Pastor Susan…
Good morning, everybody. Welcome to morning prayer. We’re going to spend a few minutes worshiping. My name is Susan, by the way. And I’m with you for this morning leading prayer.
Teaching from John 15:1–17, NKJV
I want to read from John chapter 15. This has been on my heart. I’m reading from the New King James Version; we’ll read John 15:1. And it says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”
And I think we’re going to center in a little bit on “abiding.”
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches.”
Just remember “who is who” …
I feel like Jesus is saying, “just remember who’s who.” We are not the vine. We’re the branches. He’s the vine, and He’s already defined that without the vine, without it being attached, without it being attached to the vine, we’re not able to bear the fruit we were meant to bear. So this is super key. And we’re going to be kind of praying about this fruitfulness today together. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do…” a little bit? No! “You can do nothing.”
Verses 6–9
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.”
This is where we’re supposed to live…
This is where we’re supposed to live as Christians. We know that Romans 5:5 says that the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. So the issue isn’t that we don’t have a capacity to love. The issue is that we very often frustrate the love of God by not letting the love of God flow out of us as it should. But Jesus said, “Abide in My love. If you keep my commandments,” we would say today “His Word… do the Word.” “You will abide in my love just as I have kept my Father’s commandments. And I abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you that my joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full.”
We’re to convey the love and peace of God to the world…
We live in a world where there’s not a lot of joy and there isn’t a lot of peace. But we’re here to convey the love and the peace of God. Aren’t we? And we can’t convey to the world what we’re not walking in. Right? Such as I have, give I thee. We have peace and love in us, but we have to learn how to release that.
Jesus wants us to know the Christian life is a selfless life…
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”
Jesus is letting us know that the life of a Christian has to be a selfless life. We died to self. That’s what Jesus was saying. There’s no greater love than the kind of love that dies to self in order to serve others, right? To walk in love with others. To forgive others. To promote peace and the Word of God to others.
We have a powerful and influential position in Christ…
And then He said, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go…”
Here it is…
“I appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.”
You know, our assignment as Christians in this world is to represent the Father, isn’t it? And to show the world the love of God in the midst of turmoil and the crazy things that are going on in the world. To convey God’s love and peace and to use our authority in the world in which we live. To enforce God’s kingdom and what Jesus has made available. That’s why we’re here. And it’s a powerful position. It’s an influential position and it’s to be a fruitful position.
But we can’t do it ourselves…
So God’s will for all of us is that we bear fruit. We do the good works that God has called us to do. But Jesus made it clear: we can’t do that ourselves. We can’t do it if we’re more interested in self-preservation than we are in serving humanity. Right? And serving God. And so we have to grow in the knowledge of the love of God. And we have to grow in how much we flow in the love of God, releasing that love to others.
The way He loved us is the way we are to love others…
And I’m so grateful that even though we didn’t deserve to be so loved while we were yet sinners, while we were rejecting God, living contrary to Him, maybe not even knowing about Him. He loved us with such a great love. And if He could love us that way before we acknowledged Him, before we ever confessed our sin, before we were ever sorry for anything, then you know what? We can extend that love and forgiveness to others. The way He loved is the way we’re to love.
We’re going to pray about fruitfulness…
And so we’re going to pray about fruitfulness. And love is really connected to that. How much we love God and how much we love other people really impacts how fruitful we are.
Prayer about storms in the nation…
Father, we speak peace to the storms… the storms of fear in our nation, in cities, amongst parents or children, or those that are in the school systems… we say “Peace, be still!” in the name of Jesus…
Prayer about Father’s plans…
Thank you, Father. We’re lifting up your plan … I’m reminded all of creation is groaning, waiting for the sons of God to be manifest. And so, Father, we lift up your plan for the sons of God to be fruitful, to be manifesting the glory of God… the love of God… the power of God… the Word of God… just like Jesus did when He walked the earth, bringing heaven to earth.
Prayer about nations, for an outpouring…
And so, Father, we’re praying now for our nation. We’re lifting up the United States of America, and many of you are joining us from other nations. You begin to lift up your nations.
Oh, Father, we’re lifting up our nations because these nations are full of people that you love. You love all people. And so, Father, we are praying for all people… for the salvation of all people … that they would come to know you… that they would be delivered out of the kingdom of darkness and that they would be translated into the kingdom of your dear Son, the kingdom of light and love and peace and authority and power… washed and cleansed in the blood.
And so, Father, we’re calling… we know that there’s more of a harvest.
Oh, just begin to lift that up. And let’s call for that. We call for the outpouring of your Spirit… Lord, there is only one answer to what’s going on in the world. And that answer is Jesus.
Prayer about the name of Jesus being lifted up…
Father, we are praying for the name of Jesus to be lifted up in our communities and in our nation and in the nations around the world because of harvest. Jesus said, if I be lifted up, all men will be drawn toward me…
Father, we’re praying about Jesus being lifted up in places where the enemy is trying to silence the Word …
Prayer about Uvalde, Texas shooting…
Father, we lift up the families of those that were affected in that school shooting … we’re lifting up that whole community, we’re lifting up all the teachers and faculty… you are the God of all comfort and we pray that you would supernaturally comfort…
We pray that in the midst of the fear, the desolation, the heartache that’s going on, we are asking you to show up, show up through your church… We’re praying for the church in that community. We’re praying for the church around the world to arise in the love of God, in the power of God, to be fruitful.
Prayer about the body rising up to a place of influence…
Oh, Father, we’re lifting up the body… rising up… to a place of influence… to a place of boldness… to be a voice … rising up in authority… in love… in forgiveness… distributing the peace of God. Carried by joy… full of joy.
