Memorise: Pray without ceasing. 1st Thessalonians 5:17
Read: Matthew 26:37-41 (KJV)
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Bible in one year:
Philippians 1-4,
Jeremiah 6:6-21,
Hymn:
Sing hymn 12
Message:
Journeying through this world as a Christian in these end times without the help of the Holy Spirit is such an impossible task.
Unfortunately, many Christians lack knowledge on the important roles He plays in ensuring that we make it to heaven. Some do not even believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. No one can run the Christian race without having a relationship with God in the place of prayer. The question is, how much prayer is needed to enable us successfully reach the finish line of our heavenly race? From today’s memory verse, the answer is that we ought to pray without ceasing! How is this possible? We do not have the capacity to pray for long periods, nor do we even know how to pray as we ought, so how do we pray without ceasing? Well, it is possible only with the help of our tireless Ally, the Holy Spirit. Revealing this truth, Romans 8:26 says:
“Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groaning’s which cannot be uttered.”
With the realisation that the Holy Spirit is needed to make our journey to heaven successful, if I were you, I would desire to have Him on my side at all times. Moreover, you need to be conscious of the fact that the Holy Spirit is a person and not a force. He therefore has emotions! Some things make Him happy, while some things can grieve Him (Isaiah 63:7-14). When He is grieved, He withdraws Himself. For this reason, Ephesians 4:30 says:
“And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
The Holy Spirit is grieved when we live contrary to the life and principles of Jesus Christ, who made Him His representative in us till He returns (John 16:13-14).
Today, as the Lord said to Peter in Matthew 26:41, He also says to you:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is week.”
Without the Holy Spirit, you cannot watch and pray effectively, leaving you prone to be overcome by temptations in the face of adversities. God forbid that you fall away from the faith in Jesus’ Name. The antidote to this is effective prayer aided by the Holy Spirit. Today, if you have been baptised in the Holy Spirit, I encourage you to spend some time praying in the Spirit. if you have not partaken of this experience, I encourage you to tarry in God’s presence today and ask the Lord to baptise you in the Holy Spirit. You can also seek the help of a true and trusted member of the Body of Christ to lead you into this free gift of God.
Prayer Point
Holy Spirit Divine, fill me afresh today and strengthen my prayer life like never before.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.
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