Holy Spirit Led Prayers (346)

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Welcome to the Quality Christian Living Podcast.

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I am your host David Friend. As you may know,

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we are continuing a series today dealing with

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the Holy Spirit, and today's topic is Holy Spirit

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-led prayers. Now, this could be one of the more

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important messages, teachings, if you will, or

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whatever it might be, or whatever you want to

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call it, of how we can get the Holy Spirit to

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help us have stronger, greater prayers. So I

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just pray that you will receive this. We're going

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to talk about how we can be led by the Spirit

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to pray, and are Holy Spirit -led prayers greater

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than our prayers. Does the Holy Spirit decide

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who he helps and who he will not help to pray?

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I think some people feel that way, but that's

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just something we need to discuss. How do I know

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my prayers are led by the Holy Spirit? Well,

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let's get started by asking the Holy Spirit to

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guide and direct us. Heavenly Father, I thank

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you for who you are. I pray now the Holy Spirit

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would guide and direct us through this podcast.

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Help those who are listening in to receive exactly

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what you have in store for them. I pray, Lord,

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that they're trying to receive a touch from the

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Holy Spirit for strong prayer life that you would

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bring that upon them and father these scriptures

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I use and the comments you've given me I pray

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that they would bless individuals to have stronger

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prayers and more powerful more effective fervent

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prayers I thank you for it in advance and I believe

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you're going to do a great work today and I'll

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give you praise in advance for it and I ask these

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things in Jesus name I pray amen well you know

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in my introduction today I listed four significant

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questions on the Holy Spirit leading our prayer

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life and so let's just take them one at a time

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I think this is might be the way to best way

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to cover this one. First, how can we be led by

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the Holy Spirit to pray? Well, a lot to be said

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there, but let me just share a few thoughts about

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that. We need to surrender to the Holy Spirit

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in everything that we do. It's not our will,

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but God's will. It's not how we want to pray.

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It's how the Holy Spirit wants us to pray, and

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we can surrender to Him before we take on any

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type of prayer activity. I like to start the

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day off with, Holy Spirit, will you guide me,

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guide my thoughts and my actions? And when I'm

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in the garage and driving out of my garage, I

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ask the Holy Spirit to guide the direction that

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I drive and my conversations and if you just

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do that and I'm not saying I have all the answers

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I'm just saying that we need to start off the

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day seeking for help from the Holy Spirit and

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asking him to help us in our life in our prayer

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times and the actions that we take the key word

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is surrender in this the word surrender is in

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reference to the Holy Spirit we need to ask his

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will and not ours you know sometimes we pray

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and we got a predetermined idea of how we should

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pray and what we should pray and what the results

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will be in that prayer. Sometimes it's good,

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sometimes it's not very good, but if we surrender

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to the Holy Spirit and ask for His leading, His

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guidance, His direction, our prayers will be

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consistently strong, they'll be focused, they'll

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be led by the Spirit of God, and we're going

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to see greater results in our prayer life. So

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the word surrender is really very powerful in

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surrendering our will to the Holy Spirit's will.

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We should ask the Spirit what we must pray. Now

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sometimes when I take off in prayer I have a

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list of people pray for but before we get into

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that I like the Holy Spirit to guide and direct

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my prayer. It could be that there's people that

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are on that list that it's time for me to then

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ease up and maybe not continue to pray for them

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or there's new people he wants to put on or he

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wants to just basically have me add new people

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and pray for all the other ones that are there.

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Now let me give you an example and please forgive

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the personal reference but just it's something

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that works for me. I have a list of prayer requests

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every single day when I start to pray in the

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morning and don't get me wrong I don't get up

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and pray for three or four hours I probably should,

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but I don't pray for that long. I get up and

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I look at my list and I ask the Holy Spirit to

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help me in my prayer time. The list includes

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a number of nurses that have ministered to me

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and helped me and taken care of me over at the

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Mayo Clinic during the battles I've had, the

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cancer battles and the spinal problems I've had

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and how God has healed me on every single one

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of them. So I want to give God praise for that,

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but I also want to lift up the names of those

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individuals who are doing a great service for

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our city, for our community, and I just want

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to lift up and pray for them. So every day I

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speak their names out and pray for God to intervene

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and help them. It's just something that wrote

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up on my heart. Now, how long do I pray for that?

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I don't know. I may continue to pray for another

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year, for two years or three years, or maybe

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a month. I don't know. I want the Holy Spirit

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to let me know when it's time for me to slow

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down or bring other people into the prayer group

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or just basically cease from praying for that

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group of people. So I won't stop until I truly

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believe in my heart and my mind, my spirit, that

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it's time to either stop or change the way I

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pray for them. In addition to that, there's a

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number of people in our church who have physical

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problems. So then the Lord has directed me, I

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believe, to ask for the divine healing touch

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of the Lord Jesus Christ to heal these individuals.

