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Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I read and pray from the Psalms almost every day. Sometimes I get stuck . . .  I’m sure you have experienced it too. There are certain verses that stop me in my tracks–even when I have read them many times before. A few days ago I had one of those experiences.I love Psalm 25 because it is a prayer that comes from David’s gut–his pain over his own youthful sin and his awareness that the consequences of his sin have brought difficult circumstances his way. It is a psalm I can relate to in very personal ways as I look back over my past and present sinfulness, and then trust in the grace-filled mercy of the Father to forgive and redeem my struggles for His good purposes. David’s psalm gives me great hope for the future, even as I reflect upon God’s goodness to me in the past. So, as I began to read the psalm recently, I couldn’t move beyond the first verse: “To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.” It made me ask the question, “What does it mean to lift up my soul to God?” I considered the fact that I am made up of body (my physical being), spirit (the part of me that connects with God through the spiritual realm) and soul (my mind, will and emotions). I am a soul with a spirit. My soul is the part of me that is tempted consistently to sin…using my body to carry it out through my words, thoughts or actions. It is my spirit that touches the heart of God and the place where He can heal my sin sickness and set me upon the path of following Jesus more fully. Lifting up my soul to God means that I willingly give Him my sinfulness that has been set in motion by my mind, will or emotions. Immediately my thoughts went to an old African American spiritual, “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” The first verse says: Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work’s in vain, But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. Such good theology! It is the Holy Spirit that renews and revives our sin-sick souls. Our Great Physician is an amazing Soul Healer! How grateful I am to know that when my soul has led me into sin or is considering sinful behavior, if I will allow it, my spirit can engage the heart of God for forgiveness and healing. He can also give me the strength and power to resist. When I am discouraged, afraid, threatened, etc. He is always there to bring comfort, protection and encouragement. The consequences of sin always remain, but God is there with me in the midst of those consequences…sad that I have chosen a path that led me away from Christlikeness. Watchman Nee* says that the spirit is meant to be the part of me that is the strongest; however, my soul must submit to my spirit rather than give in to the impulse to sin. This is where my free will comes in. I am free to choose which way I will go. Nee also teaches that the body is world-consciousness, the soul is self-consciousness and the spirit is God-consciousness. This is very helpful as I recognize that prayer involves all three of these elements! If the spirit rules the other two, I am most aligned with the plans and purposes of God. Lifting up my soul is submitting my soul to God in prayerfulness, asking Him to intervene in my mind, will, emotions as well as my physical body – whatever has led to the situation or mental state in which I find myself. I am trying to cultivate more occasions when I lift up my soul to God in thankfulness and praise! Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes quickly to mind and is probably the most amazing example of this kind of praying! In Luke 1:46-47, “Mary said: ‘My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.’” In this passage, Mary also delineates between her soul and her spirit. Her mind, will and emotions exalted the Lord and her spirit, the part of her being that connects with the spiritual realm rejoiced in God her Savior. And, she was also submitting her body to be used for a holy purpose that would change the course of history and provide for the salvation of mankind. I can involve all parts of my being in this prayer relationship (body, soul and spirit); however, I must choose to do so. If my soul does not yield to the spirit continually, I am in danger of sin and worldliness. Soul Prayers from Psalm 25 After pondering how to lift up my soul to God, I felt that God was leading me to step into a season of prayer using the rest of Psalm 25 as a guide. Here are some of the prayers I engaged in and hope will be useful to you as well: Trust God to Keep You from Sin (Psalm 25:2-3): “O my God, in You I trust, do not let me be ashamed; do not let my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed; those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.”  Thank You, Father, that I can place my complete trust in You to keep my soul pure and holy. Continue to guide me so that I will never be ashamed of my behavior, words or thoughts. I praise You that if I will wait for You and seek after Your heart, I will never be ashamed. Seek the Guidance of God (Psalm 25:4-5): “Make me know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day.” Keep me from running after my own wisdom, Father. May I humbly keep my heart firmly upon Your path as You teach me Your truth and embed it into my soul more and more each day.  Ask God to forgive and forget your sins from the past because of His compassion and lovingkindness (Psalm 25:6-7, 10-11):  “Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your lovingkindness remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O LORD…All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.”  