Week: Who is the Holy Spirit?
Each day we will simply pray (P.R.A.Y.) together.
P: PAUSING to be still.
R: REJOICING with a Memory Verse and REFLECTING on some verses from the Bible.
A: ASKING God to help us and others.
Y: saying YES to God’s ways.
We start by pausing and taking a deep breath:
In and out.
In and out.
We remember that God is here, and so together we prepare ourselves to be with God.
Pause
Holy Spirit, thank you for the many ways you make yourself known. Our minds are open to learning more about You, and our hearts are open to knowing You better. We’re ready for You to speak to us.
We REJOICE and celebrate God’s goodness with this week’s memory verse:
Read by Bea
Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, ‘Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
Acts 2:38 (NCV)
God, help us to remember Your Word.
Today we’re REFLECTING on why the Holy Spirit is compared to oil.
Read by Bea
Acts 10:38
Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.
Acts 10:38 (MSG)
In ancient times, when people were chosen for an important job – people like prophets, priests, and kings – they were anointed with oil. When the oil was poured over their heads, it meant that they had the authority and power to carry out their role.
In today’s passage, Jesus was ‘anointed with the Holy Spirit’, just like a king would be with oil. This showed that He had the authority and power to do the most important job of all – to bring God’s love and God’s ways into the world. The name ‘Christ’ even means ‘the anointed one’.
Let’s press pause and talk about today’s question, which is: How many different types of oil can we think of?
God has also chosen each of us for a specific role and purpose.
Father God, we ASK You to pour the Holy Spirit on us like oil. Anoint us with the authority and power we need to do the things that You have chosen us to do.
In today’s passage, we read that Jesus, ‘helped people and healed everyone who was beaten down by the Devil’.
Holy Spirit, we ASK You to come and anoint our church community, to be like Jesus, by bringing God’s help and healing to those around us.
As we read the Bible again, let’s listen for a word or a phrase that the Holy Spirit might want to say to us from today’s verses.
Acts 10:38
Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him.
Acts 10:38 (MSG)
What word or phrase stood out from today’s Bible verses?
And now, let’s say YES to God together.
Holy Spirit, thank You that You are like anointing oil in our lives. We say YES to receiving Your authority and power, and YES to bringing Your help and healing to those around us.
After enjoying this time with God and each other, let’s say our memory verse together:
Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, ‘Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
Acts 2:38 (NCV)
Let’s put a hand on our heart.
Father God, fill us with Your love. Help us to love You, and everything that You’ve made.
Let’s point to our eyes.
Lord Jesus, help us to see You, and to see others the way that You see them too.
Let’s point to our ears.
Holy Spirit, help us to hear You, and give us courage to do what You say.
Phil lives close to a beach in the north of England with his wife, his daughters and his dogs. Phil works for 24-7 Prayer, mostly doing Lectio stuff, and helping to run Prayer Spaces in Schools. He runs a lot, usually for long distances. He likes curry, mountains, reading books and he still plays Pokemon Go.
Bea is 14 and she lives in Hampshire, in the UK, with her family. Her favourite football team is Manchester United, even though she lives a loooong way from Manchester. Bea likes horse riding and running, and when she’s older, she wants to become a vet, or a professional horse-rider.