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I like to say their names. I like to mention

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that what they're going through, the battle they're

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going through, and the Lord's just kept those

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on my heart. And then there's a list of people

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that in our church, our friends, and it's just

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a whole bunch of people that God puts upon my

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heart. I don't pray for them all every single

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morning, but I pray for most of them every single

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morning. And then if I haven't completed them

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all, then in the evening before I go to bed,

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I like to spend a little more time lifting up

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those individuals that the Lord has put up on

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my heart, but I can't even go to bed or can't

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go to sleep unless I... I lift up those individuals

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to the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit to help them,

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bless them, answer their prayers and their needs,

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and then guide me in my prayers. We need to ask

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the Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts during

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our prayer time. We can't let our mind drift

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when we are praying and seeking God to do something

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special in our life or someone else's life. If

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we're allowing our mind to start thinking about

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things that we need to do that day, we need to

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get that stuff out of our mind and ask Him to

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direct our prayer times. Ask Him to to pray,

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even pray for us. I think that's just incredible

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because that's why we have the gift of the baptism

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of the Holy Spirit because then we can start

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praying in the Spirit. And when we pray in the

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Spirit, we are praying the divine will of God

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and the Holy Spirit is praying for us. So I've

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gone into all of those issues about the baptism

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and on prior podcasts. So I'm not gonna take

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the time now to go there because I just wanted

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to focus on this particular question right now.

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How can we be led by the Spirit to pray? I hope

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that's helpful to you. Let's go to the second.

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question now, and see how we deal with this one.

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Are the Holy Spirit's lead prayers greater than

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ours? Well, you might want to ask the question,

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is He greater than us? Well, He lives in us and

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He certainly is the Spirit of God, so He obviously

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is more powerful than us, has greater prayers

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than we have, and yes, they are stronger than

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or greater than ours, but He can bring our prayers

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into a level that comes up to His prayer level,

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because Jesus said that greater works we will

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do. Jesus said that when the Spirit comes, He'll

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comfort us. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is

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there, our advocate, and will bless us and guide

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us and direct us. And we can then receive the

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power of the Holy Spirit's prayers in our prayer

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life, and so it will increase the strength and

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the greater results of our prayers. Now, let's

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always remember that the Holy Spirit has the

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gift of greater prayers, and He can give that

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gift out. He can give us that gift if we ask

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for Him and seek for it. Now, He's the final

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say on it, that He's the one that decides who

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gets the nine power gifts, and one of them is

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faith. greater faith and He's the one that can

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give us greater prayers. The gift of faith is

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listed with the eight other power gifts of the

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Holy Spirit. Let me read a couple of scriptures

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that will help us stay on track in this question

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about can the Holy Spirit's prayers be greater

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than ours and basically can He give us the gift

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of prayer, the gift of faith. 1 Corinthians chapter

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12 verse 4 in the New International Version says

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this, there are different kinds of gifts but

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the same Spirit distributes them all. I'm just

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saying this so we keep in proper context what

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I'm talking about here in prayer and the gifts

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of the Spirit. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse

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9 the New International Version says to another

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faith he gives that gift by the same spirit so

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I could go down all and read them now but I don't

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want to take the time to do that because I've

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done it several times in these podcasts but one

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of the gifts of the Spirit is faith and faith

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is the difference between having greater prayers

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are ineffective prayers that the prayers of a

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righteous man are led of God And we want to have

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strong prayers, greater prayers, and prayers

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that can be increased by the power of the Holy

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Spirit working in our life. The gift of faith

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is listed, remember, in all the power gifts.

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But it's one of the most important ones, I believe,

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because without faith, there's not a whole lot

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we will accomplish in our prayer life. Matter

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of fact, there's nothing we'll accomplish in

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our prayer life without faith. Therefore, the

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Holy Spirit gives us the gift of greater faith.

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So never forget that the gift comes from the

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Holy Spirit. That's why it's so important to

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understand the Holy Spirit -led prayers because

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the gift of faith is absolutely crucial to have

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successful effective prayers and that gift comes

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from the Holy Spirit and that's when we receive

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faith for a purpose and that is when our prayers

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become equivalent or equal to the prayers that

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the Holy Spirit has. I'm not saying we become

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on His level. I'm just saying that we can increase

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our prayers based upon the gifts that He gives

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us. Our gift of faith to pray is God's Spirit

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to pray. Remember, it's God's Spirit who dwells

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inside of us. The Holy Spirit is. God's Spirit

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and we have that operating in us on a daily basis.

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Just stop for a second and think about that.

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I mean that is just overwhelming to think about

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it and we've got to remember to call upon the

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Holy Spirit. Why would we want to spend our time

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praying all these big long lists and whatever

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without asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance

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and direction? That's the Spirit of God living

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and dwelling inside of us. We need to call upon

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Him. We need to ask for His direction. We need

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to know how we should pray, what we should pray,

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when we should pray, who we should pray for.

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and when it's time to move on to other people

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because we can do that. You know, I've had some

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people I have prayed for and I'm not boasting.

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Please forgive me if you think I am. I'm not

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boasting. I have had people that I have prayed

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for sometimes as long as 20 years or more. Just

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simply every day I have to lift them up and I'm

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saying to the Lord, is it time now to move on?

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I had one particular person I was praying for.

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He gave me a very difficult time in business

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and I'll never forget that. It was just extremely

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difficult. He was a Christian guy but he just

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gave me terrible time building him a home and

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so when the home was finished we got it completed

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we we parted his friends everything was fine

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but then the Holy Spirit told me keep praying

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for him I won't give you his name, but bottom

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line, I said, Lord, would you bless, and I would

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say his name and help him and bless his family.

