Devotions

“The Spirit also helps in 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” (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit has come to lead us into a life of prayer.

We can get so confused about prayer, making it seem so complicated. There are multitudes of theories that bring confusion and raise all kinds of questions: “When does prayer become intercession? Is intercession measured by fervency, or loudness, or the amount of time spent on my knees? How will I know I am praying in God’s will? Do mental prayers count? What, exactly, do I pray for?”

Such confusion can be overwhelming and might actually keep people from praying. Yet there has never been a time when the prayers of God’s people were more needed. Even in his ancient time, Paul said of the earth, “The whole creation groans” (Romans 8:22). Reports of devastation and impending doom come at us from all sides and such reports are overwhelming people worldwide. Christians are not exempt from the stress of what is happening in our world.

As global events worsen, conspiring to rob people of peace, societies everywhere are looking for a source of comfort. But they are not finding it in psychotherapy, in dead religion, in causes, even in charity. Our only resource for such a time is the prayer of faith.

Here are just a few powerful ways the Holy Spirit plays a role in our prayers:

• It is in prayer that the Holy Spirit manifests the presence of Christ in us.
• It is in prayer that the Spirit seals God’s promises in our hearts.
• It is in prayer that the Comforter speaks hope to us.
• It is in prayer that the Spirit releases his rivers of comfort, peace and rest in our souls.

Pray this prayer: “Holy Spirit, keep me in close communion with Jesus. Do not let me neglect my time alone with the One my soul loves. Keep me on my knees, then I will know your comfort.”

Satan loves to lie to the children of God. He targets those who are determined to enter God’s promised rest. “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:9-11).

What does it mean to “rest in God”? It is to come to a place of total trust in the Lord’s promises — a place where there is no longer any struggle of doubt or fear, but rather a settled confidence. It is a continual belief that God is with us, that he cannot fail, and that he who has called us will see us through.

Just when you think you are entering this new life of trust — when your flesh is crucified and you are depending wholly on the Lord — the old serpent comes with a pack of newly concocted accusations. He knows of your consecration to the Lord, your desire to do all that God has called you to do. So Satan works to get your ear so that he can begin with his horrible lying. Some sample lies of the enemy are:

• “You are not making any spiritual progress.”
• “You’re too weak for spiritual warfare.”
• “God is not with you; you have grieved him somehow.”

Satan whispers and tries to wear you down. But just as Jesus was faithful in his confidence in the Father, our faith is likewise measured. “Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:6). Every believer should do these three things daily:

• Remind yourself that you have an enemy who is out to devour you.
• Examine yourself to see if you have been guilty of the sin of unbelief.
• Be fully persuaded that you have full access to the throne of God.

Beloved, build yourself up “on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20).

Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Comforter.” “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26, KJV, my italics). It is one thing to know the Holy Spirit as our Comforter, but we must also know how he comforts us so that we can distinguish what comfort is of flesh and what is from the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit’s way of comforting is outlined clearly in Scripture. No matter what the problem, trial, or need, his ministry of comfort is accomplished by bringing truth: “He shall give you another Comforter … even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17).

The fact is, our comfort springs from what we know, not what we feel. Only truth overrules feelings, and the comforting ministry of the Holy Spirit begins with this foundational truth: God is not mad at you. He loves you! “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5). The Greek meaning here is even stronger than the translation suggests. It says that the love of God is caused to “gush forth” in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

The enemy may come in like a flood, bringing fear, guilt or stress, but we can immediately invoke this prayer: “Holy Spirit, minister to me, teach me, and remind me of Jesus’ promises about my security as a child of God.”

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Paul says that you are fighting the same warfare being experienced by godly saints all over the world. Your trial is not something peculiar or specific to you. No matter what you are going through, the Holy Spirit comes with truth that brings comfort.

Jesus had just been crucified and buried when Peter and the other disciples decided to meet together. They were assembled behind a locked door, fearing for their lives, when they heard these exciting words: “He’s alive!”

Suddenly, Jesus walked through the locked door in his resurrected body and said to them, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). He was saying, “Fear not! It is I, your Lord.” Now, tell me, if you had been in that room, wouldn’t you say this was the most incredible sight you could ever witness? Wouldn’t you be convinced that you could never doubt again?

Yet, what followed this greatest of all spiritual highs? “Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing’” (John 21:3). Six of the disciples followed Peter to the lake, in effect returning to their lives as fishermen. Why? What had happened to the great ministry God had called them to?

These men had fallen into deep sorrow because of something Jesus had warned them about: “In a little while, and you will not see Me … and you will be sorrowful” (John 16:19-20). Christ knew his devoted followers would experience a very low period after he returned to heaven; they were going to be overwhelmed by his physical absence in their lives. Even though he had promised he would be with them (see Matthew 28:20), it seemed he was leaving them to make it on their own.

Have you ever experienced a dry spell when you felt as if God had left you on your own? You may have been hearing God’s voice clearly and your fellowship with him was wonderful. Then one day you woke up and the heavens seemed as brass.

Beloved, when this happens, do not panic! Peter advises us, “Do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you … but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:12-13). The truth is, even though it may not seem like it, if you are on dry ground, you are on your way to greater things in your spiritual walk.

Scripture is filled with cautions about bringing empty worship to God. If the church today is only about positive thinking, self-help and making people feel better, then contemporary gurus such as Tony Robbins or Oprah Winfrey could accomplish this for us. But church is not about what we can do; it is about what Christ can do.

The music and sermons in church are not for entertainment. Church is God’s house and when we gather in his name, he marks it with his presence. God’s presence should be so central to our worship, so palpable, that if a nonbeliever walks in, he will fall to his knees in wonder crying, “Surely God is in this place!”

For a long time debate waged over which honored God more, the old hymns or contemporary music; of course, the answer is neither. We have only one standard for worship: “But the hour is coming, and now is here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirt and truth” (John 4:23-24).

In our times of worship, the focus should always be on Jesus and what he has done. Look at the awe-filled theology Charles Wesley packs into a hymn:

And can it be that I should gain
  An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain
  For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
  That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

There are also beautifully deep songs written by contemporary composers that send us to our knees.

This is the worship due our amazing God: “Lord, you are bigger, grander, and more glorious than anything known to man. We bow in reverence before you!” With that in mind, lift your voice in songs of praise and worship to our King, today!