Holy Spirit

June 18, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Creating foundations

Previously, I talked to you about focusing on the structure of the building, laying the foundation, and strengthening the house. Shall we pray about this today? So that we can stand on the firm rock that is Jesus. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, we know that true transformation begins from the inside out. The search for it must be in secret, in our intimacy with You, where we are molded and renewed in Your image. Teach us to focus on what is within us. Enable us to seek Your face in prayer, meditating and studying Your Word, allowing Your Holy Spirit to work deeply in our hearts. May we grow spiritually in secret, away from the eyes of the world, being transformed according to Your will, forgetting the spotlight that our ego seeks and just wanting to be under Your gaze. Lord, we want […]

blessings faith grace holy-spirit

June 06, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Purified like gold

The Bible tells us in several passages that God fashions us like new vessels and purifies His people like gold and silver. While studying and listening to some sermons on this, I found a deeper meaning on the subject: the way gold looks after going through the fire. Separated For gold to be purified, it is placed at a high temperature for a certain time. This metal is not found pure in nature; it is common to find it mixed with silver or other materials. Therefore, this purification becomes necessary. It’s the same with us. We were created by God and received the identity of Christ in our lives. But we are in the world and we are human beings with flaws. God needs to separate us from what makes us unclean. We need to go through a long process of purification and refinement. These steps hurt and don’t happen on our schedule. They occur at the right time and the correct temperature. It is not easy to be refined, and it is not painless to be purified, but God strengthens us at each moment of the process and promises us His protection. Becoming a mirror “So God created mankind in his […]

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June 04, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Be available

In the previous text, we talked about being free from ties and things in our hands that take up space, making it impossible for us to receive what God has for us. Today, I want to pray with you about this, to be available to God. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, we are here at this moment with sincere and humble hearts. Today, we want to place ourselves entirely at Your disposal, desiring to fully live out Your purposes and plans for our lives. Lord, help us to identify and remove from our lives everything that binds and hinders us, preventing us from being completely available to You. May we discern what occupies the place that belongs only to You in our hearts and minds. God, may we free our hands from unnecessary worries, material attachments, toxic relationships, and dreams that are not […]

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May 29, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Unbind Yourself!

We hear a lot about being available for what God is going to do. The Bible says in several passages that we need to open our hearts and allow the Lord to act in our lives. But, after all, what does this mean? Be aware “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20 Being available does not mean being idle but being open and attentive. To be available, you can’t be tied to something; it is necessary that we are not entangled in any situation. When we try to embrace the world, we lose focus, and that puts us in a spider’s web. We make our lives so busy that we don’t have free time to pay attention to what the Lord wants to do. This makes us miss opportunities because we are too busy and miss the blessings of heaven because we are distracted by things that take us nowhere and just take up unnecessary space. Make room for “yes” “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries […]

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May 28, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Blessed to Bless

The Lord has a calling for each of us, with a personal and individual direction. But this calling is for the Kingdom, not for oneself. In the word of God, we are encouraged to love as God loved us, caring for one another and being channels of blessings to those around us. The answer to someone’s prayer could be you! Today, I want to invite you to pray together for this sense of community and body, so that we may understand that, in addition to our calling to serve the Kingdom, we must also serve people. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, I want to thank You for Your blessings upon my family and friends. I ask that You use me as a channel, so that I can be an answer to prayer in their lives, bringing Your love and light. Illuminate our paths […]

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May 06, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Living Christ

Being a Christian is not simple. It requires total surrender, dependence, and sacrifice. Emptying our hearts of our desires to align our projects with His often hurts, as we need to give up what we want and plan to trust Him completely, even if the decisions don’t make sense at the time. But we often forget this and consider ourselves Christians just because we go to church…. Ambassadors of the word “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 God demands nothing in exchange for His power and care. However, to be under His protection, we also need to be aligned with His word. The enemy constantly tries to deceive us with lies to influence our journey. Lies about God, about our identity in Him, and about the things and people around us. He will not respect your church card, but he is obliged to respect our spiritual authority. He can influence our lives even when we are at church; attending all services does not make us immune to his pitfalls. However, he has no power over us […]

blessings faith follow-jesus holy-spirit

April 25, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Influencing through the Spirit

