A Call to Prayer Session 3 | Abiding in Prayer Big Idea: ● Am I Abiding in Christ in Prayer? ● Partnering with the Holy Spirit in Prayer Recap: Prayer is a much larger conversation but really does boil down to a few key elements. ● Intimacy with God (abide in Christ) (our Father) ● Worship of God (awe, respect, fear) (Recognizing my dependence upon Him) (His will not mine) ● Repentance of sin (acknowledge and turn from) ● Honoring God's word (awe, respect, fear) ● Obeying God's word. (do what it says) ● Prayer should be experienced and lived out in light of your biblical world view and not simply systematic theology and doctrine. ● Who your faith is in and according to His will. Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. John 15 Set up: ● Note the intimacy between Christ and the Father. ● Note the intimacy that Christ wants with us, just like He has with the Father. ● Note the seriousness with which He speaks about bearing fruit and the consequences for those who do not. ● Note the total dependence on Him that we must have. ● Note how our prayer life changes when we abide in Him and have His heart. ● Note how the Father is glorified when we bear Kingdom fruit. ● Note the importance of love in this passage, how walking in His love is connected to our obeying His commands and loving others. John 15:1-17 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another. The trials in the life of the believer are as necessary to spiritual growth as exercise is to physical growth. During the trials, the believer must apply the truth of God’s Word to the situation he faces. When he relies on a promise found in God’s Word that deals with his trial and he experiences God’s rescue or wisdom for guidance, he grows in faith similar to how a muscle in an athlete grows in strength. You see, the intake of God’s Word simply for education is not the reason He gave it. The believer must follow the heart and soul of God’s Word and let it impact the way he lives or it cannot do its work. —Messenger, The Journey to the Inner Chamber Partnering with the Holy Spirit in prayer Romans 8:26-27 Likewise 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. 27 Now He 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. Hebrews 2:4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? I Cor 12:1; 4-7; 31 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9–12 9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. John 14:15-17 If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. John 16:7-15 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. I Corinthians 10:13 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. Job 42:1-6 Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore, I have uttered what I did not understand, things too won- derful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Acts 16:6-10 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Take Away: (set up for next week) ● One of the most important things we can do is to simply intentionally set aside time to sit at the feet of Jesus. ● Remove distractions. ● Meditation and waiting on God in prayer