Prayer that Word of God be exalted…
Father, we’re praying for the exaltation of Jesus, the Word… that your Word would be exalted… that the Bible would be elevated, that your word would be exalted.
Father, that the children of God would rise up and take their place of authority… rise up and be distributors of your love… rise up and minister Jesus… minister healing.
Prayer that truth would arise…
Father, let truth arise… we pray that truth would become a prominent voice… let truth arise above the lies …above the fear… above a cut chatter… let truth arise… The truth that is found in your Word, the truth that causes men’s hearts to have hope and to look up … and to hunger for more … to hunger for you…
Prayer about the church to grow brighter…
Father, change the atmosphere. We’re praying that you would change the atmosphere in our communities, in our churches, in our nations … that it would grow lighter and lighter, not darker and darker… And the church would not grow dim, but brighter… we pray about the church growing brighter, brighter, brighter, brighter, brighter, brighter …
Prayer about a revival of the Bible…
What does that look like? Oh, well it looks like what Jesus said… If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And so doers of the Word… Father, we pray for Christians all around the world… We pray that the Word of God would be elevated and exalted in their lives that they would not discredit the Bible. They would not believe other things over the Bible. They would not neglect the Bible…
Father, we’re asking you for a hunger… we’re believing you for a revival of the Bible… that your church would be drawn to your Word… we are praying about that hunger, about first love and about hunger… Oh, that the Word of God would be the main entree… not just a little side dish… it would not be fasted… but it would be the main entree. It would be what we hunger for. It would be what we snack on all during the day. We’re praying that your Word may speed on … that your Word would spread rapidly… that your word would be exalted…
Prayer about protection and deliverance…
Father, we pray right now for supernatural protection and deliverance … for your people as they stand up, just like Jesus did … how the crowds went to come around Him and haul Him off and He walked right through the midst of them.
Prayer about the church bearing fruit…
We pray about your church being alive and thriving and bearing fruit… not just a little fruit … multiplied fruit… much fruit… we pray about the fruit, the kind of fruit that’s not produced, it’s not manmade, but it’s the kind of fruit that’s eternal… The kind of fruit that remains.
Prayer about work of end time harvest…
We pray for the work and to the end time harvest work… we pray into the church because the church is precious to you… and as we pray for the exalting of your Word, it’s just so in my heart that the Word would speed on … speed on … that an acceleration. And so, Father, we pray into the acceleration… to the great move of God and what you’re doing, that there would be a fueling…
Brother Hagin said, “Prayer fuels what you’re doing…”
Brother Hagin said, “prayer fuels what you’re doing.” And so, Father, we pray and through our prayers, it’s like pouring gasoline on the fire. It’s like pouring fuel on the fire. And so, Father, pray-ers… We call for the pray-ers… those who will take their place… Oh, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up to your destiny and take your place…
Prayer about the distracted…
We’re lifting up all the eyes… so many eyes distracted… looking at the wrong things… Oh, lift up your eyes, lift up your eyes, lift up your eyes. Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus, the author and the finisher… All the eyes … we’re praying in the body of Christ, all the eyes. Come on, come on, come on, back on the Lord. Come on, come on, back on Jesus. “what are you looking over there for? What are you looking behind? Why are you dwelling in the past? Why are you focused on what’s already been?” Look to Jesus. Look to Jesus… We pray that the eyes of hearts would be flooded with light.
Prayer about how do you see yourself…
We’re praying about vision, vision, vision, vision. Oh, what the church has seen on the inside. How do you see yourself? Oh, it needs to be the way the Word defines you. How do you see the Lord? How do you see what’s going on in the world around? How do you see other people? It needs to be through the light of the Word. And so, Father, all the eyes, all the eyes, all the eyes … were praying about all the eyes. Oh, looking, looking, looking to Jesus.
Putting on those glasses… it’s a new perspective. It’s a different way of seeing … where things were blurry and hard to see … in the light of the Word, things become clear… where there is light, there is visibility, clarity. And so thank you, Father… by the revelation of the Holy Spirit and the light of your Word. You’re just clearing up questions…
Word of knowledge…
And so I hear this in my spirit. “Don’t go to what you don’t know. Don’t gravitate on the “whys.” Don’t gravitate to the “Why? Why? I just don’t know. I don’t understand.” No! You go to what you know… you go to what you know. You go to the Word of God and what you know… the answers are in what you know. And so, Father, we just thank you for all the eyes on Jesus…
Prayer about the roots…
Back to our roots, roots, roots. What are you rooted in? What are your beliefs rooted in? Where is your stability and security rooted? Where do you find your grounding? Oh Father, we pray about the roots… even the roots of our nation… we pray about our roots … rooted in truth … in the purpose you called us to… Yup. Yup. Yup.
Prayer about those that have strayed…
And so we lift that up, Father, the straight paths of the Lord… calling everyone back to the straight paths. Get back on course… We’re calling people out of ditches. And we’re calling them back on the straight path… come back, come back to the truth. Come back to your roots. Oh, we’re calling those that have strayed away. Those that have lost their way to come back…
Prayer about stumbling feet…
All of those feet, Father, we’re lifting up those… their feet are stumbling… their feet… you don’t want them stumbling. And so, Father, we’re praying for firm footed stability… no stumbling, no stumbling.
Prayer about crooked things…
We command crooked things… you straighten up and you straighten out… rough places, you be smoothed out … mountains, you be brought down low … valleys, you be filled in … straight paths … back to the straight paths of the Lord … back to the assignments that God has called us to.
Prayer for leaders…
Lord, I’m praying for all the leaders… all the leaders in the body… all Christians everywhere around the world… what are we rooted in? where do our beliefs come from?
