May the God of hope fill me and all of us with the joy and peace that comes from believing, so that we may abound in hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Dear Lord God, You never said that life would be easy, but You did say that if we would believe in You, and commit our ways to Your way, that we could trust You, and that Your will would never take us beyond where Your grace could sustain us! Help us, Lord, to realize that You loved us enough to send Your Son, both as an example and as a sacrifice for our sins. ... Open our eyes to see that today, when we take a stand with You and find society often quick to criticize and put us down, that it is then that we discover Your strength! Just as You told Your apostle Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in [your] weakness."* ... Forgive me Lord, for doubting that You care. Thank You Lord, for Your Holy Spirit's communication line, just as Your Son promised. Help me to always keep the line open, not just in times of need, but to continually praise You and thank You for Your care and Your blessings.

In Jesus' name I pray this prayer.

Amen.

* (I Cor. 12:9)

© 2000 by D. L. Hammond, Permission to copy granted for noncommercial use.

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Lord God, when difficulties surround us, help us to keep a sense of balance, and stay peaceful within. Amen.

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Imitating God

Ephesians 4:29-5:2

Dear Father, worthy of my love and obedience,

Let nothing evil come out of my mouth - only what is good for building others up. Let whatever I say fit the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear.

Don't let me do anything that would grieve your Holy Spirit within me, by which I have been sealed for the day of redemption. Help me get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander, and especially anything malicious. Help me to be kind to others, tenderhearted, and forgiving, even as you have forgiven me in Christ.

Father, I want to imitate you, as a loving child would imitate a father.

And may I walk in love, even as Christ loved me and gave himself up for me, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to you.

In the name of Jesus who sacrificed himself for my sake. Amen.

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Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Psalm 117, NIV

Lord our God, we thank you that we may come to you and that our spirits can reach out for your help and your comfort. May we draw strength from communion with you, our Father. May we realize more fully that we are your children, truly your children, who throughout our pilgrimage are allowed to know you as our refuge and our help. Remember our world, and grant that many hearts awaken and turn to you, looking to you in all the fear and need which sweep over many people in our time. Let your Spirit be revealed to our hearts in quiet, bringing many experiences from you, O Lord our God, and from your kingdom. Protect us every day in the many lands throughout the earth. For the nations are yours; they shall receive life and blessing from you, and at last your kingdom will be revealed in all the world, to the eternal glory of your name. Amen.

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Dear Lord, I am so very grateful for all you have given me. Thank you for being there for me in my darkest hours. Please continue to be beside me as I face the unknown.

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Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for all you have done for me. You do so much and yet I still ask for more. Please forgive me and guide me to be appreciative for what I have and what is truly important.