Prayer on Friday — For the Holy Spirit

O mighty God and holy Father! Behold, I, Thy helpless child, come to Thee, and pray for the needful gift of Thy Holy Spirit. Thou hast promised to bestow Him upon all who ask Thee. I beseech Thee, therefore, send Him down from above, from Thy holy habitation, into my heart, that He may be my Guide and Counselor, and may enable me to do always what is pleasing to Thee.

O, there are so many ways of error and of sin; and there are so many persons who travel upon them, and who seek, either by persuasion or ridicule, to make me follow their evil example! O God, lead me in Thy truth, and unite my heart to fear thy name. When the world and its sins appear attractive to me, help me to bear in mind that the broad road leadeth unto destruction. Bestow upon me Thy Holy Spirit: the Spirit of Truth, to teach me; the Spirit of consolation, to comfort me; the Spirit of joy, to gladden me; the Spirit of regeneration, to make of me a new creature; the Spirit of adoption, to assure me that I am Thy child; the Spirit who is the earnest of my heavenly inheritance.

O gracious Holy Spirit, sanctify me. Thou seest that my heart is full of impurity, evil, and sin, and that out of it proceed unholy thoughts and words and deeds. But thou also seest that by Thy grace I hate these things. O, I am sorry that I have ever grieved Thee, or despised Thy voice. I now yield myself entirely to Thy guidance and rule. Thou shalt be the life of my soul, the strength of my life, the consolation of my heart, the light of my understanding, the repose and strength of my will, the treasure of my memory, — the source and beginning as well as the end of my new spiritual life. O sanctify me wholly, that my spirit, soul, and body may be preserved blameless till the day of Jesus Christ. Make my heart Thy temple, and dwell therein. Make my members instruments of righteousness, and let me not deliberately and willfully sin. Make my heart a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God.

O Thou sacred Fire, burn within my heart, and consume all fleshly lusts and desires; so that I may devote all the powers of my body also to Thy glory. Rule over me, and lead me always in the right way, till at last Thou shalt bring me to heaven. And if, in view of the sufferings of this present time, my own flesh and blood or the world should seek to deprive me of the consolation that I am a child of God, do Thou assure me that neither death nor life shall separate me from the love of God, and that, while the children of God must bear the cross and endure affliction, they are none the less on that account His children. Dwell and rule in my heart always. Bear witness with my spirit that I am a child of God. And in the hour of death, when all human help and support fail, comfort me with the blessed assurance, that I shall share in the glory which Jesus has acquired for me by His sufferings and death. Amen.