Before You Pray Each Morning, Invite the Holy Spirit First | A Blessed Morning Prayer

Today I'd like to talk to you about four marks of the Holy Spirit. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit is our helper. He's our comforter. He leads us into all truth. He interceds for us with groanings too deep for words. But what is the tangible evidence that someone has not only received the Holy Spirit in their life, but how do you know that you have fully surrendered and Yielded to him? How do you know that you're being led by the Holy Spirit? Well, the first thing that will happen is that the Holy Spirit will

lead you to repentance. Now, repentance is not simply saying, "God, I'm sorry for sinning." Mm-m. Repentance is not merely confessing your sins, but it's the turning away from your sins. True repentance is change. It is to forsake your old ways. And Repentance can only happen through the Holy Spirit. He's the one who can change the hearts of sinners. He's the one who transforms them. John 17 7-8 says, "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. And when he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgment. Only the Holy Spirit can truly convict you of sin. Feeling guilty, that will not lead you to change. Feeling ashamed won't lead you to change. But the Holy Spirit, he can so touch your heart and convict you. And that is what leads you to change. A second mark of the Holy Spirit is that you will put your faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:3, It says,

"So I want you to know that no one speaking by the spirit of God will curse Jesus. And no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." Think of it like this. The Holy Spirit ignites the faith in a person's heart. The word of God tells us that you cannot say Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior except by the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. A third mark of the Holy Spirit is that He beckons you to do God's will. He encourages you to do the will of the Lord. In

the book of Acts, there is an astonishing passage of scripture that demonstrates just how the Holy Spirit can work in our lives. Acts 8:es 26-31. Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philillip saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert." So he arose and went. And Behold, a man of Ethiopia, a unic of great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And sitting in his chariot,

he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the spirit said to Philillip, "Go near and overtake his chariot." So, Philip ran to him and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philillip to come up and sit with him. Notice that in verse 29, the Bible says, "Then the spirit said to Philillip, go over and join this chariot." The Holy Spirit led Philillip to explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to this Ethiopian unic. He led Philillip to

minister about the gospel of Jesus Christ to someone who was ready to be saved. And in the same Way, we too can be led by the Holy Spirit. He can lead you to pray for a family member or a friend without them ever having told you that they're going through something. The Holy Spirit can lead you to pick up the phone and offer someone a word of encouragement when they are in a dark place. And so what we need to do is be sensitive to his voice. And with this in our minds and on our

Hearts, let's go before the Lord and ask him to help us be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit so that we can not only hear but then also do what the Holy Spirit has instructed because those instructions could change our lives or the life of someone else. Furthermore, a wonderful sign of the Holy Spirit working in your life is supernatural joy, peace, and hope. According to Romans 15:13, The Bible reads, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power

of the Holy Spirit." The power of the Holy Spirit is what helps us to have hope. Hope in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Hope in the faithfulness of God. Hope in the truth of God's word. The Holy Spirit enables us to be people who are filled with joy, peace, and hope because we know to whom we belong. In this world, there are so many things that can leave you discouraged. So many things come in life and they threaten to kill your joy. However, the Holy Spirit will enable you to have faith when the world

is fearful. He will enable us to be at peace when the world is in turmoil. [Music] The Holy Spirit fills us with the power of the living God, not to spend on our own selfish desires, but to serve others In love for the glory of Christ. By the Holy Spirit, we have the power to love our enemies, the power to overcome every force of darkness, the power to be an effective witness for Christ. On our own, we could never live up to the kind of life Jesus requires of us. But by the spirit, we can

become more and more like him every day. Our ability to live a righteous life does not depend on our own merit. It is The Holy Spirit who empowers us. The Holy Spirit empowered the apostles to perform miraculous healings. With the Holy Spirit in your life, there comes a grace over your life. You're empowered to be longsuffering. You're empowered to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Second Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree

of Glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the spirit." Following Jesus doesn't mean our lives will be perfect. We will continue to experience life setbacks. We will continue to struggle with sin and temptation at times. But we can rest in the fact that transformation by the Holy Spirit is an ongoing process. And whatever work God starts in us, he will surely complete. And so, dear friends, I've only Highlighted four marks of the Holy Spirit, but there are so many more to share. My prayer is that from today, you would realize just

how much you need the Holy Spirit. You need him in every aspect of your life. May you come to realize that he enriches your walk with God. He brings to life God's word. He enables you to truly repent and to turn to Jesus Christ. Now, let's pray. Dear Lord Jesus, For every person that's listening today, touch our hearts and give us a strong appetite that seeks to experience a fruitful relationship with the Holy Spirit. Lord God, I pray that the Holy Spirit would rejuvenate our faith, our prayer lives, our appetite to read and know God's

word. May he stir us up in our spirit so that Jesus Christ may be our first and only love. I pray that the Holy Spirit will enable Us to overcome any besetting sin that's in our lives. May the Holy Spirit enable us to overcome everything that's holding us back. May he seal us so that the enemy has no sight of us and no sight of our families. And above all else, may the Holy Spirit transform our hearts. May he transform our minds so that we would chase God more sincerely, more fervently, and more consistently. I

pray that the Holy Spirit would help us to live lives that are pleasing to the father in our day-to-day lives. Holy Spirit, help us to do the right things, to do those things which honor God rather than committing sin and living with a seared conscience. John 14:es 25- 27 says, "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and Bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with

you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Holy Spirit, you are our helper. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight. Help us to be good ambassadors of Christ, showing love to others and demonstrating the love of Christ in our Lives. Holy Spirit, when we are too burdened, help us to turn to Jesus. Lead us to cast our burdens before the feet of our Lord. When we go through feelings of sadness, I pray that

you would encourage us and uplift our spirits. The Bible in Ezekiel 36:es 26- 27, it says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and Give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. God, we receive this promise that is in your word. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and move us, enable us to follow your word. for every person listening right now.

