Overview

1. In these last days, expect to have life and life more abundantly!
2. Don’t let fear take over your heart—look to Jesus!
3. Why praying in the Spirit is essential today
4. Rest and refreshing flow through the Spirit

In these last days, expect to have life and life more abundantly!

This message builds on Pastor Prince’s earlier sermon, Arise and Shine by Praying in the Spirit, where he first unpacked the power and purpose of this heavenly prayer. In this follow-up, he goes even deeper, showing how praying in tongues brings rest and strength for the days we’re living in.

There’s a growing sense that the world is shifting. Natural disasters, societal unrest, and an unease in people’s hearts. All these are not random. Scripture tells us plainly that before Jesus returns, there will be signs. These signs are not to frighten us but to assure us that God is not caught off guard. He has already spoken about these days and given His children notice.

What we are seeing in the world today, eclipses, earthquakes, violent storms, are not new developments. They were spoken of by Jesus Himself, and we are now witnessing what He had foretold.

And when Jesus said, “The powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Luke 21:26), He was pointing to something deeper. In Greek, the word for “heavens” is ouranos, from which we get the word “uranium.” This speaks of the nuclear age, of atomic instability and unseen forces shaking the world. It’s a stunningly accurate picture of our time.

But this doesn’t mean God is the cause of these shakings. The book of Revelation tells us that the devil is enraged because he knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12). The destruction we see—the stealing, the killing, the loss—is not from God. If you have experienced loss in your health, relationships, joy, or peace, know that God was not the one who took them from you.

Jesus declared in John 10:10: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” Like how a thief steals without anyone knowing, the enemy often hides in the background, working secretly and shifting blame. But our Lord came to bring light and life. And through the cross, He has already overcome the enemy.

Don’t let fear take over your heart—look to Jesus!

As the world grows darker and more unstable, it’s not just the natural world that’s shaking—people’s hearts are shaking too. Jesus said, “Men’s hearts [will be] failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26). The pressure and stress aren’t just in the events themselves, but in the constant dread of what might come next.

This condition is not new. In Deuteronomy 28, part of the curse of the law describes the inner turmoil of someone who has turned away from God:

This was not about God tormenting His people, but the result of stepping outside His covering of protection. In the Hebrew mindset and understanding, phrases like “the Lord will give you” often reflect what God permits rather than initiates. When people continually reject Him, He honors their choice—and the natural consequences will follow. When God steps back, the people will experience life without His peace and protection.

Today, we see the effects of that consequence all around us. Many live under constant stress—racing through the day, glued to their phones, overwhelmed by comparison and noise. Sleep doesn’t bring rest. Nights are restless. Mornings feel heavy. People long for change but can’t find peace.

This is not what God wants for you.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13). You’ve been set free from a trembling heart and a restless soul. You are not meant to live in anxiety, dread, or hopelessness.

God is not the one afflicting you with fear—He is the One who heals it. He is not the weight pressing you down—He is the lifter of your head. Jesus came to reveal the Father, and what did He do? He went about doing good, healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). His heart remains the same today: He wants to save, restore, and give us rest.

And His love is not far from you. No matter how weighed down you feel or how far you’ve drifted, His arms are open wide. All He asks is that you come. Let Him love you. Let Him carry what you can’t. He isn’t waiting for you to fix yourself—He’s ready to meet you right where you are, to restore what’s been lost and to fill your heart again with peace.

That’s why Jesus said, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). Not just spiritual redemption, but bodily redemption as well. The day is coming when Jesus will return, and in a moment, a twinkling of an eye, our bodies will be changed. No more aging, pain, or death. Only a perfect, glorious life with Him.

So don’t lose heart. Don’t let fear eclipse the truth of the cross. Don’t let the noise of the world drown out the promises of God. You are called to live with hope like a helmet—protecting your mind and anchoring your heart in Christ.

Why praying in the Spirit is essential today

As the world gets darker, God has not left us without help. Isaiah prophesied of a time when “darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people” (Isa. 60:2). That time is now. Yet in the same breath, the promise is clear: “But the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.”

