call

Continued ecstatic prayer

I have had many experiences in my prayer life where I have had moments of sickness over my sin, tears over my pride, joy from being with the Holy Spirit, and sheer happiness as I danced before my God for His grace and mercy in my life. I still remember the day our assistant pastor was being prayed for as he took a call to ministry in another province. I had been called to replace him and as I stood on the platform, it was if the anointing that had been on him, came on me, and it was so overwhelming, I had to leave the church sanctuary, hide in my office, and just cry. Amazing times. So when I read about Saul’s experience, I got it.

When Saul finished his ecstatic dancing and shouting, he went to the altar on the hill. – 1 Samuel 10:13 GNT

I think Saul enjoyed the solitude of the walk to Gibeah. So when he met the prophets it was a time to rejoice and worship God with all his might.

I am sure he had been praying the whole way for God to give him what he needed to rule well.

He knows that something has taken place in his life to change him and I am sure that even his prayer life that day changed too.

These are times when we can see that God wants to change the lives of so many. He is counting on my prayers to come to a place where I know they matter to the ones who do not know Him. I can see judgment coming, so instead of just watching it happen, I need to be interceding for the lost.

You cry out, ‘Sword of the Lord!

    How long will you go on slashing?

Go back to your scabbard,

    stay there and rest!’ – Jeremiah 47:6 GNT

I need to call out too, crying out for mercy. May God then show His salvation as I pray continually for those who do not know Him.

“It usually requires years of experience in petitionary prayer to get the perspective necessary to see some of the reasons for God’s timing. In some cases we realize that we needed to change before we were able to receive the request rightly or without harming ourselves. In other cases it becomes clear that the waiting brought us the thing we wanted and also developed in us a far more patient, calm, and strong temperament.” – Timothy Keller

The Holy Spirit calls

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When I think of Melchizedek blessing Abram, I have begun a practice of blessings others. Not that I think I am a priest of any kind, I just want to pray for a blessing on others.

May the Most High God, who made heaven and earth, bless Abram. – Genesis 14:19 GNT

When I think how Nehemiah built the wall, I think about how I can pray for missionaries around the world who need to be lifted before God in believing prayer. They are all working to share the gospel, though on different parts of it.

This is how the city wall was rebuilt.[a] The High Priest Eliashib and his fellow priests rebuilt the Sheep Gate, dedicated it, and put the gates in place. They dedicated the wall as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel. – Nehemiah 3:1 GNT

Only because I am thinking about it right now as a sending mission ministry, there are indirect workers that need prayer as well. The donors, the passionate world changers, and those who want to enlighten the minds of those who need it are some whom we often fail to recognise. There is work everywhere and so I rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit on where to go.

I think about the Holy Spirit’s role in calling Barnabas and Saul.

While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul, to do the work to which I have called them.”

They fasted and prayed, placed their hands on them, and sent them off. – Acts 13:2-3 GNT

I love the fact that the call came – as they were serving the Lord. Is this not the work of all who follow Jesus? Does it not involve worship, praise, prayer, listening to and honouring God?

I believe they fasted as they were determining exactly where the Holy Spirit was calling them.

“We are not called to choose between a Christian life based on truth and doctrine or a life filled with spiritual power and experience. They go together. I was not being called to leave behind my theology and launch out to look for ‘something more,’ for experience. Rather, I was meant to ask the Holy Spirit to help me experience my theology.” – Timothy Keller