Loving Lord, how amazed I am each day for Your kind and generous provision of Jesus, who gave up His very life to allow my sins to be washed away. Petition the Lord for deliverance (Psalm 25:15-18): From the evil intentions of others (v. 15) “My eyes are continually toward the Lord, for He will pluck my feet out of the net.” From loneliness and affliction (v. 16) “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” From trouble and distress of the heart (v. 17) “The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.” From the sins that have caused the afflictions and trouble (v. 18) “Look upon my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.” One last prayer of deliverance returns yet again to the soul…the place where my Psalm 25 journey began is also the place where it ends! In order to continually lift our souls to the Lord, we must ask God to guard our souls, for our mind, will and emotions can be our undoing apart from His help: “Guard my soul and deliver me; do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You” (Psalm 25:20-21). The evil that so strongly attempts to way-lay us can only be thwarted by the power of the Holy Spirit moving upon our souls. We must wait upon the Lord, and continually seek Him so that He may preserve us with integrity and uprightness.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries At a staff gathering recently, I was asked which Bible character was a real hero to me. My immediate answer was Moses, not so much because of his amazing miracles or leadership ability, but because of his intimacy with God. Again and again in Scripture we see Moses in wonderfully intimate conversation with his God. Exodus 33:7-11 is an excellent example of why Moses is a hero of mine: “Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it ‘the tent of meeting.’ Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” I believe there is much in this story that can help each of us grow in our intimate relationship with God. The Discipline of a Place Moses had a regular place where he met with God. He took the time and effort to pitch a tent, which he even called “the tent of meeting,” outside the camp. There are several important items in this passage that might escape our attention if we don’t look carefully. Note the habit: “Moses used to” (v. 7). This was a regular discipline for Moses. He didn’t have an idea to just one day pitch a tent. It was the discipline of having a place to meet with God. I think it is also important to recognize that he had this tent erected outside the camp. It was not in the middle of the hustle and bustle of everyday life . . . but outside the camp. Walking with God in the midst of all of life is important, but to draw near in intimacy, we will all need quiet places where we can withdraw and spend uninterrupted time alone with the Lord. The Priority of a Leader The time that Moses spent in the tent was obvious to the people. They all knew when their leader was going to spend time consulting with God. Moses made this a priority in his life as a leader of the people of God. It would amaze many leaders today to know how much their people desire that their pastor spend much time in intimacy with the Lord. It is of great comfort to God’s people to know that the priority of their leaders is to walk close to God. The Passion for the Presence The tent of meeting was a very visible sign to Moses of the fulfillment of God’s promise that He would go with them. Moses had begged God not to send them anywhere apart from His presence. So here, in this very portable prayer room, Moses came to spend face-to-face time with God. Moses was a man with a passion for the presence of God and the visible expression of that passion was coming to this obvious place of meeting. The Visibility of Power You can’t hide a life hidden with God. By its very nature, a life of spiritual intimacy and prayer is quiet and doesn’t cry out for attention, but the transformation it brings to an individual’s life begins to cry out with power. Here is an old man (Moses) trudging through the camp to a tent out beyond the others. He’s just going to pray, but the times of intimate fellowship have triggered the power of God in a visible way. As Moses walks into the tent, the heavens open and a pillar of cloud descends to guard the door to the tent. No one is going to disturb this prayer time. The people are watching. Nothing is done in secret. The power of God has come into their midst because their leader has begun to pray. How desperate the Church is today for men and women of God who regularly come to the tent of meeting! How we long to see the pillar of God’s presence descend into our camps because a godly leader has come to meet with his God!   