In the previous message, I mentioned the importance of not allowing ourselves to be influenced by others, but rather allowing ourselves to be guided by God and influencing others through that. I would like to take this moment to pray together about this matter. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, lead my heart to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Teach me the way and direct my focus to where You want me to go. I long to move towards Your promises and the calling You have for my life. I do not want to be shaped by the influences of the world around me. I acknowledge, Lord, that You are the source of all wisdom and truth, and Your words and deeds are the standard by which I should live. Empower my heart to discern what I should absorb and learn from the things […]

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April 23, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Influenced by the Spirit

Jesus was in the world physically. He walked among sinners and lived among those whom society excluded. And because of that, we distort this message and find comfort in being in certain places and situations that distance us from Him. Presence of God “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25 Jesus was not influenced easily. He was so rooted in God and lived out the Word so deeply that He was not swayed by His surroundings. He did not approach these people just for the sake of it; He stayed close to teach and exhort about the word and the truth of the Gospel. The environment never corrupted Him; instead, in the authority given by God, He transformed environments and people. The Father was with Him at all times. He was a teacher, a brother, a friend, and an intercessor for those people, not just a companion. Standing firm in Christ “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand […]

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April 15, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Adopted by the Creator

The Bible says that we have been adopted by God as beloved children. As stated in Galatians 4:5: “…to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship….” For a long time, the word “adoption” bothered me. Perhaps because it carries a connotation of not being directly begotten, as if it were less important. But today, I see it as something even deeper, because we were chosen. Desired “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 A biological child is often unexpected and unplanned. In some situations, we even hear the word “accident” when referring to a pregnancy. Having a child is a blessing, and pregnancy is a gift. But truly, depending on the timing in the parents’ lives, it may not be desired right away. This is not the case with adoption. The process of adopting someone is filled with difficulties, choices, decisions, and planning. It does not happen by chance at an undesired time. God loves Jesus as a son begotten by Him, as part of Who He Is, and loves us as chosen and set apart children. God and Father “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God […]

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April 11, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Merciful like Christ

I spoke last week about how our mercy is often selective and limited. Today, I want to pray with you about this, to be meek and have a heart filled with God’s love and grace. We need to express this care that the Father has for us, reflecting this to the people around us, being witnesses of God’s grace and mercy on earth. And God has His eyes and ears open to receive our prayer at all times. Remembering that you don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy. Feel free to talk to the Lord in your way. But if you wish, I am here to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, I want to be more like you. Knowing You transforms me every day, walking with the Lord renews me. I know how much I make mistakes. I am not worthy of Your love, but even so, the Lord continues to pour it into me abundantly. Your mercy accompanies me every day, and just as the Lord forgives and consoles me, I […]

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April 04, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Anointing of the Spirit

God grants us gifts, pours His grace upon us, and empowers us for various actions, specific to each of His children. But, furthermore, He also desires to anoint us in these areas. He has set us apart for the Kingdom and guides us daily toward His work. I want to invite you to pray today for this anointing, for boldness and wisdom to serve the Kingdom. It’s important for us to pray for our dreams, but beyond that, it’s necessary to be thankful for what we already have and to seek empowerment for what He calls us to do. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, I acknowledge the need I have to be anointed and washed by You, Lord. In this moment, I pour myself out before You, surrendering all that I have and am, allowing myself to be crushed and molded so that […]

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April 02, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Anointed

What have you done with what God has poured out on you? We often seek instant fulfillment, asking for everything or new things immediately, hoping to feel needed. However, true fulfillment comes only from Him, and we can only attain new things when we learn to cherish what we already have. God desires to anoint what you already possess! You already have the gift “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 God will not give you something new if you do not value what you already have. Routine makes us forget all that we have with us, everything we have received from God. We ask for gifts and more gifts, and we neglect the anointing. We long to be talented people, but when we have the ability to do something, we often think only of serving ourselves. Seeking validation in something that should point to the Kingdom. There is a very big difference between a gift and anointing. God wants to anoint us in our gifts; He wants to direct us to impact lives through our […]

blessings grace holy-spirit kingdom-of-god

March 28, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Living in the Supernatural

Let’s pray together about the supernatural? Just as I mentioned in the previous text, God wants us to live out promises and miracles through His hands and calls us today to draw near to Him. And it’s important that we pray for this, entrusting our trust to the Father. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “God, allow us to live in the supernatural. Open our eyes to Your wonders and miracles. We don’t want to see just the ordinary in our days, but to perceive the extraordinary that happens through Your mighty hand. We know that You are a God who performs miracles, and that Your power knows no limits. We ask, Lord, that You pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us and grant us the ability to see miracles in our lives, just as we see in the Bible. You parted the Red Sea […]

