Rethink Prayer By Pete Briscoeنموونە

The Power of Letting God Lead You in Prayer

Praying is weakness leaning on omnipotence. —W.S. Bowd

Aaron Boyd was way over his head. On a mission trip to Thailand, he and his band, Bluetree, played one night in The Climax Bar, deep in Pattaya’s red-light district. There, they rubbed shoulders with those stuck in the worst of the worst. There, he and his band discovered what can happen when someone “prays in the Spirit,” allowing the Holy Spirit to pray through them, in a way that was natural to them. Aaron remembers:

“Everything you can imagine goes on in that place. You see kids as young as 8, 9, 10, just selling themselves, you know?! You see 60-year-old guys walking down the street with two 13- or 14-year-old girls…”

The band was overwhelmed with grief for what they saw around them. When it was time for them to get up and play, words were hard to find.

“At one point I just started singing out. I started singing ‘Greater things…’ something along those lines, almost prophesying over the city… slowly this groove emerged…”

The band began to fill in with voices and instruments—praying in the Spirit with music. The Spirit’s words, flowing through them, began to come together in a passionate intimate conversation with God—the Spirit was writing a new song on the spot:

You’re the God of this City. You’re the King of these people. You’re the Lord of this nation. You are.

You’re the Light in this darkness. You’re the Hope to the hopeless. You’re the Peace to the restless. You are.

For greater things have yet to come. And greater things are still to be done in this City…

This song, God of this City, is now sung worldwide. What is the Spirit going to sing in your heart today? Are you listening to what He is going to pray through you?

Holy Spirit, I’m listening. As we walk together today, lead our conversation. Speak to me and pray through me with all kinds of prayer in all situations. Amen.

Reflection:

1. What ideas have I inherited about prayer that may be preventing me from experiencing prayer as God intended it?
2. Am I willing to allow the Spirit to lead our conversation of prayer? Am I willing to listen to what He’ll say?

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