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And I thank you for him, Father. And I would

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just say something very simple like that. But

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that went on for over 20 years, take the list

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or not. And bottom line, it was no, not yet.

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Well, I can remember the years went by. One night,

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my wife and I went to a banquet where they were

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raising funds for a charity in our community.

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And we're sitting here through the whole banquet.

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It was like a two -hour meeting, maybe longer.

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the meeting I pushed my chair back and when I

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did my chair banged into somebody who was sitting

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behind me into their chair and I turned on said

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oh I'm sorry I turned on and there he was that's

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the man I had been praying for for over 20 years

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and I thought oh my Lord this is kind of awkward

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and I said hey how are you doing and he looked

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at me he says here just second come here and

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he grabbed my arm and he walked and he asked

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attention to the people at his table there's

00:11:05.450 --> 00:11:06.950
probably eight or ten people there and he looked

00:11:06.950 --> 00:11:08.750
he says I just want you guys to know you know

00:11:08.750 --> 00:11:10.950
the home that we live in most of you have been

00:11:10.950 --> 00:11:12.789
there I just want to let you know This is the

00:11:12.789 --> 00:11:15.110
man that built that home and we have loved our

00:11:15.110 --> 00:11:17.590
home We have been blessed by our home And I just

00:11:17.590 --> 00:11:19.350
want you to know if you need to have a good home

00:11:19.350 --> 00:11:21.429
built then go to this man because he's a good

00:11:21.429 --> 00:11:23.470
home builder now think of that think of that

00:11:23.470 --> 00:11:26.049
it was that the Lord getting that prepared and

00:11:26.049 --> 00:11:28.789
for that time had to be and for this man to be

00:11:28.789 --> 00:11:31.850
that strong and that powerful and in that much

00:11:31.850 --> 00:11:34.929
kindness to me was just simply a result of the

00:11:34.929 --> 00:11:37.330
Lord keeping him on my heart and we chatted a

00:11:37.330 --> 00:11:38.669
little bit and he says things are good he says

00:11:38.669 --> 00:11:40.750
I've gone through a lot of difficult times physically

00:11:40.750 --> 00:11:42.860
and I thought There we go. That's why the Holy

00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:45.360
Spirit is still having me pray for him. So I

00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:46.919
just thought I'd give you that story. It's a

00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:49.379
very powerful story on being led by the Holy

00:11:49.379 --> 00:11:51.820
Spirit and also in knowing that the Holy Spirit

00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:53.960
has great things in store for our prayers and

00:11:53.960 --> 00:11:56.480
he wants to increase our prayers. to be greater

00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:58.519
than they are today. Okay, here's the third point

00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:01.019
I made in my introduction. Does the Holy Spirit

00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:05.580
decide who helps and who He does not help? Well,

00:12:05.700 --> 00:12:07.080
this question is kind of interesting. It has

00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:10.460
two parts. Part one is, I think, found in 1 Corinthians

00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:13.059
chapter 12 verse 11 in the New International

00:12:13.059 --> 00:12:16.240
Version. It refers to the nine gifts of the Spirit.

00:12:16.299 --> 00:12:19.980
Verse 11, all these are the work of one and the

00:12:19.980 --> 00:12:22.639
same Spirit, and He distributes them to each

00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:24.960
just as He determines. Well, the Holy Spirit

00:12:24.960 --> 00:12:27.389
determines who he blesses and helps in their

00:12:27.389 --> 00:12:29.590
prayers, and he also can determine who he's going

00:12:29.590 --> 00:12:31.769
to hold off on until they're either ready or

00:12:31.769 --> 00:12:34.190
prepared or praying in the right direction. And

00:12:34.190 --> 00:12:35.610
we'll talk about that in a little bit. What's

00:12:35.610 --> 00:12:37.029
the right thing to pray for and the right way

00:12:37.029 --> 00:12:40.330
to pray. Verse 11 tells us the Holy Spirit has

00:12:40.330 --> 00:12:43.629
final say over who gets the individual prayer

00:12:43.629 --> 00:12:46.730
power gifts and who does not. Who gets the gifts

00:12:46.730 --> 00:12:49.169
of faith, who gets the gifts of healing and all

00:12:49.169 --> 00:12:52.100
the other power gifts of miracles and... Oh,

00:12:52.659 --> 00:12:55.379
wisdom and knowledge and discerning of spirits

00:12:55.379 --> 00:12:57.379
and just all the wonderful power gifts, the Holy

00:12:57.379 --> 00:12:59.720
Spirit makes that decision, so therefore that's

00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:01.879
why we need to invite Him into our prayer time.

00:13:01.980 --> 00:13:04.139
He's the one that has the decision -maker, is

00:13:04.139 --> 00:13:06.379
the decision -maker. Now part two of that question

00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:09.019
on if the Holy Spirit helps some and doesn't

00:13:09.019 --> 00:13:11.299
help others is answered, I believe, in Hebrews

00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:14.379
chapter 13 verse 5 in the New International Version.