I pray that the Holy Spirit would rejuvenate your prayer life. May he stir you up. I pray that he will enable you To overcome any besetting sin that is in your life. May the Holy Spirit enable you to overcome all that is holding you back. May he seal you so that the enemy has no sight of you. And above all else, may the Holy Spirit create an appetite within you to chase God more sincerely, more fervently, and more consistently. God, we agree with the listener in prayer, and we thank you right now for hearing this

prayer. Father, be blessed forever more. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Dear listener, I want to encourage you today, but I also want to challenge you today. Put God first in your life. Place him at the very start of your day. Stay with him, walk with him, talk to him during the entire day. And most definitely end your day with God. The theme here is abiding in his presence. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. To abide is to remain. To remain in the

presence of God. To remain in prayer. To abide is to continue. to continue walking in a prayerful spirit, to continue walking by faith and not by sight, to continue in God's presence. He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide Under the shadow of the almighty. That means that the person who takes a permanent residence in God, they shall remain, they shall continue or stay under the shadow of the Almighty. To be under the shadow of God, that's to be covered. It's to be protected by the Almighty himself. What can get

to you? Tell me, what can get to you? If you're under God's shadow, what can Bother you there? What can worry you? What can plague you if you're under the shadow of the Almighty? Some would rather hide themselves in fortified bunkers. Some would run to the tallest and strongest building. Others they'd feel safer in their own homes with all the windows locked, with all the doors bolted shut, with the alarm set. But I want to urge you today to abide under the shadow of the Almighty one. Run to God. Run to Jesus. In his Shadow

alone, that's where you'll find safety. That's where you'll find security. you find protection and preservation. When you're feeling the heat, when you're feeling the full heat of the fire that comes with life's troubles, I want to give you a little simple advice that we used to hear in elementary school. Stop, drop, and roll. Stop right where you are. Drop to your knees and roll into the arms of God. When you get on your knees, remain in prayer. Continue in prayer. Stay in his presence. Abide there under the shadow of the almighty one. So listen, before

we pray, I urge you to take just a few moments to reflect and look at your life right now. What is it that you're dwelling on? Do you dwell on the whatifs of this world? What if I could do this? What if I never did that? Do you dwell on the past? Do you dwell in worry? Are you dwelling on a particular problem? What is it that you're dwelling on this day? Because if it isn't God Almighty, if you're not dwelling in the secret place of the most high, then friend, I urge you to come

to the Lord. Come to Jesus. Run and dwell in his presence. be found to have taken up permanent Residence under the shadow of the Almighty. Dear listener, I encourage you to pray. We all ought to pray because we need strength to defeat strongholds. We need the power of God to protect us from evil forces, whether they be from our bloodline or from this world. We need to pray because we need God's protection. Some of us need grace to overcome insecurities. Some of us need the hand of God to move within our families and to restore

damaged relationships. So, people of God, pray. Hear me as I encourage you today to pray. And so as we approach the throne, let us go with the mindset that prayer is imperative in our lives. We cannot walk in the things that God has designed for us to walk into without the power of prayer. It is necessary In the lives of believers. And so it's with this understanding that we should pray. My dear heavenly father, I pray for everyone who's under the sound of my voice right now. May they be drawn to your presence, Lord. May

they be drawn to your secret place. I pray that every man and woman of God who's listening right now, I pray that they'll be covered, protected, secured, Defended, shielded, and hidden by your shadow. I pray in the name of Jesus that they are hidden from the sight of evil. The devil will not be able to lay a hand on them or their family because they're protected by you, Almighty God. Lord, at this time may they find you to be their safe place, their peaceful sanctuary. God, may your presence reside in their home, in their hearts,

and in their Minds. I pray for every son and daughter of God who is in agreement with me right now. when the storm seems endless in their lives. God, may you grant supernatural strength. Even if the enemy tries to steal their joy, may he fail and be crushed by the angel of you, oh Lord, because your angel encamps around all those who fear you. I pray for peaceful thoughts in the mind of the listener. I pray for an overwhelming peace and divine joy to sit right at the center of their heart. For anyone who's uneasy,

