New Wineskins 20 of 21 – The Oil Burning In Your Lamp

Pray for the Holy Spirit to be the oil burning in your lamp, so Jesus can shine more brightly through your life today:

The nearer we come to Jesus, and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly shall we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the less shall we feel like exalting ourselves. There will be a continual reaching out of the soul after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the heart before Him. As we behold Christ, and at every advance step in our Christian experience, our repentance will deepen. We shall know that our sufficiency is in Christ alone and shall make the apostle’s confession our own: “I know that in me nothing good dwells.” “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Romans 7:18; Galatians 6:14. (Adapted from AA 561)

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to You in the name of Jesus, my Savior, who said that whatever I ask in His name, He would do.  He also said that whatever I ask in prayer, believing, I would receive. You tell me I can have confidence in You that if I ask anything according to Your will, You hear me.  And as there are several of us praying this same prayer this morning, I also claim Your promise that if two or more of us agree on earth concerning anything we ask, it will be done for them—God, thank You for being here, right now, in the midst of us!

Lord, I know that nothing good dwells in me, for You say that “there is none who does good. No not one.”  In light of the beauty of Your character, I cannot help but “acknowledge my transgression” and see “my sin ever before me.  Against You, You only, have I sinned,” O God and “done this evil in Your sight.”  But God, I give thanks to You for YOU ARE GOOD!  And You so desire to give me Your goodness.

I hear Your voice saying, “Give Me your heart.”  So I confess all to You today. Everything I am and have are Yours!  Clean my heart! Change my attitude!  I need Your purifying grace in my life!  Take out all feelings of hate, envy, and pride.  You promise me the baptism of the Holy Spirit if I ask, believe, and obey You. Fill me with Your Spirit!  Make me a new wineskin, and fill it by Your Spirit with love and humility that my service to You today would be from the heart, not just from my hands.

I also hear You saying, “Let your eyes observe My ways.” Help me keep my focus on You, today, in all that I do.  Give me the desire to be willing to wash the feet of another, even a traitor’s.  As Your child, I ask for Your graciousness that I may also shower blessings on “the evil and the good…on the just and on the unjust.”

Thank you for Your promise that I can call on You and You will answer me, and show me great and mighty things, which I do not know.  Thank you for doing this “new thing” in me.  Thank you that it will “spring forth,” and I will recognize it.  Thank You for making a road in my wilderness and a river in my desert, for pouring water on my thirsty ground and Your Spirit on me and my descendants.  And I praise You for taking charge of it all; help me not take anything in my own hands today, but to rest in You, wear Your easy yoke, and allow You to guide me and the plow of my experience.

I hear Your voice from Your word speaking directly to me today: “I have formed you, you are My servant; you will not be forgotten by Me!  I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.  Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it!” Amen.

Claim God’s precious promises in Isaiah 40 today, and rest in the care of One who will never let you go!

John 14:13; Matt 21:22; 1 John 5:14; Matt. 18:19,20; Rom. 7:18; Psalm 14:3 (Rom. 3:10); Ps.51:3,4; Psalm 136:1; Prov. 23:26; Luke 11:13; John 7:38-39; Acts 5:32; Eph. 5:18; Rom. 5:5; Matt. 5:45; Jer. 33:3; Is. 43:19; Is. 44:3; Matt. 11:28; Is. 44:22,23