00:13:14.500 --> 00:13:17.779
Listen to this. God has said, never will I leave

00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:19.940
you or forsake you. Well, that to me answers

00:13:19.940 --> 00:13:22.179
the question that God God is telling us He will

00:13:22.179 --> 00:13:24.460
not forsake us. He's not going to hold back blessings

00:13:24.460 --> 00:13:27.279
from us as long as we are operating in His will

00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:30.399
and living a godly life, a righteous life, a

00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:32.299
holy life, not a perfect life, because we can't

00:13:32.299 --> 00:13:34.360
do that. The only one that ever walked this earth

00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:37.460
perfect was Jesus Christ. And so we can't live

00:13:37.460 --> 00:13:39.860
a perfect life, but we can live a good life,

00:13:39.980 --> 00:13:42.620
a godly life, a righteous life, a life that is

00:13:42.620 --> 00:13:44.639
surrendered to God and to His will. And when

00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:46.960
we do that, when we do that, God doesn't pick

00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:48.639
and choose who He'll bless and who He won't.

00:13:48.700 --> 00:13:50.450
He's not going to say, well, okay. I'm going

00:13:50.450 --> 00:13:52.509
to bless you today, but not you today, because

00:13:52.509 --> 00:13:55.750
you're both good people and all that good stuff,

00:13:55.769 --> 00:13:58.190
but I just kind of feel like I only want to bless

00:13:58.190 --> 00:14:00.830
you. That isn't how God works. It says, God has

00:14:00.830 --> 00:14:04.070
said, never, he says the word, never will I leave

00:14:04.070 --> 00:14:08.009
you or forsake you. God does not forsake us in

00:14:08.009 --> 00:14:10.710
our times of prayer. If we have a difficult time

00:14:10.710 --> 00:14:12.549
getting through to the Holy Spirit, or feel like

00:14:12.549 --> 00:14:14.350
our prayers are not being heard, it has something

00:14:14.350 --> 00:14:16.809
to do with us, nothing to do with him. The Bible

00:14:16.809 --> 00:14:18.889
says that if you want to get close to God, then

00:14:18.889 --> 00:14:20.809
you need to draw to him and then when you do

00:14:20.809 --> 00:14:23.429
that he'll draw near to you. He doesn't say he'll

00:14:23.429 --> 00:14:25.690
think about drawing near to you, no he says I

00:14:25.690 --> 00:14:29.090
will draw near to you. God always hears our prayers

00:14:29.090 --> 00:14:31.870
and he's always ready to listen to them. So let's

00:14:31.870 --> 00:14:33.809
make sure we understand that the Holy Spirit

00:14:33.809 --> 00:14:37.210
helps everyone equally and how our prayers get

00:14:37.210 --> 00:14:40.450
answered has a great impact on how we're living

00:14:40.450 --> 00:14:42.190
our life and what our prayer is about. So I'm

00:14:42.190 --> 00:14:44.049
going to address that a little bit in just a

00:14:44.049 --> 00:14:45.850
moment about what we should pray and what we

00:14:45.850 --> 00:14:47.690
shouldn't. Okay the fourth question is this,

00:14:47.730 --> 00:14:50.960
how do I know my prayers are led by the Holy

00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:53.139
Spirit. Now that's really important. A lot of

00:14:53.139 --> 00:14:55.240
people say, I don't know how to pray. Well, that's

00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:57.120
when I tell them, have you received the baptism

00:14:57.120 --> 00:14:59.080
of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking

00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:01.120
in your heavenly language? And if they haven't,

00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:03.080
I want to pray with them and will pray with them

00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:05.860
to receive the baptism, the infilling of the

00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:07.799
Holy Spirit with the evidence of having their

00:15:07.799 --> 00:15:09.840
prayer language that's different than tongues

00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:12.080
and interpretation in the nine power gifts. This

00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:14.659
is simply the Holy Spirit moving into our life

00:15:14.659 --> 00:15:17.200
and changing our prayer life. And then he prays

00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.460
according to the divine will of God when he's

00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:22.179
praying through us. And so how do I know if my

00:15:22.179 --> 00:15:24.080
prayers are led by the Spirit? Then start off

00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:26.779
maybe by praying in the Spirit and asking him

00:15:26.779 --> 00:15:30.120
to lead you into your English or Spanish or whatever

00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:32.120
your language is as you go through your prayer

00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:34.120
time. There are a number of ways that we'll know

00:15:34.120 --> 00:15:36.460
that our prayers are led by the Holy Spirit.

00:15:36.539 --> 00:15:38.120
Here's a few. Let me just give you a couple of

00:15:38.120 --> 00:15:40.320
points I think that are helpful. Our prayers

00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:43.600
are in agreement with God's Word. Then we know

00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.980
that he's hearing our prayers and that they're

00:15:46.980 --> 00:15:49.899
being led by the Holy Spirit if they're in agreement

00:15:49.899 --> 00:15:52.759
with God's Word as the example. We cannot pray

00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:55.100
something like, God, give me revenge over that

00:15:55.100 --> 00:15:57.080
person. That is not according to God's Word.