The Response of the People When Moses went to talk with God, the people of Israel paid attention. As he walked to the tent, all along the way the people stood, I believe, both in honor and in anticipation. Something is going to happen! Indeed, as Moses goes into the tent, the pillar of cloud descends. As the people in the camp begin to discern God’s visible presence, they begin to worship outside their tents. The prayer of this man of God has prompted great worship among his people toward their God. We are not Israel in the desert today. Moses’ tent of meeting became the Tabernacle, which became the Temple, which–in awe we say it–which has become us. We are now the meeting place of God. Our very bodies have become His Temple (1 Cor. 3:16). Emmanuel, God with us, has taken up residence within us through His Spirit. We need to be careful that this truth is present reality in our lives and not just theological belief. In many ways, we have privileges that Moses could not have imagined. He had to walk outside the camp to a tent to talk with God. We have the privilege of talking with God wherever we are. Amazing! Amazing grace of God that He has come to dwell in us! The challenge is simple. Don’t read a story like this and say, “Oh, wouldn’t it have been great like Moses to meet with God in the tent of meeting?” Today, wherever you go, your tent of meeting goes with you. If we will wake up and realize the amazing gift God has given us through Jesus, we can walk in this great intimacy each day and once again, the world will see the life of God lived out through His (new) covenant people.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Every morning I try to pray, “Father, show me how to be more like Jesus Christ today so that You will be glorified!” Knowing that every day I will fall short of this goal, I take joy in the smallest victories to this end! My flesh loves to be in control and clings to anxiety with stubborn pride. However, God’s Word faithfully restores my confidence in His ability to transform my heart and life! Andrew Murray stated, “When God gives the Holy Spirit, His great object is the formation of a holy character. It is a gift of a holy mind and spiritual disposition, and what we need above everything else is to say: ‘I must have the Holy Spirit sanctifying my whole inner life if I am really to live for God’s glory.’” Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the voice of Christ within me speaks. Moment by moment I must bring my sinful thoughts, actions and words to Him as quickly as they arise so that gradually they will give way to His thoughts, actions and words. I pray to be less, even though everything prideful in me seeks attention and recognition. This is not an easy struggle, but growing up in Christ is a narrow path burdened with worldly distractions and insidious idolatry that sets itself up against the transformational work of God. It is a battle that can only be won in the spiritual realm–not by my own determination and desire. Without dying to my flesh, the formation of this holy character cannot be evident in me. Paul recognized that God’s children are susceptible to the deception of darkness without complete faith and trust in the One who created us and knows us best. Therefore, in his letter to “God’s holy people” in the city of Colosse, he shares a powerful prayer that, prayed for our lives and the lives of others, will transform us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ: “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:9-12). There is much to be gleaned for our everyday life from the purposes of Paul’s prayer. How we, God’s people, need to be filled with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. So often we struggle in the flesh to know the will of God, yet do we ever ask to be filled with the knowledge of His will? What a powerful prayer request! “Father, fill me with the knowledge of Your will for my life through all spiritual wisdom and understanding!” Still, it is important to recognize that the term “spiritual wisdom” in our culture has been horribly abased. Not everything with this label is Christian in nature. We must be vigilant to ask the Father to fill us, and those for whom we are interceding, with Holy Spirit wisdom through the very mind of Christ, so that we may have a clear and perfect understanding of His will for us! The result? Those for whom we pray will begin to live lives worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way by bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, and being strengthened with all power according to the glorious might of God! Here we will begin to see the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit moving within and throughout our day to day lives. Is there anyone who would not want such a prayer of blessing and power? Paul prays for the believers to be strengthened so that they might have great endurance and patience to withstand whatever struggles, trials or persecutions might come. Why? So that they might be able joyfully to give thanks to God in the midst of their day-to-day lives–whatever may come! I am eager to give thanks to the Father when I am comfortable and life is going well; however, only His supernatural strength upholds my joy when that is not the case! How many believers do you know who need the courage of God in their lives right now to endure a trial? Isn’t it a powerful encouragement to see those saints who are able to live in full joy and confidence in the midst of pain or difficulty? Pray that God will give you and other believers such strength, so that we may joyfully give thanks to God, who has qualified us “to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” The way of holiness is to walk in the way of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we pray the powerful word of God into our everyday lives, and crucify our fleshly desires to lean into the desires of our Father, we will live more fully within the kingdom of His light. We will know the will of God for our lives, and please Him in every way. We will be given His strength and be sustained by joy and thanksgiving! May the formation of a holy character continue in us all for the glory of God!