Lord, will you please calm their spirit? I decree and declare that it is well with our souls. It is well in our homes and it is well in our lives. It is well with the children of God. May the Holy Spirit grant us boldness and courage. Father, may we stand strong and firm in our faith. God, I pray that we would not be found fearful in any area of our lives. God, may we not be found to have any worry or anxiety in our lives in Jesus' name. And father, right now we claim your word

and we say surely both goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives. Father, I thank you for victory in the name of Jesus. I thank you that you've Given us victory over our mountains. We have victory over any giants. We have the total victory and that includes over the obstacles that may be set by our enemies. I want to thank you for the power that we can access through your blood. Power that allows us to overcome daily, to be blessed daily, to wake up in your grace and mercies each day. Lord,

we choose to trust in you. We trust in you every day, every hour, Every moment of our lives. You gave your life on the cross to set us free. And for that, Lord Jesus, we're grateful. Psalm 91:2 says, "I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." And I confess this to be true in our lives as believers of Jesus Christ. God, you are our refuge indeed. You are our hiding place and we bless your name, Lord. We give you your glory. We give You honor

and praise. Your word says in Jeremiah 17 from verse 7, "Blessed is the man who trust in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord, for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when he comes. but its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. I decree and declare God's word right now and I say that I'm blessed Because I trust in you, Lord. My hope is in the Lord.

When my trust is in you, Lord Jesus, your word says that I'll be like a tree planted by the waters. That means I will not fear when heat comes. I don't have to be anxious in the year of drought because I'm planted by the living water. Thank you for such a promise because I'm planted by the waters. Indeed, I'm planted in the living water. Thank you for such a promise. I promise that you will keep me, sustain me, protect me from the heat that seeks to destroy me. You'll protect and sustain me from any drought

that seeks to destroy me. Because you, King Jesus, you're my one and only source. So let the storm, the wind, and the rain come. I will be sheltered by my savior. It's okay if the thunder and the lightning roar. I'm at peace and I'll remain at peace because I'm covered by you, Almighty Lord. I pray that each of My steps will be directed by you. So in alignment with my prayer, I submit myself to you. I submit myself to your plans. May your will be fulfilled in my life, oh God. Have mercy on me, Lord

Jesus. Hide me in your shadow where there's love. Because in your love there is no fear, there is no pain, there is no sorrow. Your perfect love, it expels all that is negative. It expels all that is draining. It's in you that I trust, and it's in you that I will continue to trust. Your word in Psalm 91 tells me that I will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness. Thank you for such protection, Lord. Although it's undeserved, you offer me this

security, and for that I'm grateful. I welcome you, Lord, to do as you will. Have your way in my life. Without you, I'm lost. Without you, I'm hopeless. But with you, with you, oh Lord, I'm loved. I'm protected. I'm forgiven. And I am redeemed. So I praise your name. You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. You are the Alpha and Omega. There is none like you in all the universe. There is no other healer besides you. There is no other deliverer but you. There's no other savior besides You. You are the

awesome and holy God, mighty and magnificent. And father right now I thank you for listening to this prayer. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Have you ever considered whether what you hear repeatedly is affecting you? What are the voices around you saying? What is it that your ears are hearing? I ask these questions because the Bible talks a lot about hearing. John 8:47 says, "Whoever is of God hears the words of God." The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. John 10 27 says, "My sheep hear my voice

and I know them and they follow me. But I want you to focus on what Romans 10 verse 17 says. So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. Faith comes from what you hear according to the Bible. Meaning that a lack of faith can be the direct result of what you are hearing or rather what you don't hear. Saints, let me tell you, it's no coincidence that the loudest voices in this world are the voices that stand to discourage you from living a righteous life and to encourage you to indulge in

sin. Yes, we live in a world where many different voices are deliberately trying to influence us to pick pleasure over self-control Or to pick selfish gain over a life of serving. These voices are in the media. They are in institutions. They are sold to us as entertainment. Even you see, the world desires to give us whatever we want or at the very least encourage us to go for what we want. The voices in this world will tell you to look after this flesh, but they will mention nothing about your soul. They will tell you things

like, "Enjoy the moment." But those voices will never utter a word about where you will spend eternity. The voices that come from this world are controlled by the God of this world. And so I'd simply like to encourage you today to take note of what you are hearing. Take note of the content, the music, the conversations that you're hearing. The Bible says in James 1 verse 19, "Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. Be quick to hear the word of God. Be quick to hear

the voice of Jesus Christ, the one that is calling you to repent and follow him. Be quick to seek and search for the Holy Spirit so that it's his voice that may guide you. Saints, pray so that the Holy Spirit may be the voice that is loudest in your Life. A voice that convicts you to repentance. A voice that pushes you to the word of God. A voice that reminds you of how much you need Jesus Christ. in the Bible. How many times have the prophets of old or biblical writers been inspired by the Holy

Spirit and uttered the words, "Thus says the Lord." Well, I for one truly believe that God still speaks even today. The Lord speaks to people in many Different ways. He speaks through the Holy Spirit. He speaks through his word. And maybe you've experienced those occasions where you open the Bible and one verse leaps off the page and ministers to you. But from a biblical standpoint, God is not confined to a single manner of communicating with his people. In Job 38:1, the Lord answered Job out of a Whirlwind. In Exodus 19:18, God announced his presence to

