10 Days of Prayer 2016 Day 3 — Christ in Us “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me...
10 Days of Prayer 2016
Day 3—Christ in Us
“I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.” Gal. 2:20, KJV
Suggested Format for the Prayer
Time
Praise (approximately
10 minutes)
·
Begin
your prayer time by praising God for who He is (His character). Praise Him that
He never changes, for His mercy, for His faithfulness, etc.
·
Praise
God that there is no better place to be than in the middle of His love, being
wholly surrendered to Him.
·
Praise
God that He is calling you to abide in Him.
Confession and Claiming Victory
Over Sin (approximately 5 minutes)
·
Ask
God to show you if there are any sins you need to confess privately. Claim His
victory over those sins.
·
Ask
God to forgive you for times when you did not allow Him to live in your heart. Ask
Him to live in your heart daily.
·
Thank
God that He forgives you according to 1 John 1:9.
Supplication and Intercession (approximately
35 minutes)
·
Can
those around you see that Christ lives in you? Ask God to come into your life
and shine through you and that other people will see Him in you.
·
Pray
for family and friends who are not abiding in Christ. Pray that the fruit of
the Spirit will be made manifest in their lives.
·
Pray
that God will give you faith to receive the righteousness of Christ as your
own.
·
Can
you see traces of selfishness in your life? Surrender those to God and ask Him
to make you unselfish.
·
Pray
for a lowly and meek heart that Christ may abide in you.
·
Pray
for an increased sense of urgency and a realization by church leaders and
members that we are living at the end of time and that Jesus is coming soon as
He indicated three times in Revelation 22.
·
Pray
that we will devote more of our time to eternal values through Bible study and
prayer, allowing God to fully direct His people according to His will and not
our will. This will help keep us close to God and allow the power of the Holy
Spirit to reverse trends of worldliness that threaten God’s church and our
daily lives.
·
Pray
for heartfelt gratitude for and full acceptance of the Spirit of Prophecy
writings as being applicable today. Pray that church leaders and members read
the materials on a regular basis.
·
Mission
to the Cities—Pray for the Southern-Asia Pacific Division and the cities on
which they are concentrating their efforts: Metro Manila, Dhaka, Cebu,
Makassar, Yangon, Urdaneta, Karachi, Kota Kinabalo, Vavao, Medan. Pray for the
workers to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
·
Pray that
the seven (or more) people on your list will see their need and open their
hearts for the Holy Spirit.
·
Pray
for any personal needs you have.
Thanksgiving (approximately
10 minutes)
·
Thank
God that the “the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16).
·
Thank
God that He is willing to come and live in your heart.
·
Thank
God that He has sent angels out to answer the prayers you have prayed during these
ten days.
Suggested Songs to Sing
“Live Out Thy Life Within
Me” (SDA Hymnal #316); “Yes, Lord, I
Give My Life to You”; “I Need Thee Every Hour” (SDA Hymnal #483); “Draw Me Nearer” (SDA Hymnal #306); “I Surrender All” (SDA Hymnal #309); “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” (SDA Hymnal #462); “Fill My Cup, Lord” (SDA Hymnal #493).
Christ in Us
“I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.” Gal. 2:20, KJV
Why are we so dull of comprehension? Why do we not cling
to Jesus, and draw from Him by faith the strength and perfection of His
character, as the vine branch draws the sap from the living vine? We are to
look to Jesus, and as temptations close us about, climb up step by step in the
work of overcoming. Abiding in Christ, we become one with Him. Then we are
safe, entirely safe, against all the assaults of Satan. Christ living in the
soul is revealed in the character. Man is nothing without Christ. But if Christ
lives in us, we shall work the works of God. We shall represent Christ in our
life, we shall talk of Christ because we meditate upon Him. We shall grow up
into Christ to the full stature of men and women in spiritual understanding. (Signs of the Times, Oct. 10, 1892)
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in
me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing. (John 15:5, KJV)
When we feel our heart need, when we long after the
quickening influence of the Holy Spirit, Christ draws nigh to us. Self is
crucified. Christ lives in us, and the power of the Spirit attends our efforts;
then the soul is refined and elevated. Light from the heavenly sanctuary shines
upon us, and we are enabled to exert an influence which is a savor of life unto
life. By a union with Christ, by living faith, we are privileged to enjoy the
efficacy of His mediation. We are crucified with Christ, buried with Christ,
risen with Christ, to walk in newness of life. (Signs of the Times, Oct. 11, 1899)
Man needs a power outside of and beyond himself, to
restore him to the likeness of God, and enable him to do the work of God; but
this does not make the human agency unessential. Humanity lays hold upon divine
power, Christ dwells in the heart by faith; and through co-operation with the
divine, the power of man becomes efficient for good. (Colporteur Ministry, p. 104)
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of
this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall
give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in
him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:13, 14, KJV)
Jesus did not convey the idea that merely one draft of
the water of life would suffice the receiver. He who tastes of the love of
Christ will continually long for more; but he seeks for nothing else. The
riches, honors, and pleasures of the world do not attract him. The constant cry
of his heart is, More of Thee. And He who reveals to the soul its necessity is
waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst. Every human resource and dependence
will fail. The cisterns will be emptied, the pools become dry; but our Redeemer
is an inexhaustible fountain. We may drink, and drink again, and ever find a
fresh supply. He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the fountain of
blessing,—“a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” From this
source he may draw strength and grace sufficient for all his needs. (The Desire
of Ages, p. 187)
So long as we are in the world, we shall meet with
adverse influences. There will be provocations to test the temper; and it is by
meeting these in a right spirit that the Christian graces are developed. If
Christ dwells in us, we shall be patient, kind, and forbearing, cheerful amid
frets and irritations. Day by day and year by year we shall conquer self, and
grow into a noble heroism. This is our allotted task; but it cannot be
accomplished without help from Jesus, resolute decision, unwavering purpose,
continual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer. Each one has a personal battle to
fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless
we become co-workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength
and joy of victory. (Gospel Workers, p.
477)
It is the privilege of every soul to exercise faith in
our Lord Jesus Christ. But pure spiritual life comes only as the soul
surrenders itself to the will of God through Christ, the reconciling Saviour.
It is our privilege to be worked by the Holy Spirit. Through the exercise of
faith we are brought into communion with Christ Jesus, for Christ dwells in the
hearts of all who are meek and lowly. Theirs is a faith that works by love and
purifies the soul, a faith that brings peace to the heart, and leads in the
path of self-denial and self-sacrifice. (This
Day with God, p. 359)
Questions for Personal Reflection
1. Jesus wants not a
distant relationship with you but to be as close as possible. He wants to dwell
in your heart. How does this make you feel? How can you invite Him to dwell in
your heart?
2. Consider prayerfully what would hinder Christ from
abiding in
COMMENTS