Abiding Prayer

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OVERVIEW

Abiding Prayer combines the Lord’s Prayer alongside abiding as a branch in the vine of Christ. It breaks the Lord’s Prayer down into four sections: Abide, Mission, Intercession and Doxology. As you go through each section, pray along the Lord’s Prayer and listen. There are two parts of abiding in John 15; (1) Disciples praying, (2) Jesus’ commands brought to remembrance through Scripture or by the Spirit. Allow the section of the Lord’s Prayer to lead you into further prayer.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are
yours, now and for ever. Amen.

ABIDE

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

Abiding is resting in who God is, knowing that you are connected to the Vine (Jesus) who is your source, and that energy flows into you through the sap of the Holy Spirit. Announcing God as Father is to say, “I am God’s beloved child and He is my loving, gracious Father.”

Proclaiming God’s holiness—His otherness—is to acknowledge your need to abide in Him. You exist within a fallen,  broken world shattered by the power of sin, evil, and death. You need to be connected to something other than this world to form it into what God wants.

As you abide, realize who you are in light of God, listen for what the Spirit is prompting in you:

  • What is the Spirit highlighting about God?
  • What commands is the Spirit highlighting?

MISSION

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”

We want to see God’s reign (His kingdom) over the earth as He reigns in heaven. God’s rule looks like “justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14.17). This is where the church comes in: God wants to use His children to bring His kingdom to light. Reflect on…

  • Justice: Is there inequality in my context?
  • Peace: Are there broken relationships in and around me?
  • Joy: Is there a lack of hope in or around me?

Pray for these areas: “Lord, I pray Your kingdom to come into __(Name, place)__; give me strength through the Spirit to embody, share, and bring your kingdom to light.”

INTERCESSION

“Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”

Notice the “us” and “our” in this section. Pray…

  • For the physical needs of those around you (neighbors, friends, church, family, etc.) and yourself.
  • Confess sins and forgive those who have wronged you—ask the Spirit to highlight sins and forgiveness.
  • Protection against the enemy.

DOXOLOGY

“For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.”

Doxology simply means ‘to praise God’. Spend some time acknowledging God’s greatness:

  • What are you thankful for?
  • What do you want to praise God for?
  • Speak God’s names to Him.