Moses in an extraordinary way. The Bible says, "Mount Si was covered with smoke because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace and the whole mountain trembled violently." In first Kings 19:12, Elijah encounters the Lord and the Bible says, "And after the earthquake, a fire, But the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire, a still small voice." Now, the point of God speaking in the still small voice here, I believe, was to show Elijah that the work of the Lord need not always

be accompanied by some dramatic revelation or huge manifestation. But God can speak in a gentle and peaceful but assured manner. Another way that God speaks is by making an impression on our spirit. Here are Two verses where we can see this happening. Acts 17:16. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. And also in Acts 18:5, when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

On both occasions, God or the Holy Spirit made an impression on Paul that provoked, compelled, and called him to action. And to put this into context, we need to understand Romans 8:16, which says, "The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." This gives you a small glimpse into some of the ways in which God speaks. And Remember that the Lord is not limited in how he speaks. So to summarize, I believe that God most clearly and most commonly speaks to us in this day and age through his word. The

more we learn it, the more we'll be able to recognize his voice when he does speak. And with that understanding, the Holy Spirit is vital for any of us to hear from the Lord clearly and to discern the voice of God. So I encourage you to make it your prayer request that you may hear the voice of the Lord more clearly from this day forward. Dear Lord, together with everyone listening, we are here believing. We are here waiting patiently, waiting expectantly to hear your voice. Speak to us, Lord Jesus. Speak to our hearts, Lord. Speak

through your word and give Us direction. Give us encouragement. Give us clarity and remove every cloud of confusion from our lives. Lord, speak to us collectively as believers. But I also ask you to speak to us individually, Lord God Almighty. Father, give us a word for our families. Your word in John 10:es 27-28. It says, "My sheep hear my voice and I Know them and they follow me and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand." We desire to hear your voice, Lord Jesus, because

in your voice there is lifegiving power. In your voice, Lord, I find peace. I find joy. And so I pray that you would open our ears, master. Let us be a people who are quick to hear The word of God. Help us to be quick to hear the voice of Jesus Christ. A voice that calls us to repent and to pick up our cross. I pray, King Jesus, that I may be someone who is quick to seek and search for your voice when I need guidance and direction. Luke 12:12 says, "For the Holy Spirit will

teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." So I pray that the Holy Spirit may be the voice that is Loudest in our lives. I ask that the Holy Spirit would be the voice that convicts us to repentance. A voice that pushes us to the word of God. A voice that reminds us of just how much we need Jesus Christ in our daily lives. Speak to us in our hearts, God. Speak to us concerning your will, concerning your plan for our lives. God, I ask that you drown out the voice of the

enemy. Drown out the voice that comes only to kill, steal, and destroy. God, drown out the voice of the father of lies. And instead, Lord, may the Holy Spirit be the voice that counsels us, the voice that teaches us, the voice that convicts us to repentance. May he be the voice that guides us. You say in your word, Lord, that your sheep hear your voice and you know them and they follow you. Indeed, we are your sheep, Lord Jesus. And we're following you, the good shepherd. So Lord, we will listen and obey your voice because

you'll make us lie down in green pastures. Only you, King Jesus, can lead us beside still waters. Your voice, Master, restores our souls. It leads us in the paths of righteousness. Help me to hear your voice, Lord. Train my ears so that I may be able to discern Your voice apart from all of the confusion in this world. Father, train my ears so that I can recognize your voice rather than for me to fool myself and tell myself what I want to hear. Father, as your children, we ask that you speak to us, Lord. Speak

to us through your word. Speak to us in our hearts, God. Speak to us concerning your will and concerning your plan for our lives. I ask that you would drown out the voice Of the enemy. Drown out the voice that comes only to kill, to steal, and to destroy. Instead, Father, may the Holy Spirit be the voice that counsels us, that teaches us and convicts us to repentance. Lord Jesus, the devil has plotted and schemed to confuse us and send us messages that contradict your word. And today, at this moment, we rebuke the voice of

the enemy. We rebuke the voice of Satan. Though he may be hidden in the Music, he may be hidden in the entertainment of this world. I declare together with everyone in agreement that his voice, the voice of the devil, it will have no effect on our lives or on the lives of our families or on our homes. We seek and wait for the voice of Jesus Christ to speak to us. You say in your word, Lord, that your sheep hear your voice and you know them and they follow you. Indeed, Lord Jesus, we are your

sheep And we are following you, the good shepherd. Lord, I will listen and obey your voice because you will make me to lie down in green pastures. Only you, King Jesus, can lead us beside still waters. Your voice, master, it is the one that restores my soul. It leads me in the paths of righteousness. Your word says in Matthew 7:4, "Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Father God, give us the grace to not just be hearers of the

word, but doers also. Help us to put aside all of our selfish cares, all our selfish ambitions so that we can put your word into practice. Holy Spirit, change our hearts. Challenge us to put into practice the word of God in our day-to-day lives. King Jesus, we bless your name. May you Rule and reign over our lives forever. Thank you for hearing this prayer, Lord God. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. So

faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. Know this, my beloved brothers. Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. My sheep hear my voice and I know

them And they follow me and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. Someone once said, "I only pray when I'm in trouble, but I'm in trouble all the time, and so I pray all the time." A Christian writer by the name of Edward Mckendry Bounds said the following about prayer. Prayer should not be regarded as a duty which must be performed But rather as a privilege to be enjoyed. Listen, prayer is a privilege for us. It's a privilege for the God of heaven to

