ABIDE Prayer
The purpose of ABIDE is to help us draw near to God in prayer as we gather in small groups or as we spend time alone with God.
Devoted to Prayer
Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)
Today’s ABIDE is an opportunity for us to ask God to give us hearts that are devoted to prayer. What is a heart devoted to prayer? It is a heart that seeks God, receives from God and prays for others as the Spirit leads. As God’s sons and daughters, our lives are transformed through the power of prayer and we are called to pray for others to experience the same transforming power of God.
Opening Prayer
Let’s begin ABIDE by taking a moment to quiet our hearts and minds before God. Simply take a deep breath and exhale slowly. You may want to pray a “breath prayer” as you inhale and exhale, such as, “Father, I give my heart to you.”
Note: If you are leading a small group through ABIDE, pray the first prayer below over those you are leading. If you are praying ABIDE alone, use the second prayer.
Small Group Prayer: Lord, we give our hearts and lives to you. We surrender all that is within us to you. We love you and we need you. Spirit, fill us and lead us as we pray. We consecrate this time of prayer to you. Remove any distractions and help us focus on you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Personal Prayer: Lord, I give my heart to you. I surrender every area of my life to you. I choose to trust you with my whole heart and with everything in my life. You are my good, good Father who loves me. Thank you that you are faithful, all-knowing and all-powerful. Remove any distractions from me and help me focus on you. Holy Spirit, fill me and help me discern your voice as I pray. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Prayers of Thanksgiving
But as for me, God’s presence is my good. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, so I can tell about all you do. (Psalm 73:28)
Ask God to remind you of times in your life when He revealed Himself to you in prayer.
Examples: God healing your heart or body, God removing a burden from you, God giving you wisdom or direction about an important decision, God working in you or through you in a way that was clearly His power in you, God’s peace and presence during a time you felt alone, God speaking to your heart and revealing His love to you, etc.
Prayer: God, thank you for ______________________________________ (fill in the blank with how God revealed Himself to you in prayer as the Spirit reminds you of those times in your life).
Prayers for My Heart
Read the following Scriptures slowly and consider what God is saying to you about prayer.
Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience. In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes according to the will of God. (Romans 8:25-27)
Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. (Romans 8:34)
I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. (John 17:20)
The Spirit helps us pray and Jesus prays for us. We are never alone in our prayers.
Let’s ask God to help us to have hearts devoted to prayer. Let’s ask God to help us become more aware of the Spirit and to rely on the Spirit as we pray and thank Jesus for praying for us.
Prayer: Father, I/we confess that we are not devoted to prayer. I/we need you to give me/us a heart devoted to prayer.
- In your own words, ask God to help you pray. Ask God to give you a heart that is devoted to prayer, to seeking Him and receiving from Him.
Prayers for Others Hearts
As God’s sons and daughters, Scripture teaches us to pray for others AND to receive prayer from others. Do you have people in your life who pray for you? If not, pray for God to lead you and ask someone to pray for you this week.
Let’s thank God for the people who pray for us and ask God to bless them.
Prayer: God, thank you for _________________________ who prays for me. Bless him/her. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank you for the amazing gift of prayer. Thank you that we can come boldly to your throne in prayer because we are your sons and daughters. We want to be devoted to prayer. We want to give our whole hearts to you, receive all that you have for us and experience your presence in a way that transforms our lives for your glory. Help us to pray. Teach us to pray. Give us a passion to pray. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