00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:00.899
We can't pray, God, give me money so I can go

00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:03.360
and gamble it away to make more money. I mean,

00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:05.139
those are things I've actually had people come

00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:06.899
to me and say, Pastor, would you pray for me

00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:10.200
that when I go to the casino today that God will

00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:12.320
bless me and so I can gain the finances I need

00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:14.559
to get out of trouble. That is not a prayer that's

00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:16.259
acceptable to God because you're trying to use

00:16:16.259 --> 00:16:18.429
the the world system to receive a blessing from

00:16:18.429 --> 00:16:20.509
God, and that just doesn't work. So our prayers

00:16:20.509 --> 00:16:23.250
must be in agreement with God's word in order

00:16:23.250 --> 00:16:25.830
for our prayers to be led by the Holy Spirit.

00:16:25.929 --> 00:16:28.549
Number two, when we have peace, we know the Holy

00:16:28.549 --> 00:16:31.370
Spirit led our prayers. You know, if you're struggling

00:16:31.370 --> 00:16:33.669
in your prayer time and you're struggling over

00:16:33.669 --> 00:16:35.389
what you're praying for and how you're praying

00:16:35.389 --> 00:16:37.809
for things and how long you should pray, those

00:16:37.809 --> 00:16:39.990
types of things, it's good to just stop. Bible

00:16:39.990 --> 00:16:42.149
says, be still and know that I'm God. Sometimes

00:16:42.149 --> 00:16:43.950
we need to just stop as we're going through all

00:16:43.950 --> 00:16:47.049
these things and just ask the Lord help me guide

00:16:47.049 --> 00:16:49.769
me Holy Spirit lead my prayer time take me in

00:16:49.769 --> 00:16:52.230
the direction that I should go and when we pray

00:16:52.230 --> 00:16:55.279
that A peace of God will come over our heart.

00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:57.519
Remember, it's so important that we have the

00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:00.559
peace of God that guides our hearts and guides

00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:03.740
our mind and protects us in our thought process

00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:05.960
and protects our direction that we're going in

00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:07.859
our prayer life. So we've got to understand that

00:17:07.859 --> 00:17:10.559
when we have peace during our prayer time, that

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:12.940
we know that we bring lead of God. Now, I'm not

00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:14.880
saying if we're lazy, because the difference

00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:17.720
between lazy and peace, it's a huge difference

00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:20.460
between them. Lazy is things that are people

00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:23.109
that don't accomplish much. lazy person kind

00:17:23.109 --> 00:17:25.650
of gives up a lot, but a person who's at peace

00:17:25.650 --> 00:17:28.210
will move on to do things even though on the

00:17:28.210 --> 00:17:30.369
outside it doesn't look like it's gonna work.

00:17:30.450 --> 00:17:32.609
Let me give an example. There are two great scriptures

00:17:32.609 --> 00:17:34.589
that kind of give an example of when you know

00:17:34.589 --> 00:17:36.130
you're praying in the right direction. The first

00:17:36.130 --> 00:17:38.269
one is in Proverbs 3 .5 where it says, trust

00:17:38.269 --> 00:17:40.130
in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on

00:17:40.130 --> 00:17:42.230
your own understanding and all your ways acknowledge

00:17:42.230 --> 00:17:44.650
him and he will direct your paths. Now, that

00:17:44.650 --> 00:17:46.849
means don't lean on your own understanding. If

00:17:46.849 --> 00:17:48.650
we're leaning on our own understanding, we can

00:17:48.650 --> 00:17:51.089
sometimes never receive the peace that we need

00:17:51.089 --> 00:17:53.200
to know. that our prayers are being led by the

00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:55.440
Holy Spirit. Another scripture that is so powerful

00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.559
to me, and I've used it many, many times, is

00:17:57.559 --> 00:17:59.900
Philippians chapter four, verse six, to be anxious

00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:02.400
for nothing but everything through prayer, petitions

00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:04.440
with thanksgiving. Let your requests be made

00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:06.480
known to God. And the peace of God that passes

00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:08.460
all understanding will guard our hearts and guard

00:18:08.460 --> 00:18:11.480
our minds in Christ Jesus. Now, those two scriptures

00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:13.920
tell us how to have peace, tell us that don't

00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:15.660
lean on our own understanding. And then the other

00:18:15.660 --> 00:18:18.200
one says to not to be anxious, but to continue

00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:20.539
to press into God. And when you pray and thank

00:18:20.460 --> 00:18:22.779
Thank God during your prayer time, then you will

00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:25.180
receive the peace of God that passes all understanding

00:18:25.180 --> 00:18:27.400
and will guard our heart and will guard our mind

00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:30.039
in Christ Jesus and we will know that the Holy

00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:32.119
Spirit is leading our prayer time. Here number

00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:35.500
three, we simply need to yield to the Holy Spirit

00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:37.700
to direct our prayers. Now, I've covered that

00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:40.140
a little bit earlier, but that's so important.

00:18:40.299 --> 00:18:42.299
You know, you've probably heard me say this before,

00:18:42.299 --> 00:18:44.799
but I don't ever like to start a podcast without

00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:47.700
stopping and inviting the Holy Spirit in to take

00:18:47.700 --> 00:18:50.940
control and run this prayer. meeting and help

00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:53.740
me in my prayer times and help me in this podcast

00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:55.519
and help me when I'm praying around the table.