tell us to invite us to pray. It's a privilege to be able to develop and cultivate a relationship with the Lord through prayer. And I don't know about you, but at one point in my life, prayer was something I merely did so that I could say I prayed today. It wasn't until I began to see that the Invitation to pray from God Almighty, it's a blessing. It's a privilege. That's when my prayer life changed. And so, dear listener, let me encourage you. In every season of life, remember to pray. When life is good, we should

remember to pray. When life is difficult, we should remember to pray. Whether it floods or if we're in a dry season, remember to pray. Regardless of the season you're in, make it a habit to pray. And just speaking from my own experience, there will be days where you find that you can easily capture the spirit of prayer. Oh, there are days when I can pray effortlessly. I can pray and feel as though an hour is just 10 minutes. However, there are those days that I encounter, and I'm sure you will, too, where prayer Will be

nothing other than a fight. And it's when you encounter those moments that you should push through. Listen, praying is warfare. The devil doesn't want you to pray. Your body, this flesh, it doesn't want to pray. And so you and I have to fight to pray even during the days where we struggle. I want to encourage you be resilient and remember that the size of your prayer must match the size of your Opposition. And our opposition is the devil. Our opposition can be found in Ephesians 6:12. The Bible reads, "For our struggle is not against flesh

and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural Places. We're not fighting against people. We're fighting against spiritual forces." There are spiritual forces of wickedness that are all around us. And in this kind of war, we can only pray and call on the name of the Lord. Dear listener, I encourage you to pray. We all ought to pray because we need strength to defeat strongholds. We need the power of God to protect us

From evil forces, whether they be from our bloodline or from this world. We need to pray because we need God's protection. Some of us need grace to overcome insecurities. Some of us need the hand of God to move within our families and to restore damaged relationships. So people of God, pray. Psalm 23:4 says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me." I've often struggled to understand this verse in Psalm 23. Why do we have

to go through valleys in life? Why do we have to face difficulties? Is there a reason why we can't just stay in the green pastures and rest and lie down while enjoying the protection and provision of the Lord? Well, here's what I found. None of us can avoid valleys. We cannot avoid troubles. But here's what the Bible says in John 16:33. I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation but take heart. I have overcome the world. Trouble it may be unavoidable. Yes, but

we are instructed to take heart. Take heart Meaning be courageous child of God. Be confident. Be undaunted. Be filled with joy because Jesus Christ has overcome the world. And if he has overcome the world and we have accepted him in our hearts, then greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world. Now, there's a school of thought that says once you become a Christian, you will probably encounter more trouble than you ever anticipated. And the reason for this is that the devil wants to present you with challenges and give you

troubles that will make you fall. Now, this is true to an extent because the enemy wants you to quit. He wants you to give up. But as you mature, you'll come to understand that God lets you face trouble. Notice that I said God lets. He allows you to face trouble so that you may grow. Your faith is tested so that you may develop and become stronger. Stronger in your faith, stronger in your prayer life, stronger in your conviction that we serve a living and miracle working God. Now, if you know that the devil will send

trouble your way in order to try and make you fall, then you should take some measures to protect yourself from falling. And the best place to start that is in The word of God. Consider what the Bible says in Psalm 91:es 2-4. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the foulish snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge. His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

When you abide in the presence of the Lord, you are in safe hands. It doesn't matter if you're facing the valley of the shadow of death. You're in safe hands when you dwell in the shelter of the most high. Hear me as I encourage you today to pray. And so as we approach the throne, let us go with the mindset that prayer is imperative in our lives. We cannot walk in the things that God has designed for Us to walk into without the power of prayer. It is necessary in the lives of believers. Lord Jesus

Christ, you are a mighty and all powerful God. Thank you for being our safe place, for being our refuge. Thank you for your wonderful care and your tender mercies. Thank you for being a God who sees us in our weakness. And so, Lord, we ask that you would stir us up in our spirit so that we would have the desire to pray, touch our hearts, and ignite a burning desire to pray. Your word in Colossians 4:2, it tells us to be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an

attitude of thanksgiving. Lord, in this world, there are many enemies that we face as your children. Help us to be alert. Help us to be Focused in our prayer lives so that we would not be destroyed by the enemy. Your word reminds us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Now, in this battle, Lord, we can only go to our knees and ask you to intervene. Fight for us, Lord. Your word in Psalms tells us that the angel of the Lord encamps all around

Those who fear him and delivers them. Father, we thank you for the promise of protection. Give us the power we need to overcome the enemy. Give us peace so that we will not allow fear and anxiety to hold us back. Help us to trust in you and not to worry. Father, we trust that all of our steps are ordered by you. We have confidence in your word that Tells us to approach the throne of grace boldly and that if we ask anything according to your will, then you will hear us. Father, I pray that I

will always abide under your shadow. Meaning that I'm always close to you. You're always near and never too far from me. I will say to you, Lord, you are the chief cornerstone of my life and you are my strong tower. I'm trusting in you to be with me always And to be my defender. We call on you, King Jesus, because only you can lead us beside still waters. Only you, Lord Jesus, can renew our strength. Your word in Isaiah 65:4, it says, "Before they call, I will answer. While they are still speaking, I will hear."

