A Prayer to Walk by the Spirit

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

Heavenly Father,

I bow before Your Holy name in wonder. In Your immeasurable grace, You sent Your Son to earth to redeem a sinner like me. You sent Your Spirit to remind me of Your promises, mediate Your presence, and daily preach to me that I am Your beloved child. Who am I to enjoy such riches? What have I done to deserve such access and receive such transformation—a sinner turned child of God and heir of heaven?

Even while dwelling on such glories, I daily fight fleshly desires contrary to the desires of Your Spirit. While my anxious heart longs to trust You, my gaze turns inward and fixes itself on earthly things. Instead of bearing the Spirit’s fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; my flesh often reeks of idolatry’s rotten fruit: impurity, jealousy, anger, hate, and selfishness—just to name a few!

Gracious Father, daily remind me that crucifying the flesh is a slow and painful process only brought about by Your Spirit’s power. Discipline me to bring every thought under submission to Your loving Lordship. Shape my desires through Your Word dwelling richly within me so the unsheathed sword of the Spirit will readily attack enemy thoughts. As I sojourn on this earth; guide me in Your will as with a compass, alerting me when the needle wavers away from its true north: You and Your Kingdom.

Lord, I long to pray always by the Spirit, but often find my flesh weak, words few, and attention span goldfish-like. My heart ties itself in knots and the words that squeak out seem so… lacking. Holy Spirit, intercede for me in my weakness. Like Moses’ arms held high during battle for victory, lift my drooping heart for persevering prayer.

Lord, I long to walk by Your Spirit, continually communing with You in the Triune community of love that I can access by the blood of Your Son. I long to know You more and be used by You to minister the gospel to a world that desperately needs You.

Make my thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions testify beautifully that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me. May Your truth mightily flow from my lips for the encouragement of the discouraged, the edification of Your body, and the evangelization of the lost. May the way I live, lead, and love make Your grace obvious, praised, and greatly treasured.

Father, I pray all of this to You in the Name of Your beloved Son, Jesus, and in Your Spirit’s power.

AMEN.

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Related Scriptures: Galatians 5:16-25; Romans 8:5-17; Ephesians 6:18

This prayer is included in an appendix to Walking in the Power of the Holy Spirit: Ten Classic Sermons by Charles Spurgeon.

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