Have you ever felt like there was distance between you and God? A barrier in your spiritual growth you can’t quite put your finger on? Maybe an absence of closeness with Him? Have you thought there was something missing in your prayer life? Perhaps you think that your prayer life is stagnant or even on “life support.” Are you lacking power in your prayers? Does your time with Jesus feel more of an obligation rather than intimate and refreshing? Maybe you desire for it to be deeper and more personal but don’t know how. If any of these thoughts sound familiar to you, I understand the feeling, because this was me a few years ago.
At the time, I didn’t realize all that I was missing in my prayer life and walk with Jesus. I said my prayers, did my devotions, went to church. I loved Jesus. But I longed for more depth, closeness and daily experiences with Him. I needed a revival in my heart.
A couple of years ago I was gifted the booklet “Steps to Personal Revival.” Little did I know how that booklet and the tools in it would change my prayer life. I began praying every day for the Holy Spirit. When the pandemic hit, and all around was filled with lock-downs, uncertainty and concern, my prayer life was growing deeper, fuller and was truly being transformed.
The missing piece that puts all other pieces in place was praying for the Holy Spirit. I began each morning surrendering all that I am and all that I have completely to Jesus, laying everything at His feet. Asking Him to empty me of myself so that I could be fully filled with His Spirit and have His Presence. When I started daily praying the promises for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and inviting Him to have a home in my heart, my prayer life started to change. My prayer life grew to be richer, my prayers became more personal and heartfelt, and I had a deeper desire for Jesus and His love. The more I asked for the Holy Spirit the more I wanted it. God’s precious gift to us — the Holy Spirit changed everything for me. It was the missing treasure I was longing for. Jesus became a personal Jesus to me, praying to Him became my lifeline — prayer is my lifeline. I experienced the changes He was making in me and in my character, tastes, interests, and attributes. Jesus and my time with Him in prayer became more and more precious to me.
Since praying for the Holy Spirit, I’ve noticed a renewed love for Him like never before, I look forward to my time with Him, especially in the morning. Communication and companionship with Jesus throughout the day warms my heart. He is the someone I can’t wait to spend more time with. He brought about and still is making changes in me every day. He changes my heart, brings conviction, and fills me with His love and grace.
When you come to Jesus just as you are, surrendering to Him and praying for the Holy Spirit, you will not remain the same. Asking for and receiving the Holy Spirit has opened the way whereby I know Jesus personally. The transformation of my prayer life and yours is a work that only the Holy Spirit can do. We need to recognize our desperate need for Him and turn to Him. When we submit to Him daily, He will renew us. “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).
Powerful prayer, fullness of joy, strength, happiness, and an abundant life with Him is what God wants for us. This is made possible through surrender and asking in faith for the Holy Spirit. Jesus wants me, Jesus wants you — you entirely. My prayer is that every day we would surrender all that we are to Him and pray intensely for the Holy Spirit. Not only will your prayer life and walk with Him be revived, but so will you.
When we fully surrender and commit ourselves to Him, He will also equip us in being effective witnesses for Him. He places a burden on our hearts to dispense His love and His truth to those we come into contact with. Once we humble our hearts, depend upon Him and His Spirit and give God space to work in us, He will work through us. We need to have something in our possession before we can share it. Jesus needs to make a difference to us personally for our words and actions to have any impact on the lives we encounter. We need Him to live in us.
Call to Action
The work of the Holy Spirit is needed in all of us. I need the Lord to continually fill me with His Spirit, work on my heart, and mold me to be more ready for Heaven each day. When we pray by faith for His Spirit, we have Jesus living in our hearts in an abiding relationship. How wonderful that our Jesus wants to live in us without measure.
Will you join me in praying daily for this precious gift?
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:13)
All scripture taken from the King James Version.
