July 8

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…while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended… Luke 3:21-22

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🔊 The first time we see Jesus praying is in the waters of Jordan, and the Holy Spirit is descending upon Him. This already should teach us the wonder of praying in the power of the Holy Spirit. By our praying, we too can open heaven if our hearts are right with God. The heart of all ministry is to pray and see the Holy Spirit descend on those we minister to, revealing God and doing the works of God. This pattern was to continue as Jesus preached and worked miracles. He was in touch with Father, and so great works were done through Him. Often the ‘anointing’ is seen as an impersonal power, but in reality the power of Jesus’ ministry was in the simple fact that He had a clear, unbroken relationship with the Father, hearing His voice, and knowing that His prayers were heard. Jesus did not have to withdraw for hours every time He needed to do a miracle. He prayed in the midst of the crowds; nothing was ever allowed to disturb His communion with the Father. It is right to be suspicious of everything that depersonalises the power of God. Jesus was a delight to His Father, and that is what made His life so simple. He lived to please the Father, and the result was an open heaven and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Many great things we seek remain out of reach because we are seeking the wrong thing. Look up and love the Father and, whether you realise it or not, heaven will be wide open over you and His blessing will be flowing all around you.