Who is the Holy Spirit? And what role does he play in the Christian life? In John 15, Jesus tells his disciples about the persecution they will encounter by following him. “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20) As he went on about what life would be like after he eventually left to be with the Father, they naturally grew sorrowful (John 16:6). They didn’t know the wonder that God had planned next. Jesus comforts them in John 16:7, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.” This “Helper” is the Holy Spirit.
Alistair Begg wrote, “Five Truths About the Holy Spirit,” on Ligonier.org. He explains the meaning of the word “Helper,” which is translated from the Greek word, parakletos. “It has a legal dimension; it refers to one who would be an advocate,” Begg said. “In its wider context, it speaks of comfort, of protection, of counsel, and of guidance.”
Prayers to Holy Spirit for guidance
In her Crosswalk.com article, “Who the Holy Spirit Really Is (and Why It Matters to You),” Rachel Dawson wrote three things from Begg’s article that we should remember about the identity and importance of the Holy Spirit:
1. “The Holy Spirit is a unique person and not simply a power or an influence.”
I remember thinking as a child that the Holy Spirit was more like a ghost than a real, concrete being, but that kind of thinking can damage how we relate to the Spirit and interact with him. “We have to understand that the Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, is personal,” Begg said. “As a person, He may be grieved (Eph. 4:30), He may be quenched in terms of the exercise of His will (1 Thess. 5:19), and He may be resisted (Acts 7:51).”
2. “The Holy Spirit is one both with the Father and the Son.”
This is the most powerful and baffling thing about the Trinity — each third is unique, but all three are united. “In theological terms,” Begg explains,” we say that He is both co-equal and co-eternal. …So the activity of the Spirit is never given to us in Scripture in isolation from the person and work of Christ or in isolation from the eternal will of the Father.”
3. “The Spirit is the author of the Scriptures.” We read in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “all Scripture is God-breathed” and in 2 Peter 1:21 that “men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” These verses illustrate the divine work of the Holy Spirit through men to record what we know now as the Bible– “this is a book that exists as a result of the out-breathing of the Holy Spirit,” Begg says.
A Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit, You are God. I praise you because you are holy, and I thank you for dwelling in my heart. Thank you for working in my life. You guided me into salvation, renewed my dead spirit, and you opened my eyes to the Truth. Thank you.
Help me to see you more clearly – to recognize your movement in my life. Make me more sensitive to you so I can follow you more closely. Still, I know that I am selfish and rebellious. I need you to help me be obedient when I recognize your leading. I need you.
I ask you for your help and comfort today. You know my pain and anxieties very well. Thank you for praying over me. Help me to rest in your comfort today.
Help me to walk in you, the Spirit of God. Grow good fruit in my life. You are the one who produces these in me: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I cannot live out these things on my own; I need you. Amen
Prayers for Guidance and God’s Help
We hope this collection of prayers for guidance will help you in praying for the Lord to guide your heart and mind. May you have faith that the Lord will answer your prayer for guidance as the Bible tells us “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
Prayer for Guidance from the Holy Spirit
Lord, I pray you would move the Spirit more boldly in my life. I know that any sin can grieve and diminish the voice of the Spirit, and I pray against the temptation to sin. Help me crave your presence more than I crave sin. Help me grow in the fruit of the Spirit and so walk closer with Yourself. I pray for guidance from your Spirit- let your will and promises always be a meditation of my heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen – Kenny Luck
Prayer for Guidance and Protection
O Lord, our redemption. Be our protection. Direct our minds by your gracious presence. Watch over our paths and guide us with your love through the hidden snares of life. Fix our hearts on you as we go forward, and following in faith, arrive at your goal; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Source: Mozarabic Liturgy
A Short Prayer for Guidance
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your guidance. Forgive me for getting ahead of Your plans, and help me know when to stop and listen for Your direction. Your ways are perfect. Thank You for offering gentle grace and guidance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. – Kristine Brown
A Prayer for Guidance When Life is Challenging
Lord, I’m here today with open hands and an open heart, ready to depend on you to help me through the day, and all it will bring my way. Help me be like Nehemiah, help me come to you for guidance, strength, provision, and protection. As I face tough choices and hard situations, help me remember my belovedness, help me remember that I am Your child, and Your representative to the world around me. Help me live today in a way that brings honor to Your holy name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. – Charles Stanley0
A Prayer before Beginning Any Task
Almighty God, our help and refuge, source of wisdom and tower of strength, you know I can do nothing without your guidance and help. Help me and direct me to divine wisdom and power, that I may accomplish this task and whatever I may undertake to do, faithfully and diligently, according to your will, so that it may be profitable to myself and others, and to the glory of your holy name. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Source: Antiochan Orthodox