God, we thank you for being faithful. We thank you for your word that tells us that before we call, you will answer. We Trust that you will help us in our time of need. Father, we hold on to your word in Psalm 32:7 where it says, "For you are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. You, Lord Jesus, are mighty in battle, and you are well able to protect me from every threat. You're well able to defend me and to Dispel every attack from the enemy. I thank

you Lord Jesus for your protection. I thank you for your faithfulness. The Bible says in Psalm 57:es 1-3, "Have mercy on me, my God. Have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God most high, to God who vindicates me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly Pursue me. God sends forth his love and his faithfulness. Lord, protect me. Protect my family. Protect my loved ones. God, I pray that you would be

my shield against every attack from the gates of hell. And Lord, my faith is in you. Regardless of what form the attack may come in, regardless of the shape and size of the attack, I will forever place my trust in you to be my shield. Psalm 16:es 1-2 says, "Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, you are my Lord. Apart from you, I have no good thing." It's only you, Jesus, who can block the fiery darts thrown by the enemy. It's only you, Lord, who can keep

me truly safe and secure. You alone can preserve my life, my help, my peace of mind. Even only you, King Jesus, my defender, can destroy every plan that the devil has. You light up the darkness. You dispel evil. You expose every trap that's set before me by the enemy. And so I place my faith in you. I place my trust in you. And I know that if I abide in you, if I dwell in your house, then your presence will cover me from head to toe. Thank you for listening, for hearing our prayer. Master, continue

to cover us, continue to lead us, continue to protect us. It is with thankful hearts and in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. The Bible reads, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, contending only with physical opponents, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly supernatural places. Even though I walk through the valley of The shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me. I have said

these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart. I have overcome the world. It tells us to be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving. [Music] Have mercy on me, my God. Have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God most high, to God who vindicates me. He sends from heaven and saves me,

rebuking those who hotly pursue me. God sends forth his love and his faithfulness. Father, your word in Psalm 18 verse 1-6 says, "I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my Deliverer. My God is my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I called to the Lord who is worthy of praise and I have been saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me. The torments of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me. The snares of

death confronted me. In my distress, I called to the Lord. I cried to my God for help. from his temple. He Heard my voice. My cry came before him into his ears. Emotions are and can be very powerful. I've seen people so happy that their faces were covered in tears, tears of joy. I've seen people so distraught and filled with sorrow that they couldn't string together two words. I've seen others be so inspired and motivated that they could work day and night tirelessly to accomplish something Or to achieve something. I read a powerful quote on

something Billy Graham said many years ago. He said that 75% of patients in hospitals would be made whole if they would only forgive. Think about that. Some people hold on to certain emotions, certain negative emotions for so long and eventually those emotions manifest themselves in sickness. Proverbs 14:30 Says, "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones." Envy is a feeling of jealousy. It's resentment. And the Bible tells us that envy, an internal emotion, rots the bones, meaning it has a physical external result. Hebrews 12:14-15 says, "Pursue peace with all

people and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord, looking carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, lest any Root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." Notice that this verse doesn't even warn us to be cautious of bitterness itself. It warns us to be cautious of the root, the root of bitterness. Now, the root of a plant is not visible to the naked eye. We may only be aware that a seed was planted when we see the fruit. So when the Bible says see to it

that no root of bitterness springs up, It's because this emotion of bitterness is so destructive that it needs to be uprooted as soon as the seed germinated. The Bible is telling us not to even wait until you see the fruit of bitterness. Cut it off at the root. And so, dear listener, I am aware that in this life all of us will experience unpleasant emotions at one point or another. We will experience the pain of betrayal. We'll experience heartache and loss. We Might even suffer maltreatment and injustice. But my message to you is that you

should learn to forgive. Learn to let go. Don't hold on to everything negative. Pray for the Lord to heal your wounds. Pray for the Lord to mend your broken heart. Pray that you would be someone who doesn't repay evil with evil, but instead have the love of Christ and repay evil with good. I encourage you to pray for God to give You the capacity to be able to forgive and move on. Don't live a life where you're imprisoned by toxic emotions. No. Jesus Christ offers you peace, joy, victory despite what people do to you. In

Jesus, you can have freedom. You can have life and have it more abundantly. Now, someone may be listening right now and they find themselves in the middle of a discouraging season. I may not know who you are or what your exact situation is, but one thing I do Know is that the Bible in Hebrews 10 23-2 says, "Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful to his word." And let us consider thoughtfully how we may encourage one another to love and

to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together as believers for worship and instruction, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the More faithfully as you see the day of Christ's return approaching. The Bible tells us to encourage one another. And that's what I would like to do today. Whatever it is you are going through, leave it in God's hands. The Lord has the final say over your life and you need to hold on. Don't give up. Don't let go. Don't give in. And don't be discouraged. I pray that the

