The Power of Prayer
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START WITH HEART
Lord, as You speak please help me listen with my whole heart and Holy Spirit please meet me today and make me more like Jesus.
Ephesians 3: 14-19
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father , from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named , that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being , so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you , being rooted and grounded in love , may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God .
The above verses are my go to life verses whenever I am going through a tough storm. I received this scripture from a friend in church in 2016. At that time I was not really struggling with anything, however in 2018 my Mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and passed away just two months after the diagnosis. I felt like I was hit by a bus. This completely wrecked me and I wept until I had no strength left to weep.
Have you ever felt that way? Something happens and you just lose it. You lose your strength to believe. You lose your strength to be a good wife, mother or friend. You lose your strength to be a good Christian.
I felt I had no strength to face what was happening, then the Lord gently reminded me of this scripture.
For this reason I knelt before the Father, He was reminding me to come to Him in prayer. God has made a way for us to come to Him in our time of trouble and distress . He is not only “our Father in Heaven” but also “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”.
When we approach God, we “through Christ have access by one Spirit to the Father”. Both Christ and the Spirit intercede for us when we pray. Christ is our high priest who Himself has suffered trials on earth. He understands exactly what we are going through. We know He is present, representing us, when we pray to the Father.
So I prayed Paul’s prayer over myself every single day that:
- God may strengthen me , with his power, through his Spirit , in my inner being
- Christ dwell in my heart through faith
- I be rooted and grounded in His love
- I may be empowered to understand how wide, long, deep and high is the love of Christ that surpasses all my understanding.
- I may be filled with all the fullness of God
I became inwardly stronger every day as I was being filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. You see we cannot face trials and storms in our own strength. The Holy Spirit is there to comfort and strengthen us. As Christ dwells in our hearts we know we are not alone. We need to welcome Him into all aspects of our life and allow Him to take up full residency in our hearts. As we are rooted in him we are not shaken but stand firm, when we understand and know the width, length, height and depth of God’s love, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Additional verses to read for encouragement:
Psalm 46:1-3 & Proverbs 18:10
Pray in faith for the filling of His Spirit
JOURNALING QUESTIONS:
- What word or phase in this scripture speaks to your heart?
- How is God calling you to respond to what you have read today?
- What does it mean to be strengthened by the spirit in your inner being? Have you ever experienced this? If not ask the Lord to come and strengthen you spiritually.
- How does the fact that God is able to do more than we ask or imagine change the way you pray?
Lord fill my life with the power of your Spirit that I may be strengthened in my inner being to face whatever may come my way. Anchor me firmly in the love of Jesus Christ so that I am not shaken but rooted and grounded in you. Thank you Lord that you will never leave me nor forsake me.
Amen
WORSHIP SONG:
Find You On My Knees, by Kari Jobe
by Renee van Der Walt
