What Will I Do With What I Hear?

I feel the Spirit leading my prayer time in much of the same manner that I sensed last week.  I am still concerned about the lack of response to the Word of God and the presence of God as people gather to Worship God week after week.  Is it possible that we grow "comfortable" with these two spiritual powers and influences in such a way that we find it easy to push away the call that accompanies the presence of God?  Is it possible that we can learn to deny the fact the we "need" any more of God in our lives?  Is it possible that we can learn to ignore the fact that we "need" God each and every moment of our lives?  I am honestly trying to identify this spiritual enemy that is attacking the family of God.  The Apostle Paul reminds us that we need to be aware of the tactics of the enemy so that we might be able to respond in the appropriate manner to these tactics.  I will confess that the Spirit has identified some of these tactics during my prayer times over the past few days.  The Spirit also reminded me that these enemies are from the fallen spiritual realm rather than fleshly human beings.  The enemy may use carnal (fleshly) things to hinder us but the true culprit behind these attacks/hindrances is satan.  But we must always remember that Christ defeated satan and we can walk in the strength of that victory.

I read a prayer of Chuck Swindoll that I thought would be appropriate to share this morning.  I trust that each of us can pray this prayer over our lives and over our relationship with Christ.

"Our Father, we all struggle with weakness. We're reminded almost every day that we don't have it all together. We need You. We have heartaches and disappointments that haven't gone away . . . the grief of broken relationships, illnesses, and recent deaths. We invite You to enter in, Lord. Enter into all of that on our behalf. Through Your presence may we find relief and release from that which has bound us, tied us up within. We're able to take only so much, and sometimes we come to a virtual breaking point. In our times of physical and emotional weakness, we need Your comfort and Your strength.

We are also stalked by sin. We need Your grace. Sin has taken a terrible toll on the human condition. And though we are well-versed in every possible way of ignoring it or explaining it away, today we come to terms with it. Surely we have failed or fallen in some area just this week, and the ache of that nags us and troubles us—some needless words, some outburst of anger, some lingering resentment, or some caustic response. Lord, thank You for the blood of Christ that keeps on cleansing us from all sins, including these. Forgive us, our Father. Remove from us the enemy's desire to make us ashamed and to drag us under the load of that failure. May we remember that in Your grace You not only forgive, You wipe the slate clean. Thank You that You know our weakness and love us nevertheless.

In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen."