Good morning, Lord Jesus. I seek to abide in You, as You abide in me--now in these focused moments and also throughout every moment of my day (John 15:4). ...
“There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
His delight is in the fear of the Lord,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist”
(Isaiah 11:1-5).
And now Your Spirit abides in us--“the Spirit of Christ,” “the Spirit of God,” who “dwells in (us)” through the mystery of faith and the mercies of God (Romans 8:9). “Christ in (us), the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
We are to be “the Body of Christ” in our world (1 Corinthians 12:27). We are to be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). We are to “live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit,” in all we do and say, in all You are in us and all we are in You (Romans 8:5).
So in humility before You, in worship adoring You, and in faith imploring You, I pray for the character and nature of Your sevenfold Spirit to be formed in me today, in the body of Christ today, more and more every day:
The Spirit of the Lord: May Your Spirit rest upon me and abide within me, guide and lead me, empower and encourage me, correct and shape me, in all I do and speak in the challenges I’ll face.
The Spirit of Wisdom: May You make me wiser is Your ways, with the desires of Your heart, with Your wisdom that comes from above.
The Spirit of Understanding: May You grant me understanding and greater revelation of who You are and how You desire to express Your will and Your ways in and through my life.
The Spirit of Counsel: May Your words of encouragement, comfort, exhortation, healing and hope that You would express by Your Spirit through me today be filled with Your Counsel, grounded in Your Word, and anointed with Your Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of Might: May Your power and might be released through prayers and proclamation in the authority of Your name in Your way, in Your time, according to Your will, as confirmed by Your Word in and through my life today.
The Spirit of Knowledge: May Your knowledge form the thoughts of my mind, that I may have the mind of Christ, as I come to know You more fully and know the surpassing greatness of Your power and wisdom.
The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord: May You keep my conscience tender and sensitive to Your conviction of sin, Your confirmation of mercy, that quickly leads me to repentance and keeps me in intimacy with You with the heart for holiness You desire by Your Holy Spirit who is alive and active in me.
Thank You for giving me this desire to pursue You, Your stirring in my heart and in the hearts of Your sons and daughters to passionately pursue You. As You said to Your first disciples who were desperately in need of Your Spirit--Your sevenfold Spirit of the Lord--You continue to say to every one of us who would be Your disciples and witnesses in our world:
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Lord, let it be so in me this day and every day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family,may the sevenfold Spirit of the Lord be upon you, rising up within you, and flowing through you this day and every day, in Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you, my friends!
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My wife Nancy and I are in a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
