Have you noticed that God will show you something about Himself and then He will show you something about you? In anything He can be talking to you about, the pattern will show up. Himself and you, Himself and you. God wants us to know Him and He wants us to know ourselves. Lately, He has being showing me who He is through the study we are going through in small group. When God's People Pray by Jim Cymbala has a great wealth of godly wisdom. I have taken this course before and I was looking forward to it again because I knew I needed to be reminded of what God had taught me the first time through and I knew from other studies there is always more there than I can catch with just one drive through.
Jim said," Prayer isn't a neat little thing you control, the Holy Spirit births it." I have found this to be true in my own life. Only when God burdens my heart with specific people and specific problems do I have any endurance in my prayer time. It means that it becomes really important for me to stay an open vessel, free from sin, if I want to mature in my prayer walk with God. How can the Holy Spirit tell me who or what to pray for if I have grieved Him?
Touching God with one hand and touching the other person with the other hand is a great definition for intercessory prayer. I long to help others in that way. I become a bit scared though when Jim talks about the fact that it may get worse before it gets better. I don't like pain in my own life and I don't want those that I love in pain. God has had to walk me through that fear as it comes. I can't loose sight of the finish line. God is sovereign, it is true, but He is teaching me His promises are there for me to cling to in difficult times. Cymbala asks, "Do you give into a feeling or do you stand on the promises?" What God has been teaching me is if I give up praying because my feelings tell me things are hopeless, I give in too quickly. Charles Spurgeon has a good things to say on the subject. He says "Ask for great things because you are before a great throne. God, in all His glory, sits on the throne of grace. Dare we to say we mistrust Him? Shall we imagine He cannot or will not keep His promises?"
What is it I have learned about God? He is sovereign but He is also loving. Why else would He give us promises and tell us not to give up? (Luke 18:1), that God wants to grow my faith through what He gives me to pray. I have also learned that God is patient with teaching me my lessons. What have I learned about myself? I am quick to forget things I have learned from God, I am by nature quite a fear filled person, that I have not arrived when it comes to prayer, there is so much more to faith and to knowing God, that I am grateful for the signs that God is at work in me. So I ask myself what Jim asks, " Is there anything that hinders me from praying boldly with faith?"
• Prayer isn't a neat little thing you control, the Holy Spirit births it
• Intercessory Prayer: touching God with one hand and touching the person with the other
• Hold the promises - Cling tenaciously
• Be an open channel
• Ask for great things from a great God
• God does the counterintuitive