Ps 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Grant me a Willing Spirit to Sustain Me

Grant - It must be granted because we have no ability to produce a Willing Spirit.

Willing Spirit

James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight …

I need a willing spirit because I don’t want what God wants.
I need a willing spirit because I want what I want.

To Sustain me - there is a great difference between MAINTAINING and SUSTAINING.

Willing Spirit =
AVAILABILITY + POSSIBILITY + HUMILITY

The greatest ability that we can give to God is AVAILABILITY!

2 Cor 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.

We will never become New Creations without a Willing Spirit.

Evan Roberts –Welsh Revival - LORD BEND ME; LORD BEND ME!!

a. Jesus Prayed about a Willing Spirit

Matt. 26:37-42 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." 42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

b. Jesus Learned Willingness from Suffering

Heb. 5:7-8 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered

c. We Must Respond to God rather than React in our Emotions

Whenever God reveals or does a new thing – there are always barriers!

Acts 10:9-16 … Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Matt. 21:28-31 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered.

Audio File: 

2009-11-01.mp3

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