”So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks fora fish, will give him a snake instead?Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-13) Be filled with the Spirit. (Eph. 5:18)
Dear heavenly Father, I know that I’ve been born of the Spirit, sealed by the Spirit and am indwelt by the Holy Spirit. That why asking you for a fresh work of the Spirit in my life is an easy thing to do. You are quintessential generosity—the most bighearted and openhanded Father imaginable. You won’t give us snakes and scorpions, when we ask; but grace and more grace, and still more grace! Hallelujah, many times over!
So Father, not doubting your promise one bit; and, without shame or hesitation, acknowledging my need, I ask for a fresh stirring and filling of your Holy Spirit. Several things motivate me to ask for a new work of the Spirit in my life.
I know that, apart from your Spirit, I can’t believe the gospel and love Jesus, the way I want to. So Father, by the power that raised him from the dead, free me from my under-believing and over-compensating. Open the eyes of my heart to see more of Jesus. Dazzle me with his delights; buckle my knees with his beauty; put me face down on the ground from a renewed awareness of his glory and grace; grant me jaw-dropping wonder and awe, in response to Jesus’ majesty and mercy of Jesus, and the perfection and completion of his work for us.
Grant me power, with all your children, to know the height, depth, width and breadth of Jesus’ love—a love that surpasses knowledge; the only love that is better than life; the only love that is enough. You’ve poured out his love into my heart before; do it again, and again and again. May the love of Jesus be the most compelling and propelling force in my life; turning my whining into worship; my timidity into fearless faith; small dreams into a kingdom vision; my hesitation to risk much, into a life of gospel adventures.
By the grave-robbing, kingdom-advancing, Christ-exalting power of the Holy Spirit, restore to me the joy of your incomparable salvation; renew my love for the beauty and freedom of holiness; and intensity my awareness and excitement about the occupied throne of heaven.
Indeed, Father, you ARE working in all things for your glory and our good; and you ARE working all things together after the counsel of your will; and you ARE summing up all things in Christ. Hallelujah, what a Savior, Jesus is; hallelujah, what a salvation he has won for us! So very Amen I pray, in Jesus exalted and awesome name!