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:57.839
Those are things that just has become a part,

00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.519
I think, of my life because God has placed it

00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:02.799
there. Once again, forgive the personal reference,

00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:05.359
but this is what works for me. And when something

00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:07.200
works for me, I want to share that with other

00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:09.720
people. If we want to be led by the Spirit of

00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:12.140
God, then we've got to yield to the Holy Spirit.

00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:14.579
I know that when we do these podcasts, I always

00:19:14.579 --> 00:19:16.400
start off in the middle of it and thank God for

00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:18.339
the podcast and thank Him for what He's done.

00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:20.910
But now, Holy Spirit take over, take control,

00:19:20.990 --> 00:19:23.569
I submit to you, I yield to you. When we do that,

00:19:23.670 --> 00:19:25.369
I'm telling you, you get the attention of the

00:19:25.369 --> 00:19:27.089
Lord, you get the attention of the Holy Spirit

00:19:27.089 --> 00:19:29.430
who dwells inside of us, and He's going to direct

00:19:29.430 --> 00:19:31.990
our prayers. I believe that because so many times

00:19:31.990 --> 00:19:33.990
when I say that, there'll be a time during the

00:19:33.990 --> 00:19:36.329
prayer meeting where I'll change direction, or

00:19:36.329 --> 00:19:38.490
a time during the podcast where I'll change direction,

00:19:38.509 --> 00:19:41.289
and I know it's the Holy Spirit guiding and directing

00:19:41.289 --> 00:19:44.130
where He wants us to go. Number four, our prayers

00:19:44.130 --> 00:19:47.670
are based on the truth in our circumstances.

00:19:48.109 --> 00:19:51.890
means that you can't be praying and covering

00:19:51.890 --> 00:19:54.190
up a truth. God certainly knows our ways. He

00:19:54.190 --> 00:19:55.849
knows our hearts. He knows what we're thinking.

00:19:55.910 --> 00:19:57.549
He knows what we're going to say before we say

00:19:57.549 --> 00:20:00.009
it. But bottom line, we cannot try to hide from

00:20:00.009 --> 00:20:03.309
the truth in our prayer time. John 16 and verse

00:20:03.309 --> 00:20:06.930
13 says, the Spirit leads us into all truth.

00:20:07.109 --> 00:20:09.329
Prayers will be led by the Spirit of God when

00:20:09.329 --> 00:20:12.109
they are prayers that are truthful, prayers that

00:20:12.109 --> 00:20:14.430
reveal the truth. If someone's offended you or

00:20:14.430 --> 00:20:16.769
you're having a conflict with someone, make sure

00:20:16.769 --> 00:20:19.099
you admit where you've gone wrong or the areas

00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:20.460
that you've gone wrong, or if you don't feel

00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:22.640
you've gone wrong, then ask God to help you and

00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:24.980
reveal to you what you said wrong or did wrong

00:20:24.980 --> 00:20:28.420
to help you so that then we're operating in truth

00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:30.680
when we go to the Holy Spirit and ask for Him

00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:33.660
to lead our prayer time. All right, Zechariah

00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:35.839
4 .6 says this in the New International Version.

00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:39.319
It's not by might nor by power, but by my spirit,

00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:42.380
says the Lord. This verse, I believe, tells us

00:20:42.380 --> 00:20:44.819
that and kind of summarizes everything that I'm

00:20:44.819 --> 00:20:47.640
talking about today. It tells us that God's work

00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:51.000
can be successful because God is doing it and

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:53.160
not us. It's not our own strength. It's not by

00:20:53.160 --> 00:20:55.519
what we know or what we think we know. It's by

00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:58.380
His Spirit that truly gets great results in our

00:20:58.380 --> 00:21:00.819
times of prayer. The Holy Spirit has power and

00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:03.660
He wants to share that power with us. Holy Spirit

00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:06.799
-led prayers take us from natural to supernatural

00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:09.220
prayers. You know, I hope that this podcast has

00:21:09.220 --> 00:21:11.180
been a blessing to you. I've certainly enjoyed

00:21:11.180 --> 00:21:13.559
doing this. And I want to close with just a couple

00:21:13.559 --> 00:21:15.700
of comments I think that really kind of helps

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:18.259
us solidify what we're getting into today. The

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:21.400
Holy Spirit leads us to pray if we submit to

00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:23.640
Him and surrender to Him. The Holy Spirit takes

00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:26.579
our prayer deeper and deeper than we've ever

00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:28.819
thought possible. The Holy Spirit wants to guide

00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:31.019
us. He wants to direct us. He wants to lead our

00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:33.400
prayers. Does the Holy Spirit help us? Yes, He

00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:36.200
does. Does He? Think of one person as being more

00:21:36.200 --> 00:21:38.400
important than another. No, he does not. And

00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:40.019
it's important that we understand that we can

00:21:40.019 --> 00:21:42.880
be led by the Holy Spirit to pray as long as

00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:44.880
we put him first, as long as what we're praying

00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:46.940
is truthful, and as long as what we pray about

00:21:46.940 --> 00:21:49.220
will glorify God and give him thanks. And that

00:21:49.220 --> 00:21:52.700
the Holy Spirit -led prayers are so great and

00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:55.440
so powerful that why would we not want to be

00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:57.839
led by the Spirit of God to have prayer? So with

00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:59.940
that, I'm going to close by praying for you.