This rising glory is not reserved for a distant future—it is for now. In the midst of the pressure, confusion, and fear, God’s people are meant to shine. He has not left us to figure things out on our own. He has equipped us with everything we need to remain strong and radiant in a world that’s growing dimmer and dimmer.

Paul describes this end-time generation of believers as people “who are alive and remain” (1 Thess. 4:17). That word “remain” doesn’t just mean to exist—it speaks of preservation. To remain means to endure, to be sustained, to be kept alive in times when many are perishing. This has nothing to do with natural effort, and instead denotes a divine power to remain that can only come from the Lord.

So how do we remain strong in times like these?

By walking in the light that God is giving us now. In each generation, the church has recovered scriptural truths that were once lost or hidden. And revelation is progressive. In Luther’s time, it was justification by faith. In later centuries, the revelations of healing, prosperity, and the finished work of Christ were restored. In this generation, God has restored the revelation of the Holy Spirit’s power—especially through the gift of praying in tongues.

This was prophesied about even in the Old Testament. In Isaiah 59, just before the glory of Isaiah 60, God declared:

God’s promise is twofold: His Spirit upon you and His words in your mouth. This was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, and the very first sign of this was that the disciples gathered in the upper room began to speak with other tongues (Acts 2:4).

When Jesus mentioned “the Promise of My Father” (Luke 24:49), He meant the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with divine utterance. Tongues was not an incidental side effect. It was the sign of heaven’s power coming to dwell in man.

But why tongues?

Because death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21). Our words steer our lives. And God, in His wisdom, gave us a way to speak not from fear, confusion, or limitation—but from the Spirit. When you pray in tongues, you pray beyond what you understand. You speak what heaven knows. You build yourself up (1 Cor. 14:4). You speak mysteries (1 Cor. 14:2). You align with the perfect will of God (Rom. 8:26–27).

Would God give us something so powerful and then make it optional? No. This gift is essential, especially in these last days. It is not reserved for the spiritually elite. It is for every believer—a divine help for real, everyday life.

So use it. Pray in the Spirit while driving, walking, working, or resting. Let it become part of your rhythm. When your thoughts fall short, let the Spirit speak. When your strength runs low, let the Holy Spirit lift you up through this gift.

Rest and refreshing flow through the Spirit

God not only put His Spirit in you and His words in your mouth—He has also given you a way to draw strength from these gifts every single day. Praying in tongues is more than a sign of the Spirit’s presence; it is a supply of rest and refreshing for weary hearts.

In a world that is constantly rushing, demanding, and draining, this is the prayer that brings true rest—not just a pause from activity but deep inner refreshing that no vacation or distraction can give. It is heaven’s answer to the exhaustion of the soul.

The apostle Paul told the Corinthian church, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all” (1 Cor. 14:18). This wasn’t a boast—it was a hint of how he remained spiritually strong. Though he preferred to speak in a known language while teaching in church, his private life was filled with speaking in tongues. Why? Because that was how he was taught, strengthened, and built up from within.

He went on to say, “Yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also” (1 Cor. 14:19). That meant that he had first received something in the Spirit, which he then taught to others. So tongues was the well he drew from, and teaching was the overflow.

Praying in tongues tunes your heart to hear from God. Many read the Bible and come away with little revelation. But when you pray in the Spirit, verses come alive. Thoughts become clear. Wisdom begins to flow—not from your reasoning, but from your spirit being renewed by the Spirit of God.

Isaiah prophesied about this very gift:

Tongues may sound ordinary or even strange to the natural ear, hence “stammering lips.” But from it comes God’s rest and refreshing.

It’s the kind of prayer that restores you while you pray. The kind that builds you up without striving and strengthens your inner man when your outer world feels weak.

And it’s available at all times. You don’t need a quiet room or a special emotional moment. You can pray in tongues while you drive, while you work, while you wait. At first, it may feel unfamiliar—but don’t stop. The flow will come. The rest will come, and the refreshing will come.

So in the days ahead, keep praying in the Spirit, and let this prayer carry you, strengthen you, and steady your heart in a world that is being shaken.

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These sermon notes were taken by volunteers during the service. They are not a verbatim representation of the sermon.