02 – Ana – “My prayers are dry and sometimes I feel cursed.”
“Message: Where is the line between what we can do in our own strength, and what we can’t do by our power?
The followiing is a quote from one you tube guy, which left an impact on me because I just didn’t know how to put it in the words and he did: “It is Holy Spirit who enables prayer, you cannot pray without the power of the Holy Spirit, you couldn’t even desire to pray without the Holy Spirit. It’s not a matter of discipline, though that’s part of it, it’s not the matter of the will though that’s part of it, it’s not a matter of emotion though that can be affected by prayer, it is by the Holy Spirit that we are led into the depths of the presence of God, it is by the Holy Spirit that we are led to the place we are granted audience with our Father. Prayer is by the Spirit .. you cannot enter the Spirit in the flesh, you cannot enter the Spirit by will or aggression..”
So I am wondering where is this border between what we can do by our will and between what we can’t do in our strength?
I am questioning what can I do more, because when I pray, my prayers are sort of “dry”, so then I said to God; “I want to yearn for you more God, I want to pray to you with all my heart, please clean me, if there is some stubborn sin in my head deep down please clean me, my will is your will God, because I am aware of your perfection..(and that wasn’t the case before), show me, speak to me, lead me, I want to be your servant, make your way in more.” And yet I still feel “dry” sometimes and I feel like I am cursed. I don’t know what to think anymore, I just want to know if I did my best what was in my power.
When I heard how you broke down in one of your recordings, it made me cry with you, I felt your emotion. But in the same time I felt a little bit jealous because I wish I could break down like you, and I cannot act that feeling.. I feel too much numbness which is the worst...!!
I’m not going to talk about my problems, but I will just shortly say that I suffer from derealization, ocd, depression...
I have watched a lot of your videos, which really encouraged me, and THANK GOD and You Michael for all those sharings!!”
The Secret of the Vine and the Branches
Like sister Ana, many struggle to experience the fullness of God, even when diligently seeking Him in prayer. Today, we’ll explore the secret to a fruitful Christian life, a secret found not just in prayer, but in the totality of what it means to be a Christ follower.
Often, we compartmentalize our faith, focusing on individual aspects like prayer, evangelism, or Bible study. But to understand the Father’s perspective, we must see the interconnectedness of these elements, the teamwork between us and the Holy Spirit. “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). While it is the Holy Spirit who enables prayer, we also have a part to play, a responsibility to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
The Holy Spirit is the one who enables our effective prayers. We cannot truly pray without the Spirit’s power. But consider Timothy, to whom Paul instructed, "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us" (2 Timothy 1:14). How can Timothy guard God? This illustrates the amazing truth that God entrusts us with choice and responsibility in our Christian life.
The common misconception that “it is finished” (John 19:30) means Jesus did all the work is simply not true. We must actively participate in our faith, yielding to the Holy Spirit’s power and working in cooperation with Him. The secret to spiritual abundance lies in John 15, where Jesus reveals the beautiful analogy of the vine and the branches. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Remaining in Him means abiding in His Word. "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7).
This abiding is not passive; it’s an active, intentional obedience to the words of Christ. Think of a branch grafted into a vine. Imagine those tiny fibers connecting the branch to the vine, each fiber representing a teaching of Jesus. The more fibers connected, the more life-giving sap – the Holy Spirit – flows into the branch. This is how we receive the power we so desperately need.
To experience the fullness of Christ, we must be grafted into the vine through humble dependence upon the Father. We must be willing to exchange our life for His, surrendering our dreams, desires, hopes, fears, and understanding. Then, and only then, can the life-giving sap of the Holy Spirit flow through us, producing fruit. Don’t cherry-pick the teachings of Christ. Embrace them all. "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him" (John 14:23).
If you are feeling dry, like Ana was, it means those fibers are not fully connected. You’re not receiving the life-giving sap. Ask the Lord to reveal what's missing, what obstacle is preventing you from fully connecting to the vine. Go to the teachings of Christ, humble yourself before them, and obey. For in obedience, you will find life, and life abundantly.
