ABIDE Prayer: God Is Love
The purpose of ABIDE is to seek God through prayer, rely on the Spirit as we gather together, and pray with unity and purpose. ABIDE prayers are Scripture-led and Spirit-focused prayers.
Opening Prayer: God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for loving us unconditionally and creating us with a desperate need for your love. God, we need you. We need your love. We need to receive more of your love. We need to give more of your love to others. Speak to our hearts as we seek you and lead us as we pray, in Jesus’ name.
Prayers of Thanksgiving
Take a moment to listen to how God describes His love for you through His Word.
“Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
“Though the mountains move and the hills shake, my love will not be removed from you and my covenant of peace will not be shaken, says your compassionate LORD” (Isaiah 54:10).
Prayer: God, thank you for______________________________(fill in the blank with prayers of thanksgiving for God’s love for you).
Prayers for Our Hearts
“God, you are my God; I eagerly seek you. I thirst for you in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water” (Psalm 63:1).
We desperately need God’s love. We can’t experience true fulfillment in Jesus Christ apart from receiving God’s love. Our lives can’t be transformed apart from God’s love. Yet, past hurts and lies from the enemy and sin create “walls” that keep us from receiving God’s love in a deep and personal way.
Let’s ask God to remove anything that hinders us from receiving God’s love in a deep and personal way.
Prayer: God, tear down the wall of_________________________(fill in the blank with whatever hinders you from God’s love – examples: pride, independence, lies from the enemy, trying to earn His love, past hurts) and help me receive your love in a deeper way.
Prayer for Other’s Hearts
“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).
We need God’s love to flow through us to other people; our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and beyond. Let’s ask God to help us love others the way He loves us.
Prayer: God, help __________________________to know your love for him/her and teach me how to love him/her (fill in the blank with the name of someone the Spirit brings to your mind).
Closing Prayer
Lord, thank you for the gift of praying and seeking you together as we gather today. Thank you for speaking to our hearts and working in our hearts so that we may know you more. Speak to us as we study Scripture and transform us for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
