Stay in Step With the Spirit

by Lynne Hammond | Devotions for the Praying Heart

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart ….
Hebrews 10:19 – 22

This is the wonder of the New Covenant!

Having been cleansed and brought near to God by the blood of Jesus Christ, we can come boldly to God’s throne and receive mercy and grace whenever we need it. We’re a part of God’s family and His door is always open to us. He has invited us to come and draw near to Him.

But all too often, instead of drawing near with our hearts, we fall back on our familiar old routines. We pray the same way every day. Rather than seeking fresh fellowship with our Father, we say, “This is just the way I do things. I’m comfortable with this form of prayer.” And sometimes we are so stubborn about it that even God Himself cannot change us.

Beloved pray-er, we cannot live that way and reach our destiny in God. We cannot just do the same old thing routinely, day after day, in prayer—repeating truths by rote and parroting scriptural phrases. If we want to become all God has called us to be, we must pray (and live) more and more from our hearts. We must constantly tune into and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

In John 16, Jesus said to His disciples, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (v. 12). Jesus knew that to finish their course in God, those first disciples would have to hear from the Holy Spirit in their hearts. They would have to be led and directed by Him.

The same is true of us. We can’t afford to rely on yesterday’s forms and formulas. We can’t allow ourselves to slip into heartless habits that look good but lack the presence of God. For us to finish the race God has called us to run, we must stay in step with the Holy Spirit. We must run with our hearts tuned into Him.

Scripture Reading: John 16:1-15

Source: Devotions for the Praying Heart by Lynne Hammond.
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries

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