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Reference

Deuteronomy 30:11-14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13; John 14:16-17; 16:13; 15:7

God’s will has been revealed in the Scriptures (Deuteronomy 30:11-14; 1 Corinthians 2:10-13)

  • The Holy Spirit knows God’s will.
  • God sent the Spirit to the Prophets (OT) and the Apostles (NT).
  • They received and revealed God’s will to His people.
  • The documents were delivered to the church.
  • The church received them, collected them, and compiled them under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
  • The collection became our Bible today.
  • The same Spirit that inspired the apostles to write down God’s will is also the One who helps us to understand it and to apply it in our daily life.

The Holy Spirit is present with the Disciples

  • I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, … You (my disciples) know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. (John14:16-17)
  • When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. (John 16:13)
  • With the bible and the Holy Spirit, we have everything we need to learn God’s will.

Why do I not feel the presence of the Holy Spirit?

  • I used to pray that God would be present with me. I no longer do so. Now my prayer is that I might know God’s presence with me. (David Benner)
  • We cannot attain the presence of God. We’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness. (David Benner)
  • Obstacles to awareness - (1) the world of instant gratification; (2) the age of great distraction.

The key to a fruitful prayer life

  • If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish (in prayer), and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
  • If you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. (John 15:7 The Message)
  • One lodges at a hotel. Hide in a shelter. Abide at home.
  • To abide is to make oneself at home.
  • Only after we have abided should we begin to pray.

Abiding Spiritual Exercise (20 minutes)

(1) Aware (2 min)
(2) Listen (10 min)
(3) Pray (6 min)
(4) Rest (2 min)

To be aware (2 min)

  • Use silence as a tool to cultivate awareness

Listen to God’s word (10 min)

  • Read the passage (10-15 verses) out loud two to three times
  • Use the following questions to reflect on the passage:
  • GOD - What does this passage tell us about God? (His nature, character)
  • HUMAN - What does this passage tell us about the human condition? (Weakness, sin, suffering etc.)
  • GOSPEL - What is the good news? How did God address the human condition?

Pray (6 min)

  • When we pray we don’t just come to God to present our needs and desires to Him, like the Gentiles do.
  • Sons and daughters pray differently. We listen to the Father first. We let Him speak first. So that when we pray, we are not demanding God. We are answering God.
  • Prayer is language used in personal relationship with God. God speaks to us; our answers are our prayers. (Eugene Peterson)
  • In every bible passage, God speaks to us, inviting us to draw near to Himself. Prayer is an RSVP to the invitation.

Rest (2 min)

  • Rest in God’s presence.
  • Enjoy the Father-son / Father-daughter relationship.
  • Anchor - “Father, let it be to me according to you word.”

Spiritual Discipline

  • Spiritual exercise is very much like physical exercise. It has to be performed everyday to see an effect.
  • Be patient and do not give up so easily.
  • In the months, years, and decades ahead, you will enjoy the abiding much more than any other things you can possess on earth.