The Spirit calls to me today in the silence of a pause. I desperately desire answers to the heart petitions I have put at the Throne. Delays and red lights are frustrating to me. I guess we are all "action" people and in our world of instant real time problems we are looking for instant real time resolutions.
So the question is , "Why, do you delay, Lord? What purpose is being served in this pause?"
I have no doubt that each day and each delay serves an eternal purpose in my life. Looking back, the Holy One reminds me of past places of desperation. Places where I thought I would just die if something didn't happen to change the situation.
He graciously points out that some of the greatest lessons providing the greatest spiritual growth spurts came during those mind bending days and delays of answers to prayer. This is one of those days and times. The Holy One speaks, "take every thought into the captivity of Christ."
But what does that mean? The fog starts to clear, as He directs me to 2 Corinth 10:5. "We demolish every argument and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
The scrutiny of the Holy Spirit begins to burn. "Some of your petitions lately have been off". Can our prayers be "off"? Jesus said in John 14, 15, 16, 17 things like, "If you love Me you will obey Me", "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given." The command to love, the promise of peace, the last words and lessons emphasized before the return to His Heavenly Throne.
"Ask in My Name". The Name of Christ is power. It is His position and Character that is the power. Ending our petitions "in Jesus name" does not guarantee answers if those petitions violate His Character.
Wow! What a revelation and humiliation all at the same time. I am taken out of complaining about the delayed answers to a place of brokenness that my prayers may be asking my Lord to act against His Character in the answers I seek.
Lord what am I to do with the "pause"? The Holy Spirit takes me to Phil 4:4-8. Rejoice in the Lord, be anxious for nothing, be thankful in presenting my prayers and petitions and finally, think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. excellent or praiseworthy.
As this directive and my obedience to it begins to take affect, the Holy One opens my mind to the way and the prayer that has violated my Lord's Character and in repentance, I am permitted to retract and re-present my request.I am thankful the Holy Spirit speaks, teaches, and refines me. His burning scrutiny takes down one more layer of flesh.
At the very end of this hard word to my heart, He reminds me that in our relationship, we are still a team. The Lord has co missioned me to serve him and the word co-mission implies that I still have a part to play. The Lord's way is to commission His servant to do His will, but in the process we have much to learn and on earth we will never arrive at a place where we have it all in a bag without a desperate need to depend on His indwelling Spirit.
This pause in the action has allowed me to go deeper and see more of what the Lord's Character is all about. Prayerfully it has allowed the Holy Spirit to bring this servant more into conformity to His Character as well.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
So the question is , "Why, do you delay, Lord? What purpose is being served in this pause?"
I have no doubt that each day and each delay serves an eternal purpose in my life. Looking back, the Holy One reminds me of past places of desperation. Places where I thought I would just die if something didn't happen to change the situation.
He graciously points out that some of the greatest lessons providing the greatest spiritual growth spurts came during those mind bending days and delays of answers to prayer. This is one of those days and times. The Holy One speaks, "take every thought into the captivity of Christ."
But what does that mean? The fog starts to clear, as He directs me to 2 Corinth 10:5. "We demolish every argument and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
The scrutiny of the Holy Spirit begins to burn. "Some of your petitions lately have been off". Can our prayers be "off"? Jesus said in John 14, 15, 16, 17 things like, "If you love Me you will obey Me", "If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given." The command to love, the promise of peace, the last words and lessons emphasized before the return to His Heavenly Throne.
"Ask in My Name". The Name of Christ is power. It is His position and Character that is the power. Ending our petitions "in Jesus name" does not guarantee answers if those petitions violate His Character.
Wow! What a revelation and humiliation all at the same time. I am taken out of complaining about the delayed answers to a place of brokenness that my prayers may be asking my Lord to act against His Character in the answers I seek.
Lord what am I to do with the "pause"? The Holy Spirit takes me to Phil 4:4-8. Rejoice in the Lord, be anxious for nothing, be thankful in presenting my prayers and petitions and finally, think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable. excellent or praiseworthy.
As this directive and my obedience to it begins to take affect, the Holy One opens my mind to the way and the prayer that has violated my Lord's Character and in repentance, I am permitted to retract and re-present my request.I am thankful the Holy Spirit speaks, teaches, and refines me. His burning scrutiny takes down one more layer of flesh.
At the very end of this hard word to my heart, He reminds me that in our relationship, we are still a team. The Lord has co missioned me to serve him and the word co-mission implies that I still have a part to play. The Lord's way is to commission His servant to do His will, but in the process we have much to learn and on earth we will never arrive at a place where we have it all in a bag without a desperate need to depend on His indwelling Spirit.
This pause in the action has allowed me to go deeper and see more of what the Lord's Character is all about. Prayerfully it has allowed the Holy Spirit to bring this servant more into conformity to His Character as well.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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