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I am on a journey to narrow the gaps of unawareness of Christ’s Presence within me so that the truth of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 can take root in my spirit and grow to fullness. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” If it is God’s will for me to rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give thanks in the midst of all of my circumstances, then I need a complete transformation of my heart, mind and will! I have sensed God urging me to make my life a prayer to live in such a way that a spirit of prayerfulness rooted in worship and gratefulness invades every moment. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). What would it be like to have every moment filled with living out the amazing truth that He is in me and I am in Him? My whole life would be a constant prayer for I would be in continual communion with the One I love, and who loves me more than I can ever comprehend. The issue, of course, is how to do this in a practical way in my daily living. To live my life as a continual prayer demands a battle with my flesh. The Battle with Flesh I have heard of people who have set alarms to draw themselves back into awareness of the presence of God. That seems like a good idea. But I have the Holy Spirit to remind me of all things. So I have begun to ask Him to infuse me with continual awareness! I know this is possible because I am not in the realm of the flesh, but in the realm of the Spirit . . . and the Spirit lives in me as Romans 8:9 tells me: “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you.” The living Word of God, Jesus Christ, lives within me, and Scripture compels me to live my life in Him: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him” (Colossians 2:6). As rejoicing and thankfulness take root in my spirit, I will become equipped to offer my body as a living sacrifice for His sake. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2). As I ponder this, it seems the most practical thing I can do is to humbly and earnestly call upon the indwelling Spirit of God to meet me in every moment, mundane or significant, joyful or sad, peace-filled or fearful, quiet or filled with turmoil. He is God, and He lives within me! Father, may I truly be transformed so that Your perfect will is shaped within me for the purposes of Your kingdom.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6). Do you find that you are sometimes easily sidetracked from the importance of an issue at hand by small, insignificant things that can cause you to lose your focus completely?  I am very susceptible to such distractions, especially when I am attempting to attend to my soul. For instance, it is a simple thing to be intent upon sitting in the lovely company of the Father, only to find that something left undone on my “to do” list can quickly yank me out of His presence. My ultimate goal is to be so fixed upon Jesus that nothing can keep me from seeking more of Him once He and I are in the midst of a sweet time of communion. Here are some prayer strategies I have learned that can help you remain in the Presence of God without allowing the persistent annoyances of life to intrude, even if you are in the middle of them. When practiced regularly, they can allow your love relationship with the Father through prayer to be embedded into the natural flow of life. Let’s focus on seeking God in silence in the ordinary moments of life: Submit your mind to God. “To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart and there to stand before the face of the Lord, ever present, all seeing within you.” –Theophan the Recluse When our minds are separated from our hearts through the busyness of life, it is difficult to be continually present to God. If we desire to hear His voice and seek Him continually, we must learn how to submit our minds to Him at the level of our hearts, silencing the din around us. To do this, bring all of your worries, stresses, situations, relationships, work, needs, joys, sorrows, etc. to the Father in a prayer of the heart. Like an open book, stand before the One who lives within you through the power of the Holy Spirit. If your purpose is to seek Him, and to draw near to Him, then your heart is the location of that meeting. Your priority is to submit your activity, work and feelings to Jesus. How is this possible? How do you come near to God in this way? What kind of posture, position or mindset will draw you into His presence? This is not an easy practice and takes intentional discipline. It is in silence that you surrender to His kingdom purposes for you. When you still your noisy thoughts and quiet our driven ambitions, you are able to meet face to face with the Lord! You are able to call on Him while He is near, because there is nothing blocking your communion. His full attention is on you at all times, but now your full attention is also on God. Close yourself off from distractions. If you practice stillness before God in the midst of the noise around you, taking time to close ourselves off from the distractions of the moment you are in, you will be able to hear the Father speak in your yieldedness. It may mean finding a quiet place to spend a few minutes alone in order to block out the din around you. Or, it may mean putting on some headphones or inserting earplugs. Taking time to be still in silence takes much practice. But the results will be invaluable to your souls. As you listen, God may give words of comfort, encouragement, conviction, etc. Or, perhaps He will just sit with you in a way that you know you have been in His Presence, even for a moment . . . and that will be enough. Write down the distractions to deal with later. It is so easy when intending to be still, to be distracted by thoughts, ideas, issues that need to be dealt with, etc. As you are practicing silence, quickly write down whatever distracts you. You can deal with them at the appropriate time. By doing this you are better able to listen to the heart of God. Here you are practicing the truth of 2 Corinthians 10:5: “Taking every thought . . . captive to the obedience of Christ.” “In silence, you leave the many to be with the One.”–Mama Maggie Gobran