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March 26, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Live the supernatural

I see many people questioning why those who don’t follow God prosper, while others who do, encounter afflictions. But that’s simply the nature of life. Natural cycle “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 Whoever walks without God experiences what is natural. There is planting, rain, and then the harvest, as this is the normal cycle of things. And amidst all this, there are the consequences of your mistakes. We who live with God experience the supernatural daily. We witness miracles and events that can only exist in Him, which clearly demonstrate the presence of God and His hand in everything. Those who walk far from the Father only experience the natural, the obvious, and the expected cycle. But those who live for the Kingdom also need to understand that this does not provide an antidote to the bad things that happen. Battles exist, whether they are necessary for our growth or those in which we get involved due to wrong choices along the way. But achievements exist too, those of our own work and those that the Lord grants us. He promises to be with us […]

grace holy-spirit kingdom-of-god miracles

March 21, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Where Christ is not welcome

As tempting as it may be to journey where you desire, refrain from proceeding if it means leaving God behind along the way. Any path without Him leads towards the abyss. Despite the pain involved, relinquishment and surrender bring us peace and accomplishments far beyond what we could ever imagine. Don’t follow your limits “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!” Psalm 20:7-9 God calls you to live your best life in this world, not as a slave to your desires and dreams, but with the Father by your side, guiding you to ever greater heights. When we walk alone, we rely solely on our own abilities and strength, reaching only as far as our own limits allow. However, when we choose to walk with God, we surpass our own strength, being empowered by Him. Consequently, we reach places that we could never reach on our own, as there are no limits to Him. Our minds can only comprehend so much, and our strength has its limits. But […]

follow-jesus grace heart holy-spirit

March 19, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Rebuilding the altar

Shall we pray concerning our relationship with God? We must reconstruct the altar, renew our intimacy and profound connection with the Father, as He beckons us to do. Today, I wish to set aside this time to pray collectively regarding this commitment with the Lord, ensuring that we consistently prioritize the altar and submit to Him. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Dear God, I thank You for Your constant presence in my life and for granting me access to You, even when I do not deserve it. I am eternally grateful for the grace of being able to be with You, God. I acknowledge the importance of rebuilding the altar of worship and relationship with You as a top priority. I desire to offer You my firstfruits, knowing that You have much more in store for me. Often, I find myself distracted by the […]

heart holy-spirit kingdom-of-god life-style

March 14, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Rebuild the altar

God is calling you to rebuild your story. He not only wants you to appear healed and renewed on the outside, but He desires a genuine transformation from within. He needs to flow in you for something to flow through you, through His hands. Build an altar to Him in your heart, and witness the Lord moving everything else. Restoring the connection “Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.” Ezra 3:3 If the altar is the first step in reconstructing your story, there will be no difficulty in building everything else. In the biblical context, the altar was a place of encounter with God, where sacrifices were offered as expressions of devotion, lament, and surrender. Rebuilding starting at the altar implies restoring connection and intimacy with the Lord first and foremost, placing Him at the center of our lives, and prioritizing our relationship with Him. After the people returned from exile in Babylon, the first thing they did in the reconstruction was to build the altar. They offered sacrifices and surrendered everything they had to God, seeking His presence […]

grace heart holy-spirit miracles

March 07, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Get out of the boat!

When we hear the word “worship,” one of the first things that comes to mind is music, praising in songs. But it’s not just that. We can worship Him in songs and melodies, but worship is a lifestyle and holds a much deeper meaning. We need to worship Him beyond the comfort of the boat. Complete delivery The first mention of the word “worship” is found in Genesis 22, verse 5, where God instructs Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, to offer him as a sacrifice: “He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” This initial mention of “worship” was associated with an offering, not a song. To worship means to be in complete devotion. This absolute surrender can occur through a song, but it is also evident in our decisions, the steps we take, the way we speak, act, and love. We can engage in various activities, but what characterizes an action as worship is the act of surrender. When we give something to the Lord, pour out everything at His feet, and submit it to His […]

blessings faith grace heart

February 27, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Consuming fire

I want to invite you to pray together for revival. We are living in a time where we witness the desires of the flesh outweighing the purposes of the Spirit. People are getting lost, entangled in ties and chains that hold them back and distance them from God and His paths. But He calls us, you and me, to be voices in this generation, bringing His life back to hearts and spirits. One way to accomplish this is by praying for the people around you, for your city, and for your country. Keep in mind that it is not necessary for you to pray exactly as I am about to do here. Everyone has their own way of communicating with the Father, and it is important that we seek this intimacy with Him. Feel free to speak to the Lord in your own way. However, if you wish, I am here to join you in this prayer. Prayer “Lord, Your presence burns like fire, and we yearn to feel it once again, increasingly. It invigorates and purifies those who seek it with sincerity of heart, and that is precisely what we are doing in this moment. Bring life to our […]

