preparing to listen for a fresh word from God

Read (or listen to) Romans 8:26-39

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

God’s Love in Christ Jesus
31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version
(Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ro 8:26–39.

Questions

• What weakness do you need the Holy Spirit’s help with? (v.26) Offer a tentative prayer, a cry for help to God.

• What “hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword” (v.35) are you living through in your own personal life at this moment? Voice this struggle, challenge, or pain to God.

• When you look at the world today, and this week, where do you see pain? Where is your holy rage? Where does injustice appear to be winning the battle?
  
  Hold that situation, those people, that place before the Lord now. Proclaim verse 37-39 as the promise of Christ for that specific situation and as a request for Christ’s intervention into it.
  
  “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Truth

You have been called according to the purpose of God.
You were made with great love.
You have a great purpose here on earth.
And you are made to be with God for all eternity, living the promise of life in all its fullness in true community, abundant relationship, and perfect freedom.

There is NOTHING that can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,

Pray

[pause]

[breathe]

I receive this truth & this promise in the name of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen,