Lord, You are mine! I promise to obey Your words! With all my heart I want Your blessings. Be merciful as You promised. I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey Your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to Your instructions for Your just regulations. I am a friend to anyone who fears You—anyone who obeys Your commandments. O Lord, Your unfailing love fills the earth; teach me Your decrees. [Psalm 119:57-64]
Holy Spirit, the apostle John wrote: “I have written these things to you concerning those who deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. For as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and just as it has taught you, remain in Him.” The apostle Matthew recorded what Jesus said: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has forcefully advanced, and the strong take it by force.” [1 John 2:26&27; Matthew 11:12] Holy Spirit I seek Your wisdom to be strong enough to help advance Your kingdom. I understand that this is not human strength or aggression but learning to live a life that demonstrates love and forgiveness when that goes against the sinful nature that has for so long tried to posses me. The world sees might as conquering peoples, lands and titles or championships. You see strength as a matter of Therefore let us not sleep as others do. But let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we should live together with Him. So comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, just as you are doing. We ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor among you, and are appointed over you in the Lord, and instruct you. Esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brothers, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, and be patient toward everyone. See that no renders evil for evil to anyone. But always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Examine all things. Firmly hold onto what is good. Abstain from all appearances of evil. May the very God of peace sanctify you completely. And I pray to God that your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 5:6-24