Dependence on the Holy Spirit and Prayer

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DEPENDENCE on the Holy Spirit is easy to understand, but not easy to apply. In Christianity dependence is a sign of maturity. We need Jesus. We need the Lord. We cannot live the Christian life on our own strength, in our own power.

Zechariah 4:6 says, Then he answered and said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." What will help you overcome temptations? Walk by the Spirit day by day. People who don’t have Jesus cannot relate to the standards of God because it is impossible. But when you understand dependence on God, you understand the supernatural power of God to transform lives, to give forgiveness, to give new meaning.

THE TEST OF DEPENDENCE: (1) WORRY and FEAR. To be worried or to be fearful is normal.
But, how do you overcome fear? David tells us in Psalms 56:3-4, "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in Thee. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me? The object of your faith should be the Lord. See also Psalms 57:2; "I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me".

(2) ANGER Do you know why you get angry? Because your god is not big enough. The Bible tells us that David is a man of faith, dependent on the Lord. David had an encounter with a man named Shimei, who maligned him (2 Samuel 16:13). He accused David of killing the family of Saul, of being a murderer, and he was badmouthing David (2 Samuel 16:9-10). Abishai got angry for the sake of David. But David was not angry. David believed that God is in control (2
Samuel 16:11-12).

(3)PRAYER. David was dependent on the Lord, so when he was worried, he prayed. When he was afraid, he prayed. David believed that God was the one who will accomplish all things for him (Psalms 56:3-4). How is your prayer life? Your prayer life is the outflow, the manifestation of your dependence upon God? The more dependent you are on the Lord, the more prayerful you'll be. The less dependent you are on the Lord, the less prayerful you'll be. Prayer should not be done because you need the Lord but because you love the Lord.

>(4) THANKSGIVING. Read Philipians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Dependence on the Lord is thanking God in advance. We must not only thank the Lord when good things happen, but also when bad things happen. Prayer is not giving God instruction. It is listening to God for instruction. Learn to say, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”. How do you depend on the Lord?

PRACTICE THE DEPENDENT LIFE THROUGH PRAYER: DO YOUR PART. Pray as though everything is dependent on God. Work as though everything is dependent on you. Do everything you can to the best of your ability and leave the results to God.

When King Saul disqualified himself as a king, God told Samuel to appoint a new king. So, Samuel went to see the family of David (1 Samuel 16:13). One day, King Saul developed a nervous breakdown and he needed musical therapy. David was called (1 Samuel 16:18-19, 21-22).

David was hardworking. God does not call idle people. When God called Moses, Moses was working. When God called the disciples, they were working; they were fishing. When God called David, David was working, but he would do anything his father asked him to do (1 Samuel 17:14-15, 17-18, 20).

LET GOD DO HIS PART. Because David obeyed his father, at the right place and time, God provided an opportunity. He saw Goliath and took a step of faith. He fought Goliath (1 Samuel 17:37). God used the opportunity for David to become known throughout Israel. Throughout his life, God was preparing David. He learned to fight the lion; he learned to fight bear; and he did menial tasks. David kept doing his part (1 Samuel 17:39,40).

Defeating Goliath was one of David's greatest achievements, but King Saul got angry and wanted to kill David. But, though David was running, he did not forget his family (1 Samuel 22:3; 23:2-3). David kept asking God. Lord what do you want me to do? Should I fight the Philistines? (1 Samuel 23:4-5). David was thinking the people of Keilah will protect him because he saved them from the Philistines. But God said they will not defend you, they will not fight for you, they will betray you (1 Samuel 23:10-12). What did David do? He did his part. He ran. (1 Samuel 23:13-14; 24:2-4).

How much you depend upon God shows how big your God is. If you believe God is sovereign, He is in control, you will not hesitate to depend upon Him. But if you do not believe that God is not as big as your problem, your problem is bigger than God, you will begin to take things into your own hands. David did not take things into his hands. David understood the meaning of `my part and God’s part'. Your part is to obey God to the best of your ability and leave the outcome to God. Wait on the Lord. David waited; he was not in a hurry.

Many times, we’re in a hurry. When David prayed in Psalms 57:1-2, as he was running away from King Saul, he said, "Lord, I will cry to You, to God who accomplishes all things for me. You want me to be king, I will depend upon you. I will surrender King Saul to you. David began by asking God. He ended by thanking Him. (Psalms 57:9-11)

Some of you are up to now living in the past because you don’t understand the meaning of dependence on the Spirit of God. Learn to depend on God’s spirit, for your mistake, for your past, for your sins. Surrender them and surrender your life to the Lord.