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.
Receiving God’s Help
God is my helper; the LORD is the sustainer of my life. Psalm 54:4
Our Father knows what we are walking through today. He knows what we are feeling, even if we can’t put words to it. Our Father sees where we may be striving and attempting to live life in our own strength. And, God knows what blessings from Him we are receiving and the ones we need to receive. He sees where we have our hearts and hands open to Him and where we do not.
Today’s ABIDE is a prayer to help us open our hearts and hands wider to the help our Father offers us. As God’s sons and daughters, we have access to incredible strength and grace to walk through trials, spiritual warfare and the daily pressures of life on earth, if we ask our Father for help and open our hearts and hands to receive from Him.
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, “God, you are my helper.”
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 Praise & Thanksgiving
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart celebrates, and I give thanks to him with my song. (Psalm 28:7)
As God’s sons and daughters, we are in a relationship that cannot be broken with the all-powerful, ever-present LORD who is our strength and a shield around us. Our Father causes our hearts to celebrate and gives us a song in our hearts as we put our trust in Him.
Where in your life is God giving you strength? Where in your life is your heart celebrating because you are trusting Him?
Prayer: LORD, thank you for the strength that you give me _______________________ (fill in the blank with what the Spirit brings to mind as you consider your life).
Prayer: LORD, I praise you for helping me trust you with __________________________ and how you have caused my heart to celebrate. In Jesus’ Name.
Prayers for My Heart
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. (John 14:16)
As God’s sons and daughters, we have the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, living within us. Our Father, has provided exactly what we need to walk through life so that we can experience His presence and His powerful help.
What do you need the Spirit to help you with today? Let’s open our hearts and hands to God through prayer and ask the Spirit to help us.
Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us the Spirit. Holy Spirit, I/we open our hearts and hands to you and ask for you to help me/us with____________________________ (fill in the blank with what you may be walking through or what you may be feeling today that is keeping you from experiencing God’s peace). In Jesus’ Name.
Prayers for Others Hearts
Scripture tells us, God is my helper; the LORD is the sustainer of my life. (Psalm 54:4) The word “sustainer” means “to sustain, uphold; to lay one’s hand upon, strengthen, refresh.”
Praying for others is a way the Spirit works in us and through us to make a significant impact on us and the ones we have the honor of praying for. As the Spirit brings people to mind, pray for God to help them and remind them that He is the one who is the sustainer of their life.
Prayer: God, I/we lift up in prayer to you __________________________ and ask that you help them. Remind them today that you are the sustainer of their life. In Jesus’ Name.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank you for being such a good, faithful and loving Father to me/us. Thank you for your invitation to come to you with my whole heart and the freedom you give me/us to be completely honest with you. Help me/us to open my heart and hands more fully to you – to receive from you and to worship you. I need your help. I need you. I want your help. I want you. You are enough for me/us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
