Day 7

My husband and I are blessed to have two sons (ages 19 and 22 – hard to believe they’re/we’re that old already!). As a Mom I confess that I have worried over them from time to time. Coming from a long line of worriers in my family, it was kind of a badge of honor – good Moms worry – right? Having an ulcer meant that you were really good at it. However, there was a particular concern I had for one of them that I just couldn’t seem to ‘pray’ about enough. That concern sometimes woke me up at night, consumed my thoughts during the day and I poured it out to God day after day. Finally, I was too exhausted to pour out any more and so just stayed quiet before the Lord. That’s when HE finally had a chance through the still small voice of HIS Holy Spirit to ask me if I was truly praying TO HIM about my concerns or just worrying BEFORE HIM? Wow, that hit me right between the eyes. HE revealed to me that I hadn’t even really asked HIM for anything for my son, rather, I was stewing over how things could possibly work in the information/knowledge before us! Interestingly, the next morning, I read from Oswald Chambers book “My Utmost for His Highest” that worry was certainly NOT a badge of honor but rather the SIN of UNBELIEF – unbelief that God IS Sovereign, that He IS Good all the time and can bring good out of ANY circumstance IF we bring it to Him. Perhaps one of the things I love most about the Lord is that when He convicted me of this sin, I didn’t feel shame, guilt or defeat. He took my confession and invited me to see from HIS Perspective and Peace. That was over 4 years ago and God continues to affirm HE is truly enough for ALL that concerns my heart and has worked out that concern in beautiful ways I could have never imagined! Sin can be blatant, but it can also be very subtle….it’s just the change of one little letter of our focus: instead of focusing on the SON(the One who redeemed us, we were created through), we have changed our focus to SIN (I=Me, Myself, My world or even I=Idols – elevating someone or something to consume us other than God). I can’t say that I’m 100% cured of worrying, but I can sure recognize and confess it more quickly now and am learning to listen more and talk less in my prayer time!

What To Pray: For the Spirit of Fire

"Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy, all who are recorded among the living in Jerusalem. The Lord will wash away the filth of the women of Zion; He will cleanse the bloodstains from Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire" (Isaiah 4:3-4) A washing by fire! A cleansing by judgment! He that has passed through this fire will be called holy. The blessing for the world, the power of the work of intercession that will avail, depends upon the spiritual state of the church. That state can only be elevated as sin is discovered and repented of. Judgment must begin at the house of God. There must be conviction of sin before there can be sanctification. Call upon God to pour out His Spirit as a spirit of judgment and a spirit of fire-to reveal and consume sin in His people.

How To Pray: In the Name of Christ

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 14:13-14). Ask what you will in the name of your Redeemer. He waits to grant your request. Ask what He has promised, what He died for, that sin may be put away from among His people. Ask for a spirit of conviction of sin, for a spirit of fire. We cannot go wrong when we pray the Scriptures. We know we pray according to His will. He would prepare His people to minister to the world, and this is impossible as long as sin is present. Ask in faith; ask in His name. Pray that the church may prepare itself to be effective in its ministry to the world.

Your Own Prayer Request:

-“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24) Come before God as David did in this Psalm and allow HIS Holy Spirit to search your heart for any areas in your life where you may have substituted the SON for SIN…

-Pray for the Body of Christ to have ears to hear and hearts to receive the Father’s conviction of sin through His Holy Spirit – humbling ourselves so that HE would not have to….

-Practice listening to and fixing your focus on the Lord by asking HIM and then being still and waiting for HIS Holy Spirit to speak into your heart:
• How can I love You today?
• What act of worship can I do?
• What words can I utter that will honor and bless you?
• What act of service can I do to represent Your love today?
• How would Your Spirit inspire me to pray today?
Just like David, when we come to the Father and allow the Light of HIS Truth and Love to flood and magnify, we can learn to see from HIS Perspective, love with HIS heart, watch for ways HE might be inviting us to join HIM throughout the day and allow HIM to grow our love relationship with HIM so that we too, like David, may be called “(women) after God’s own heart.”