Day Twelve

“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you; did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish?  After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much in vain-if it really was in vain? So again I ask, does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you by works of the law,  or by believing what you heard? So also Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.”                                                                      Galatians 3:1-6 NIV 

We’ve got a toaster oven that sits on our kitchen counter. We’ve warmed up leftovers, burned toast, and melted cheese in this well-loved toaster oven. And I have to admit it looks a little like a “well-loved” toaster oven. It’s not a fancy appliance, but it’s used a good bit in our home. It does have several different settings and dials with a variety of settings that allows it to cook differently. But no matter how fancy the dials are, it is powerless unless it’s plugged in. I can turn the knobs, and open and close the door, but it’s not going to toast anything unless it is connected to a power source.

There is a power source for prayer. And the power source for prayer is the Holy Spirit. In fact, Ephesians 6:18 says, “Pray In The Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication”.
There is a delightful and freeing gift given in Galatians 3:5! It says that God gives us the Holy Spirit and works miracles among us not by works or anything we manufacture or do; but by Believing God at His word! In fact, you’ve been promised the Holy Spirit over 35 times in both the Old and New Testaments!
Praying can seem so elusive. It can seem so intimidating or reserved for the Really
“spiritual” ones. There have been all sorts of formulas derived and steps contrived to pray. But the source that is the power behind prayer isn’t a program, but the Holy Spirit himself! You don’t have to manufacture praying through some formula or act. You’ve been Promised the Holy Spirit.  It’s the Holy Spirit in you that prompts you to pray, that intercedes for you to know what and how to pray, gives you the words and thoughts to pray, gives you communion with God in prayer, gives you the impulse to pray, gives power to your prayers, gives confidence in your prayers, and gives peace through your prayers.
“In the same way the Spirit helps in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans, and he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27
“The living reality the Spirit creates is an awareness of God’s presence” (Martyn Lloyd-Jones). It is the Holy Spirit that ushers you into the throne room even if you’re sitting in your car or your living room. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray!! I am praying that we grow increasingly aware of the Spirit’s prompting us to pray!  I’m praying that we grow in being found faithful in prayer!  I am praying that our prayers are filled with the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit!