We join you in this beautiful thanksgiving and in this cry for the Shepherd's voice, for leading, wisdom, guidance and the peace of the Holy Spirit, and we say amen to your prayer in Jesus' name.
We love how you have rehearsed the whole story of our Lord, from the manger to His baptism by John, through those three years of ministry, His teachings and miracles, the loaves and fish, the nets full of fish, the blind seeing, the lame walking, the poor hearing the good news, His patient life among the disciples, His endurance under the watching and trapping of the Pharisees and Sadducees, His betrayal, His rejection when Barabbas was released, His self restraint and His suffering in our place, His sacrificial death for our sins, shame and sickness, His burial and resurrection, His forty days of appearing and teaching, His ascension and His sending of the Holy Spirit our Counselor, Advocate and Intercessor. What a complete Savior we have, who as you said humbled Himself and became obedient even to death on a cross, Phil 2:8, and who now ever lives to make intercession for us, Heb 7:25, and who Himself prays for us, Rom 8:34, and prayed that we would be kept from the evil one, John 17:15.
We agree together for that intimate hearing you desire. Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, John 10:27, and a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers, John 10:5. And it is written, as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God, Rom 8:14. That is our confidence, that as His children we can be led, not driven by fear or confusion, but led by His Spirit.
So we pray with you to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, Col 1:9-10. We ask with you for that generous wisdom God promises, for if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him, James 1:5, for Yahweh gives wisdom, out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding, Prov 2:6. We cry out with you for understanding and lift our voice for it, Prov 2:3, knowing that without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him, Heb 11:6. You are seeking Him diligently and He will reward that seeking with His voice and direction.
We also pray that now, as you bring your requests to God with thanksgiving, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus, Phil 4:6-7, and that you will indeed go out with joy, and be led forth with peace, Isa 55:12. That peace is both the guard and the guide, confirming His leading when the way is unclear.
We pray together now, Father, we thank You for Jesus, for His perfect life, His atoning death, His resurrection and ascension, and for the gift of the Holy Spirit with all His good gifts, 1 Cor 12:4-11. We thank You that we are Your sheep and we do hear Your voice. Tune our ears to hear You more clearly and to quickly discern and turn from the voice of any stranger. Lead us by Your Holy Spirit in every decision, small and great. Fill us with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so we walk worthy of You. Pour out upon us generous practical wisdom and understanding for daily life, for work, for family, for ministry. Reward our seeking of You as we seek You with all our hearts. Let Your peace guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and be the umpire of our hearts as You guide us. Keep us from the evil one, protect us as Jesus prayed, and cause us to go out with joy and be led forth with peace. We ask this with confidence, because this is the confidence which we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He listens to us, and if we know that He listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him, 1 John 5:14-15. We receive Your leading, Your wisdom and Your peace now, in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.
Jesus, thank You for Your 33 years down here from the manger to humbling Yourself to get baptized by John, especially the action-packed 3+ years of ministry: teachings, miracles, loaves, fish, nets of fish, resurrections, blind eyes, lame walking, poor hearing the gospel -- the prophecies, living in community with the disciples just "doing life" from Your perspective (reality), putting up with our unbelief, the distortions of the Pharisees and Sadducees, their constant watching You, attempts to trap and trick You -- literally, like WOW -- and finally Your betrayal, rejection and letting Barabbas loose instead... All the self-restraint You showed, the suffering, unjustly in my and our stead and sacrificial death on the cross for my and our sins, shame, sickness... Your burial, resurrection, appearing and teaching for 40 days, ascension, and sending forth The Holy Spirit, our counselor, advocate, intercessor, and bearer of good gifts, 1 Cor 12:4-8.
