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.
GOD’S LOVE
The Gospel is God’s love poured out to us. However, there is a battle for our hearts in the spiritual realm to keep us from receiving our Father’s love and extending our Father’s love to others. Today’s ABIDE is an opportunity for us to receive a fresh encounter with God’s love and re-align our hearts with the truth of God’s love for us and others.
But God proves his own love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children -and we are! (1 John 3:1a)
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, “I am loved by God.”
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
Questions: What are some ways God has revealed His love to you in your life? How has God revealed His love to you during the past week?
Let’s spend some time thanking God for the specific ways He has revealed His love to us/you.
Prayer: God, thank you for revealing your love to me through ____________________________ (fill in the blank with what the Spirit brings to mind).
Prayers for My Heart
There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love. (1 John 4:18)
Fear manifests itself in a variety of ways. Fear can be obvious and fear can be hidden. Yet, the fruit of fear is similar. Fear causes us to feel alone. Fear makes us feel anxious about the future. Fear causes us to dread the future. Fear makes us vulnerable to believing the enemy’s lies. And the enemy’s lies certainly create fear in our lives that rob us of the peace and joy that is our inheritance as God’s sons and daughters.
Where in your life are you lacking God’s peace and joy? Could fear be the “door” that the enemy is using to rob you of God’s peace and joy? Let’s ask the Spirit to speak to our hearts and show us any areas of our lives that we need God’s “perfect love to drive out fear.”
Prayer: God, we/I need your perfect love to drive out fear in __________________________ (fill in the blank with any area of your life – heart, circumstances, family, trials – where you are not experiencing God’s peace and joy because of fear or anxiety). Help me receive your perfect love and trust in your goodness, faithfulness and provision. In Jesus’ Name.
Prayer for Others Hearts
As God’s sons and daughters, we are called to pray for one another and for the lost. One of the most loving actions we can take towards those who are hurting is to pray for them, and intercede for them, by fighting for their hearts through prayer.
As we continue to rely on the Spirit to lead us as we pray, let’s pray for the Spirit to reveal to us those around us who need God’s perfect love to drive out fear in their hearts today.
Prayer: God, we/I pray for ___________________________ to be set free from fear by your perfect love. Reveal your love to him/her in such a powerful way today that he/she is set free from fear. In Jesus’ Name.
Closing Prayer
I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)
God, empower us by your Spirit within us to love one another. Help us to receive deeply your love for us and allow your love to overflow to others. Thank you that as your love flows in us and through us, that others will know you and your great love for them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