00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:02.160
And I believe that God wants to touch you and

00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:03.980
help you. For those of you who are maybe struggling

00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:06.480
with your prayer life or you're struggling, wondering

00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.259
whether your prayers are being led by the Spirit

00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:10.259
or being led by the flesh, let me just pray for

00:22:10.259 --> 00:22:12.240
you right now and ask the Holy Spirit to help

00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:14.259
you. Heavenly Father, for those who are listening

00:22:14.259 --> 00:22:16.380
in and maybe are challenged with some of the

00:22:16.380 --> 00:22:18.180
things I just mentioned, Father, I pray that

00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:19.839
you would bless them. I pray that they would

00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:22.240
be faithful to prayer. They would pray without

00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:24.920
ceasing. That doesn't mean 24 -7. It simply means

00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:26.819
they'll pray continually in their heart and their

00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:29.839
mind as they go through the day and give praise

00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:31.859
to the Lord and ask for guidance and pray for

00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:33.990
other people and just simply make it a way of

00:22:33.990 --> 00:22:36.769
life to let prayer just flow through us. That

00:22:36.769 --> 00:22:39.250
will increase our faith and then to invite the

00:22:39.250 --> 00:22:41.450
Holy Spirit to lead us and direct us in our prayer

00:22:41.450 --> 00:22:43.269
time. For those people who have not received

00:22:43.269 --> 00:22:45.089
the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence

00:22:45.089 --> 00:22:46.950
of praying in their heavenly language, I pray,

00:22:46.990 --> 00:22:49.069
Lord, that the Holy Spirit would then bring that

00:22:49.069 --> 00:22:51.089
forth in them so they could have prayers that

00:22:51.089 --> 00:22:53.089
can go on and on. Lord, that they'll be able

00:22:53.089 --> 00:22:56.089
to pray for an hour and it seemed like two minutes.

00:22:56.190 --> 00:22:58.009
Lord, just bless them and help them in their

00:22:58.009 --> 00:23:00.329
prayer life, I pray. I thank you, Lord, for their

00:23:00.329 --> 00:23:03.349
desire to learn from you. from your word and

00:23:03.349 --> 00:23:05.150
I pray that you bless each and every one of his

00:23:05.150 --> 00:23:07.109
father to have stronger prayers that will be

00:23:07.109 --> 00:23:09.289
more faithful to prayer will be more faithful

00:23:09.289 --> 00:23:11.490
to lead as the Holy Spirit to lead us and direct

00:23:11.490 --> 00:23:13.990
us that we will invite him in to do things his

00:23:13.990 --> 00:23:16.789
way and not our way that will we surrender ourselves

00:23:16.789 --> 00:23:19.549
to him and that he will be glorified and all

00:23:19.549 --> 00:23:21.670
that takes place I believe great things are going

00:23:21.670 --> 00:23:23.470
to take place for those who are listening today

00:23:23.470 --> 00:23:25.809
their prayers will increase they'll be more powerful

00:23:25.809 --> 00:23:27.690
they'll be more effective and that you'll receive

00:23:27.690 --> 00:23:29.650
the glory you'll receive the praise and honor

00:23:29.650 --> 00:23:32.660
for it these things I ask now in Jesus Amen.

00:23:33.140 --> 00:23:34.960
Well, thank you for listening to this podcast.

00:23:35.059 --> 00:23:37.799
I can make a couple comments about the podcast

00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:39.500
series that we're in, the Holy Spirit. We're

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:41.960
going to continue on in that for a while. And

00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:44.920
my next podcast, I believe, unless the Holy Spirit

00:23:44.920 --> 00:23:47.859
changes us, is going to be called Holy Spirit

00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:49.900
Gives Comfort. And that's something that was

00:23:49.900 --> 00:23:52.720
well received several months ago when I spoke

00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:55.500
on it. I really believe I need to get into that

00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:57.819
in a little deeper and see how the Lord guides

00:23:57.819 --> 00:24:00.700
us and directs us. So I hope that you would be

00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:02.819
interested in getting to know quality Christian

00:24:02.819 --> 00:24:04.200
living a little better. If you'd like to know

00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:07.559
more about us, you can go to my webpage at davidcfriendauthor

00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:09.579
.com. When you get there, on the front page,

00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:11.480
there'll be a link to all the podcasts we've

00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:14.420
done. I think this is the 25th or 26th podcast

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:16.539
that we've done on the Holy Spirit, and we're

00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:18.440
gonna continue as the Spirit of God leads us.

00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:20.599
If you'd like to know more about my writings

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:21.960
and what the things that we've done that the

00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:24.099
Lord's given me, you can scroll down on my webpage

00:24:24.099 --> 00:24:26.099
and you'll see a list of books that are on Amazon

00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:28.000
dealing with faith, dealing with how to handle

00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:30.339
your finances, just some general help. that'll

00:24:30.339 --> 00:24:32.359
be a blessing and pray for me if you would. I'm

00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:34.420
trying to put together a new book on the Holy

00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:37.200
Spirit and I think I might want to call it the

00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:40.119
Experience the Holy Spirit because that has been

00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:42.640
a very powerful on my mind lately so I hope that

00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:44.900
you would just pray for me that God would direct

00:24:44.900 --> 00:24:47.099
me in that area and if you'd like to subscribe

00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:50.839
to my podcast you can do that by going to cpnshows

00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:53.960
.com or wherever you listen to your podcast.

