DAILY DEVOTIONAL – JULY 04, 2020 Power to Prevail in Prayer By Jim Cymbala The apostle Paul, writer of most of the New Testament, made an extraordinary admission in Romans:  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans” (Romans 8:26).  Notice the key phrases: “We do not know what we ought to pray for.” That is written in first person plural — Paul included himself! The mightiest apostle in history didn’t know how to properly pray? “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Are we all really so spiritually frail that we need assistance from God to simply pray the right way? “The Spirit helps us.” All power is in the Holy Spirit, including the grace to pray right so that God can hear and answer. The Spirit helps us to do prayer, to get away from the bustle of life and get alone with God.  He reveals our critical need of daily grace by contrasting God’s strength with our human frailty.  He draws us gently to our Source and helps our hearts to sincerely bow, believe and petition at God’s throne. Many times, we face situations in life that are quite complicated and we are unsure what we should pray for — there is no obvious right or wrong choice. Maybe an opportunity arises for a short-term mission trip or a rebellious child gets into trouble with the law.  What is God’s will in those situations?  How should we pray?  That is where the Holy Spirit helps us by revealing God’s will and granting us the faith to pray in the right direction. The prayer of faith moves mountains (Mark 11:23-24; James 5:15).  The Spirit alone makes the power of God so real to our inner person that we are enabled to ask, seek, and knock with bold assurance.  This is another reason why the deepest truths and secrets of prayer can never be learned by lectures, teaching tapes, or books. Prayer is learned by praying, and the heart usually learns faster than the head.  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”  (Romans 10:17).  The Holy Spirit marries prayer and faith together within us, and brings about life-changing results. Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson.  Read OnlineDownload PDFForward to a Friend

Your Gift Makes a Difference  Because of your generosity thousands around the world are freed from despair caused by poverty. Join us in sparking hope in the darkest places in Christ’s name. Give Now

The Vision Audio Podcast The Vision is a prayerfully compiled exploration of David Wilkerson’s vision about the world and church’s future brought to you through a podcast. Listen Now A Wonderful Portrait of the Greatness of God Sam Storms joins Gary  to discuss the lasting transformative impact that knowing God’s attributes and greatness will have on your life. Watch Now Latest Newsletter: In One Hour, Everything is Going to Change Isaiah warns that in the last days, God will turn the world upside down and everything will change. Read Now

You are welcome to make copies for FREE distribution or retransmit the devotional via e-mail, but all devotionals must be copied or retransmitted in their entirety. However, devotionals may not be posted on any website, printed, or used in any media without written permission from World Challenge, Inc. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact World Challenge, Inc. using our online contact form or by calling (719) 487-7888. © 2020 World Challenge, Inc. Transforming Lives Through the Message and Mission of Jesus Christ