Holy Spirit will block you from looking to the left and to the Right so that your eyes can only look up to Jesus Christ. Romans 8 verse 37 says, "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." You are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ. So keep believing that God will see you through. Keep believing that God will strengthen you. Don't be discouraged. Don't be defeated. But stand. Stand on God's word and on God's promise Because he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." One of

the most remarkable things that Jesus said while he was here on this earth can be found in John 15:15. The Bible reads, "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." When I read this verse, I think back to When I was a young man and I first heard the song, "What a friend we have in Jesus." It was one of those songs that lifted me up

during a very discouraging season in my life. Allow me for a moment to just recite the lyrics to this uplifting song. What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins and griefs to bear. And what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a friend so faithful who will

all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer. Now let us pray. Dear Lord, I pray that your grace would be over us. Someone listening has been betrayed. And I pray that you would heal them, Lord, and let them know that you will never abandon them. You will never turn your back on them. Someone listening has been the recipient of hurtful words. Someone has had evil words spoken against them, spoken about them. And Lord, I ask that your healing hand would mend every heart and every Ear that has

been on the receiving end of hurtful or cruel words. Help us to forgive. Let there be no bitterness in our hearts. Let there be no malice in our hearts. Let there be no jealousy or hate in our hearts. Instead, Lord Jesus, heal our wounds. Heal every wound inflicted by our enemies, every wound inflicted by our friends or even loved ones. Make us whole and fill our hearts with love. Teach us to love. Help us to live By your word which tells us to love our neighbors. Give us the grace Lord Jesus to live and to

love according to first Corinthians 13 verse 4 to8 which says love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself. Is not puffed up. Does not behave rudely. Does not seek its own. is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in inequity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all Things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. Give us this type of love in

our hearts, Jesus. So that when others do evil to us, we can respond and repay them with love. When others speak negatively about us and to us, give us great grace so that we may be able to love them regardless of what they say against us. I pray for everyone listening. Lord Jesus, would you please heal every wound of betrayal? For the person who feels rejected and unwanted, I pray that you would heal every wound inflicted by the actions of others. Heal every ear that has heard cruel words spoken against them. To those who feel

low, Lord Jesus, I pray that you would lift up their spirit. To those who are sad and have a heavy heart, remove their burdens, Lord Jesus. Father, uproot every root of bitterness and resentment in our hearts. Uproot every memory linked to negative and toxic emotions in our hearts. Help us to let go. Give us the strength to practice forgiveness. Give us the grace to practice real love in our lives. Your word in Romans 12:9-12 says, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor

one another above yourselves. Never be Lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Help us to do this. Lord, help us to love sincerely. Help us to cling to what is good and to hate what is evil. Help us to be devoted to each other in love. Lord Jesus, my hope is in you. My faith is in you. My trust is in you. When I feel anxious, I pray that the Holy Spirit would teach me to cast my burdens on Jesus. Teach me

to lean on the Lord for strength. Teach me not to carry the load by myself, but remind me that in Jesus, I have a friend that sticks closer than a brother. In Jesus, I have a God who has said, "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Give me rest in your arms, Lord. Take away everything that tries to discourage Me. If I should fall, pick me up, Lord. If I should get knocked down, lift me up, Lord." Lord, I pray for each and every person under the

sound of my voice. Those who are discouraged, those who are tired and weary. I pray that they may know you to be the God who restores and resurrects. May they find you to be a God who renews and revives. I thank you for listening to this prayer. May the blood of Jesus Christ Cover us. Amen. A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Pursue peace with all people and holiness without which no one will see the Lord, looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, lest any

root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and by this many become defiled. Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself. Is not puffed up. Does not behave Rudely. Does not seek its own. Is not provoked. Thinks no evil. Does not rejoice in inequity. But rejoices in the truth. Bears all things. Believes all things. Hopes all things. Endures all things. Love never fails, but whether there are prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. [Music] Love must be sincere.

Hate what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Today, I'd like to talk to you about four marks of the Holy Spirit. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit is our helper. He's our comforter. He leads us into all truth. He intercedes For us with groanings too deep for words. But what is the tangible evidence that someone has not only received the

Holy Spirit in their life, but how do you know that you have fully surrendered and yielded to him? How do you know that you're being led by the Holy Spirit? Well, the first thing that will happen is that the Holy Spirit will lead you to repentance. Now, repentance is not simply saying, "God, I'm sorry for sinning." Mm- repentance is not merely confessing your sins, but it's the turning away from your sins. True repentance is change. It is to forsake your old ways. And repentance can only happen through the Holy Spirit. He's the one who can

change the hearts of sinners. He's the one who transforms them. John 17:es 7-8 says, "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. And when he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Only the Holy Spirit can truly convict you of sin. Feeling guilty, that will not lead you to change. Feeling ashamed won't lead you to change. But the

Holy Spirit, he can so touch your heart and convict you and that is what leads you to change. A second mark of the Holy Spirit is that you will put your faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible in 1 Corinthians 12:3 it says, "So I want you to know that no one speaking by the spirit of God will curse Jesus. And no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." Think of it like this. The Holy Spirit ignites The faith in a person's heart. The word of God tells us that you cannot say

Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior except by the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. A third mark of the Holy Spirit is that he beckons you to do God's will. He encourages you to do the will of the Lord. In the book of Acts, there is an astonishing passage of scripture that demonstrates just how the Holy Spirit Can work in our lives. Acts 8:es 26-31. Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philillip saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert."