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February 22, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Fighting with Christ

In Proverbs 3:5-6, it is written: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” This verse reminds us of the importance of fully trusting in God and recognizing Him in all areas of our lives. In one of the previous texts (“Unnecessary Battles”), we discussed avoiding fighting battles that do not come from the Lord, conflicts that arise from our own decisions and can divert us from the plan that God has for us. Today, I want to pray with you for the courage to completely surrender our lives to God, trusting in His wisdom and guidance to lead us along the right path. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Lord, I acknowledge that I often make decisions without seeking Your guidance, leading me into unnecessary battles. Today, I […]

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February 15, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Consumed by fire

The Bible mentions in several passages that God is a consuming fire and that we must burn for Him. However, for this, we also need discernment. We must constantly seek the Father’s wisdom to distinguish what comes from Him and what is merely burning out of a desire of the flesh. Revive us! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28-29 When I hear these passages, revival comes to mind. Revival is not merely about gathering people and making noise. There is already plenty of noise that lacks the presence of God. Revival is the life of the Lord breathing life into us, resurrecting what was dead. And this is not about the volume of your voice, but rather the condition of your heart and your true intention. God knows us intimately; a whisper uttered with the spirit carries much more weight than a shout from the mouth. When the intention of our hearts is to seek the Father, His consuming fire surrounds us without any effort on our part. Special portion “And afterward, will pour out […]

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February 08, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Instruments of Praise

In the previous text, I discussed the daily decision to be someone through whom God is praised. Today, I invite you to pray with me about this, to become available and completely surrendered instruments, allowing God to work in our lives according to His will. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Father, I acknowledge Your worthiness of all praise and worship, for everything in creation is under Your sovereignty, and all belongs to You. I understand that my purpose is to praise You, and I desire to do so each day of my life, leading others to worship You in the same way. You are the source of all love and grace, and Your mercy continues to pour out upon me, even when undeserved. Make me an instrument of praise. Shape my heart according to Your will, and may my hands be ready to carry […]

follow-jesus grace holy-spirit kingdom-of-god

January 25, 2024·Rapha Abreu

God and sin

Some texts have such a huge impact with certain words that our attention can focus on just one part of the sentence and take away the full meaning of it. I see this detail in some texts in the Bible and also in those that mention faith, where, if we don’t have an open heart, we can focus on just a few parts and forget the context. Aversion to sin “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 Certainly, you have heard the phrase “God hates sin, but loves the sinner”. This phrase is not in the Bible, but it has become very famous. The word “hates” becomes something so impactful for us that it steals our attention only on it, but I want to invite you to read the rest of it. The Lord truly abhors sin; He does not accept it, and His desire is for sin to be destroyed. But He loves those who sin because the way God sees us goes far beyond our mistakes. He knows our hearts deep down and knows who we are in Him. The Father gave us the […]

follow-jesus grace holy-spirit love-of-god

January 23, 2024·Rapha Abreu

Prayer: Identity of Jesus

Previously, we talked a little about some of the names by which Jesus is called throughout the biblical texts. There are many others that I did not mention in the previous text, names that are presented in prophecies since the Old Testament until they become palpable in the New Testament. Regardless of the name that catches your attention the most or the one that is most repeated in the Bible, God remains the same and reveals Himself to us with grace and mercy. I want to invite you to pray today about recognizing this God at any time, place, or situation. You don’t need to pray exactly as I’m going to say here. I know that everyone has their way of talking to the Father, and it is important that we individually seek intimacy with Him. Therefore, feel comfortable talking to the Lord in your own way. But if you want, I will be happy to accompany you in this prayer. Prayer “Lord God, I recognize Your greatness and majesty. I know that Your name is the clear expression of Your love and grace towards us. I cry out for Your presence in my life. Thank you for revealing to […]

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