How to pray in the spirit

Embracing The Holy Spirit through Prayer
WEEK ONE—Dec 3 THE HEART
Amazing recent evidence shows that the heart begins to beat in the unborn fetus even before the brain is formed so it appears that the heart truly does hold primary status as the initiator of human life.
FOCAL PASSAGE: PSALM 51 (David cries out to God)

BACKGROUND PASSAGES: 1 SAMUEL (13:13-14; 9: 18-19; 10:26)

WORDS OF JESUS: Book of Matthew (see list at bottom)
The Hebrew word for “heart” is lebab, which means: To be enclosed—as the interior or center, hence, the heart. In the Greek, the word is kardia. It means: The seat in the center of man’s inward life—the place of human depravity or the sphere of divine influence. Both meanings point to that which gives man “life”: The depraved nature of spiritual death—which by nature is our life. Or, spiritual life which enters a person and replaces spiritual death when they accept and confess Jesus as their payment for sin and believe that He was raised from to dead to give us His new life.
Nurturing this “spiritual life” within us is essential for a fulfilling and prosperous life. It can only blossom through study and obedience of written Word of God, and, by obedience-to and fellowship-with the Word of God Himself. Our growth in God happens no other way. This in turn is our part in serving God with this new life that He has placed within us: To “love the Lord our God with all….(Matt. 22:37)

In today’s thought and language, how is the word HEART used? Name some phrases.
Even in these phrases we are suggesting that the heart contains or describes our inner attitudes.

God has designed this part of us to DISCERN to DESIRE to DECIDE and to DEDICATE
Prov. 23:7 “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (decide)
Luke 5:22 “What reason ye in your hearts?” (discern)

He wants the actions of our hearts to be in accordance with His will (Ps 19:8-10; 14)---Be reminded of our heart problems (Mark 7: 21-23)
So how does God deal with our hearts?

GOD EXAMINES OUR HEARTS (1Sam 9:18-19; Mark 7 21-23) “I will tell you all that is in your heart.” (he reads our hearts)
ASK Him to read your heart
GOD TOUCHES OUR HEARTS (1 Sam. 10: 26)
Our prayer—“God, go ahead and do in my heart what needs to be done.
Take what is wrong there and rectify it—cleanse it.
Straighten me out-----Lord, TOUCH my heart.”
GOD CHANGES OUR HEARTS
(Remember, Saul started with a changed heart)
BE WARNED! Guard your heart lest it grow immune to the work of God. Let Him know you desperately want His touch---
look for changes God is trying to bring to your life as he dwells in your heart-----He transforms you from within.
GOD WILL ONLY DO WHAT WE ALLOW HIM TO DO

Matt. 6:21 Matt. 5:28 Matt:9:2 Matt. 9:4 Matt: 9:22 Matt. 11:29
Matt. 12:34 Matt. 13:15 Matt.13:19 Matt. 15: 8 Matt. 18:35 Matt. 22:37
(also John 14:1 John 14:27 16:33 12:27 5: 42)