So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a unic of great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was Returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the spirit said to Philillip, "Go near and overtake his chariot." So, Philip ran to him and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philillip to come up

and sit with him. Notice that in verse 29, the Bible says, "Then the spirit said to Philillip, go Over and join this chariot." The Holy Spirit led Philillip to explain the gospel of Jesus Christ to this Ethiopian unic. He led Philillip to minister about the gospel of Jesus Christ to someone who was ready to be saved. And in the same way, we too can be led by the Holy Spirit. He can lead you to pray for a family member or a friend without them ever having told you that they're going through something. The Holy Spirit

can lead you to pick up the phone and offer someone a word of encouragement when they are in a dark place. And so what we need to do is be sensitive to his voice. And with this in our minds and on our hearts, let's go before the Lord and ask him to help us be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit so that we can not only hear but then also do what the Holy Spirit Has instructed because those instructions could change our lives or the life of someone else. Furthermore, a wonderful sign of

the Holy Spirit working in your life is supernatural joy, peace, and hope. According to Romans 15:13, the Bible reads, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The power of the Holy Spirit is what Helps us to have hope. Hope in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Hope in the faithfulness of God. Hope in the truth of God's word. The Holy Spirit enables us to be people who are filled with joy, peace, and hope because we

know to whom we belong. In this world, there are so many things that can leave you discouraged. So many things come in life and they threaten to kill your joy. However, the Holy Spirit will enable you to have Faith when the world is fearful. He will enable us to be at peace when the world is in turmoil. [Music] The Holy Spirit fills us with the power of the living God, not to spend on our own selfish desires, but to serve others in love for the glory of Christ. By the Holy Spirit, we have the power

to love our enemies, the power to overcome every force of darkness, the power to be an effective witness for Christ. On our own, we could never live up to the kind of life Jesus requires of us. But by the spirit, we can become more and more like him every day. Our ability to live a righteous life does not depend on our own merit. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us. The Holy Spirit empowered the apostles to perform miraculous healings. With the Holy Spirit in your life, there Comes a grace over your life. You're empowered

to be long-suffering. You're empowered to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Second Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the spirit." Following Jesus doesn't mean our lives will be perfect. We will continue to Experience life setbacks. We will continue to struggle with sin and temptation at times. But we can rest in the fact that transformation by the Holy Spirit is an

ongoing process. And whatever work God starts in us, he will surely complete. And so, dear friends, I've only highlighted four marks of the Holy Spirit, but there are so many more to share. My prayer is that from today, you would realize just how much you need the Holy Spirit. You need him in every aspect of your life. May you come to realize that he enriches your walk with God. He brings to life God's word. He enables you to truly repent and to turn to Jesus Christ. Now, let's pray. Dear Lord Jesus, for every person that's

listening today, touch our hearts and give us a strong appetite that seeks to experience a fruitful relationship with the Holy Spirit. Lord God, I pray that the Holy Spirit would rejuvenate our faith, our prayer lives, our appetite to read and know God's word. May he stir us up in our spirit so that Jesus Christ may be our first and only love. I pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us to overcome any besetting sin that's in our lives. May the Holy Spirit enable us to overcome everything that's holding us back. May he seal us so

that the Enemy has no sight of us and no sight of our families. And above all else, may the Holy Spirit transform our hearts. May he transform our minds so that we would chase God more sincerely, more fervently, and more consistently. I pray that the Holy Spirit would help us to live lives that are pleasing to the father in our day-to-day lives. Holy Spirit, help us to do the right things, to do those things which honor God Rather than committing sin and living with a seared conscience. John 14:es 25- 27 says, "These things I have

spoken to you while being present with you. But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, Neither let it be afraid. Holy Spirit, you are our helper. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight. Help us to be good ambassadors of Christ, showing love to others

and demonstrating the love of Christ in our lives. Holy Spirit, when we are too burdened, help us to turn to Jesus. Lead us to cast our burdens before the feet of our Lord. When we go through feelings of sadness, I pray that you would Encourage us and uplift our spirits. The Bible in Ezekiel 36 26- 27, it says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit in you and

move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. God, we receive this promise that is in your word. Fill us with your Holy Spirit And move us, enable us to follow your word. for every person listening right now. I pray that the Holy Spirit would rejuvenate your prayer life. May he stir you up. I pray that he will enable you to overcome any besetting sin that is in your life. May the Holy Spirit enable you to overcome all that is holding you back. May he seal you so that the enemy has

no sight of you. And above all else, may the Holy Spirit create an appetite Within you to chase God more sincerely, more fervently, and more consistently. God, we agree with the listener in prayer and we thank you right now for hearing this prayer. Father, be blessed forever more. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continue to speak the word of God with boldness. Acts 1:8 says, "But you will receive power when the

Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and give you a heart of flesh. and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed

into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the spirit. 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 go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and Righteousness and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me. The Bible reads, "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace

in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." So I want you to know that no one speaking by the spirit of God will curse Jesus and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.