“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
The second quarter Night of Prayer held on May 11th in Glasgow centred around the theme “The Fruit of the Spirit.” Over 25 members of various age groups, from teens to seniors, attended the event.
After beginning with a prayer and worship to invite the presence of the Holy Spirit, the members engaged in a prayer session titled “Circle of Blessings.” In this session, individuals who required prayer for personal needs sat in the centre of a circle and were surrounded by others who prayed for them. Prayers were requested for physical health, children’s wellbeing and spiritual growth, deliverance from generational curses, wisdom in studies, a deeper walk with Jesus, more time for personal prayer and Bible study, and for family blessings through marriage or children.
The evening continued with discussions on the topic of love, focusing on the various ways to express love for God. Pastor Claudiu encouraged members to respond to God’s invitation to love Him with their minds, which is the centre of our will; with their hearts, which involve emotions; and with their bodies, as the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. He emphasised that how we treat our bodies reflects our love for God.
Further conversations touched on love in marital relationships, where couples may sometimes experience hurt and pain. It was noted that men and women have different communication needs. Women tend to be more expressive of their feelings and have a deep need to share their experiences and emotions, feeling valued and understood when they are listened to with empathy. In contrast, men are often less expressive of their emotions, preferring to deal with problems independently, and feel accepted and trusted when given space and time to process things. The things discussed were deep and meaningful, and the church is looking forward to the upcoming Family Ministries Weekend on August 17th.
The evening continued with group discussions about joy: how self-sacrifice can lead to joy, as inspired by Jesus’s example according to Hebrews 12:2; the difference between joy and happiness and how to experience joy during trials; and times where joy was experienced.
Members had the opportunity to share personal testimonies and words of encouragement. One participant recounted how, in the midst of a crisis when her husband was critically ill in an Intensive Care Unit, her family experienced God’s intervention in answer to their prayers. Other testimonies included stories of God’s guidance in finding better job opportunities, His support in helping a family relocate to Scotland, receiving answers to prayers after 17 years of waiting, and His leading and provision for the outreach initiative the church is preparing for in July - Impact Glasgow.
As the evening continued, the members discussed ways in which the development of the fruit of the Spirit within us can be hindered. They noted that if cares and distractions divert our minds from remaining connected with Jesus, we might lose the presence of His Spirit in our hearts and instead display traits of our carnal nature. However, through sincere and earnest prayer, intentional surrender to God's leading, and dedicated Bible study, we nurture our relationship with Jesus. This relationship becomes evident as we display the fruit of the Spirit in our interactions with others.
The topic of patience was also discussed, emphasising that God's timing differs from ours and highlighting the importance of maintaining a positive attitude while waiting for answers to our prayers. It was noted that rushing ahead of God can lead to pain and disappointment, whereas waiting in trust can result in the most beneficial outcomes for us.
The evening concluded with prayers for the needs of the members, the Impact Glasgow initiative, safe travels home, and for the two student missionaries, Samuel and Allan, who arrived from Brazil to support the Youth Department for one year.
One of the youths of Glasgow Church commented “I really enjoyed the night of prayer. Being with God's people discussing how we can be practical Christians it's really amazing. Thanksgiving and all other activities were uplifting. I can't wait to attend the night of prayer again. I believe God blessed us and will as usual.”
Samuel Matheus, the student missionary who arrived from Brazil just two days before the night of prayer also said that the night of prayer was a real blessing for him. “The experience of praying and singing brought me closer to God. Receiving a private prayer made me feel special for the church. Worshiping God in another language made me feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.”
Pastor Claudiu Popescu shared that this was the third Night of Prayer for Glasgow church and commented: “I’m always delighted to see people believing in the power of prayer. What seemed to be a very timid project last year is becoming a powerful, vital and expanding ministry in the church”.
The next Night of Prayer is scheduled to take place in August, where members will continue exploring the topic of the fruits of the Spirit and unite in prayer for revival and for the needs of Glasgow Church and the Scottish Mission. It is a privilege for the Prayer Ministries Department to organise gatherings like these, as we firmly believe that God, in answer to prayer, will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves and provide what we would not have received without praying.
“Prayer and faith will do what no power on earth can accomplish.” E. G. White, Help in Daily Living, 56.2
