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This...
Changes Everything!
by Captain Scott
Strissel
This... Changes
Everything!
by Captain Scott
Strissel
“The divine breath evokes divine harmonies.” General
Frederick Coutts
My Dear Salvationists,
Are there not days when you feel tired, worn and spent?
Are there not moments when circumstances and reality hit you square
between the eyes and you can’t help but wonder about where you
breaking point might be?
Are there not moments when you leave home
long before the sun rises and finally enter your home once
again well after the sun has gone to bed?
This fight is not a fight that we will win on our own.
What fight you ask? It is the fight against sin. It is the fight
against injustice. It is the fight against poverty; the fight
we as Christ-followers engage in every day. We
will never be strong enough on our own, yet pride-fully we
attempt such feats only to find discouragement and loss. We
cannot defeat the enemy, who is the father of lies and the
bondages of sin -- on our own. We are not the source of
strength, we never were. We were not created to be islands
unto ourselves, self-sustaining and without need of help.
Our weapons of war are provided to us.
God the Father sent His Spirit to guide and to provide.
He alone has the power to equip us in these battles we fight.
The battles are far from over.
They are turbulent and many casualties within our ranks
have occurred; yet, because of His great love and His love for
those who are lost, we carry on.
You might be wondering, “So
what changes everything?”
What is the tipping point within the war?
What is our secret weapon you ask?
It is the POWER OF PRAYER!
Our power comes from the One who sends us out into the fray.
Our power comes from a band of soldiers bound together in holy
prayer, without personal benefit, but for the purpose of
upholding one another within the very hands of God. Our power
resides in His Holy Presence as it sustains us in the darkest
moments, and in the direst of circumstances. He is but a
whisper away and will come to our aid even before we ask Him.
The real key to this Divine power is our faith and allegiance.
Here are some difficult, personal questions we should ask
ourselves:
Do we sincerely believe He can still perform miracles in our world,
in our lives?
Do we sincerely believe that God will answer, or even hear our
prayers?
Do we humbly incline our hearts and ears to listen to the answers
that He whispers to us?
Are we prepared to move when He sends us?
Are we ready to act and speak when we prompts us?
The true power of prayer resides within His provision as well as
our receiving and believing.
The receptacle has to accept that which is given in order for the
light to shine.
So how is your heart today?
Do you firmly believe God has orders for you?
Are you ready to humbly accept those orders?
What of your brother or sister alongside you in this war?
Will you make it a matter of discipline and bring them daily before
the throne of God in prayer?
Can you commit to encouraging and lifting up one another?
Forget about Church politics, policies and procedures, the jostling
for political powers that occur within any Church…Instead;
simply and fervently pray.
It is quite astounding that we often times treat prayer as some
sort of last resort in our spiritual arsenal, when it is our
front-line. The disciplined solider MUST intentionally
seek out this front-line weapon that is prayer. It
ought not remain a knee-jerk response to times of crisis;
because if we gird (arm) ourselves and bath ourselves along
with our fellow comrades in this Holy power, we will be
equipped and baptized in His Holy Presence.
Prayer changes everything…if we
will proactively employ its power
before the daily
battles begin.
Questions to ponder today:
How can I employ the power of prayer before I engage the world each
day?
Am I lifting up my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ (in and
out of uniform)?
Have I, in the past, only resorted to reactive prayer when
everything else had failed (my last resort)?
Prayer:
Oh that my utterances in prayer be for You alone dear Lord.
That my heart and its intentions are bowed low before Your
throne.
Gird this way, the path that you have set before me.
Baptize me again in Your Holy presence
Fill me a new today.
-Amen
www.pastorsponderings.org
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