00:24:54.099 --> 00:24:56.599
I pray that the Lord will bless you. I thank

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:59.079
you once again for listening in. Thank you for

00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:02.150
taking time out of your day and taking 25 -30

00:25:02.150 --> 00:25:04.710
minutes with me so that we can cover these topics

00:25:04.710 --> 00:25:06.890
and I know that the Lord is pleased. I know the

00:25:06.890 --> 00:25:08.789
Holy Spirit wants to work in each and every one

00:25:08.789 --> 00:25:11.329
of us. He loves all of us the same. He doesn't

00:25:11.329 --> 00:25:14.349
have favorites. He blesses us and helps us and

00:25:14.349 --> 00:25:16.089
sometimes I think we sit back and say, well how

00:25:16.089 --> 00:25:18.009
come that guy's getting blessed so much and how

00:25:18.009 --> 00:25:20.329
come that person is or that girl is or their

00:25:20.329 --> 00:25:22.930
business is doing well or they've got lots of

00:25:22.930 --> 00:25:24.970
money and God must like them best. That's just

00:25:24.970 --> 00:25:27.809
not true. God loves all of us equally. He loves

00:25:27.809 --> 00:25:29.609
each and every every person on earth, whether

00:25:29.609 --> 00:25:32.450
we're following him or not, he still loves us.

00:25:32.529 --> 00:25:35.009
And he'll continue to love us until he brings

00:25:35.009 --> 00:25:37.809
us into his kingdom. And I just pray that all

00:25:37.809 --> 00:25:39.430
of us would think about people who don't know

00:25:39.430 --> 00:25:41.490
Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and we should share

00:25:41.490 --> 00:25:43.730
our faith with them. The Holy Spirit came upon

00:25:43.730 --> 00:25:46.029
us. One of the greatest challenges that we were

00:25:46.029 --> 00:25:48.289
given was that we would be witnesses, which means

00:25:48.289 --> 00:25:50.329
we would share our faith and talk about Jesus

00:25:50.329 --> 00:25:52.230
to others. So I hope that you will be led by

00:25:52.230 --> 00:25:54.589
the Spirit of God to witness your faith to other

00:25:54.589 --> 00:25:56.789
people and lead people to Jesus Christ. There's

00:25:56.789 --> 00:25:59.700
really nothing than that. Honestly, it's one

00:25:59.700 --> 00:26:02.559
of the most joyful things that the Lord has shown

00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:04.799
me to do, is to take every opportunity that I

00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:06.940
have to lead people to Jesus. So I pray that

00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:08.740
you'll be blessed with that. If you'd kind of

00:26:08.740 --> 00:26:10.380
like to know what we're going to talk about in

00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:12.559
the next upcoming podcast, let me just share

00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:14.500
a couple thoughts before I close this up today.

00:26:14.700 --> 00:26:16.680
I mentioned the podcast will be on the comfort

00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:18.380
of the Holy Spirit, but we're going to base it

00:26:18.380 --> 00:26:20.759
upon a scripture that's so wonderful. The Spirit

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:23.400
is upon me. It's in Luke chapter 4 and verse

00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:25.880
18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. What does

00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:29.079
that mean? I'm not even change the title from

00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:33.119
comfort to the Holy Spirit is upon us. And talk

00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:35.079
about that. I think it's something that's powerful.

00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:37.799
It'll help us to understand how we can walk in

00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:39.599
the power of the Holy Spirit. And I pray that

00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:41.660
you'll listen to that. Let your friends and family

00:26:41.660 --> 00:26:43.160
members know that we're going to be covering

00:26:43.160 --> 00:26:45.740
this in our next coming podcast. In closing,

00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:47.720
I'd like to thank you for listening. And if you

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:50.279
enjoyed this podcast, this episode I should say,

00:26:50.359 --> 00:26:53.160
please take a moment and rate it and review the

00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:55.660
podcast. It really is helpful to us to be able

00:26:55.660 --> 00:26:57.460
to reach out to more people. You can leave a

00:26:57.460 --> 00:27:01.240
review on Apple Podcasts, on Amazon Music, on

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:04.500
Charisma Podcast Network, or give us a star rating

00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:07.319
on Spotify. However you choose to support us,

00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:09.220
we certainly appreciate it. So let me close with

00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:11.319
a blessing. May the Lord bless you and keep you

00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:13.839
and may his face shine upon you. May he be gracious

00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:16.559
to you and give you peace. May you prosper and

00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:18.660
be in good health even as your soul prospers.

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:21.400
So until next time, may God richly bless you.

00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:23.380
Thank you once again for listening to Quality

00:27:23.380 --> 00:27:26.029
Christian Living. I'm your host David I look

00:27:26.029 --> 00:27:28.569
forward to seeing you on our next podcast. God

00:27:28.569 --> 00:27:28.950
bless you.