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I love a good rain in the summer–especially after it has been awhile since we have had a downpour. Rain changes so much. There is a fresh, sweet smell that comes with it, a coolness in the heat, and all vegetation perks up and greens up. It makes one feel good. Rain is also a metaphor for the pouring out of the Spirit in our lives and churches. When our souls become parched and dry spiritually, we need something to fill them with fresh spiritual vigor. We need rain. What is the rain we so long for and need? Ultimately, it is the Lord’s presence. Jesus Himself spoke of the living water that we would need in our lives. The Scripture speaks of “times of refreshing” (Acts 3:19). Such a time as this is not so much an experience as it is a Person. It is waking up to the presence of Christ in our lives. The prophet Hosea spoke of this spiritual rain: “Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth” (Hos. 6:3). Whether we are asking for ourselves, our church, or our nation, Hosea chapter 10 gives us what we need to do to end drought and prepare for rain: “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you” (Hos. 10:12): 1. “Sow for yourselves righteousness.” Both Old and New Testaments teach us the spiritual principles that you reap what you sow. If you plant wheat, you do not harvest corn. If you plant immorality, you will harvest immorality. Many people, including us at times, sow greed, pleasure, immorality, and self-centeredness . . . and as a result, we reap the results of that. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for the church, and us as believers, to join with society in reaping the same damaging seed. God’s Word says to sow righteousness–sow right things. We must speak right things, watch right things, read right things, and do right things. The Bible becomes the means for us to see what those right things are. God’s Word gives us a standard for righteousness. Righteousness is not what seems right to a man, but what is right to God. If you want to move past spiritual dryness, check what you are sowing. If you are sowing damaging seed here and there, stop. Sow right things! 2. “Reap the fruit of unfailing love.” When righteousness has been sown, we will naturally begin to harvest the fruit of unfailing love. God loves everyone, but the fruit, the benefits of that love, come to those who are moving to establish God’s righteousness as the standard for their lives. There are many unclaimed blessings. One of the most neglected is the fruit of unfailing love. It only comes to those who have sown righteousness in their lives. As you sow righteousness, you should start to see clear signs of God’s love at work in your life. Recognize them, and praise the Lord for them. Watch what that does to your parched soul! 3. “Break up your unplowed ground.” Unplowed ground has a hard time receiving rain. Sun-scorched, baked earth forms a hard crust. When rain comes, it simply runs off hard ground rather than soak in to soften it. Unplowed ground is a picture of the unrepentant life. The rain of God’s righteousness will not soak in and change a life that is hard and unrepentant. So the command here is: “Repent! Change! Go a different direction!” That is always God’s call to those seeking revival. Today so many who seek revival, the rain from heaven, seem to want just good feelings or nice meetings. However, the good things of revival come only after times of tears and repentance. God’s command is to break up the hard, unplowed ground of your lives before you will see the rain of revival. Ask God to break up the hard ground of your heart. Repent of those things that keep your heart hard. 4. “It is time to seek the Lord.” Those in periods of spiritual dryness often go looking for answers in many places. But God’s Word directs us to the only place where we can experience renewal–the rain of heaven–and it is to seek the Lord. Hosea 10:12 gives great hope to us today. When we have broken up the unplowed ground in repentance and begin to seek the Lord with all our heart, then the promise comes. It is the Lord Himself who comes in response to a repentant, seeking heart, ready to shower His righteousness upon us. It is Jesus Himself in the midst of His people, receiving our worship, and showering upon us the blessings of His Presence. A simple, but continual remembrance–and practice–of these four steps can keep your heart always soft before Him. You will experience the rain of His Presence on a regular basis in your life.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Because this is a devotional on peace, it is embarrassing to admit that sometimes I have some anxiety. It can especially hit me at night when I am trying to sleep. If I’m not careful it can develop into a full-blown panic attack. I feel like I can’t stay in bed or I’ll suffocate. There have been times when I find myself up pacing through the house in the middle of the night trying to understand how a Christian who walks in peace can experience such an appalling lack of peace. I’m not a psychologist who can dissect all the possible reasons for this, but in my own life I know that sometimes, I simply have not accepted the peace of God into a place of permanence in my life. I can read scriptures that speak of peace without stopping to pray and I can give God thanks for His peace without allowing it to settle into the very depths of who I am. I am asking the Holy Spirit to bring my heart to a place where God’s peace permeates my heart, mind and soul continually. I would also suggest to you that sometimes the lack of peace is an outworking of the spiritual warfare that surrounds us. Jesus described Satan as a thief. One of the things Satan often tries to steal from me is peace. If my peace is only an emotional attachment, then it becomes easy for the enemy to steal it from me with just a bit of physical discomfort or stirring up my mind with thoughts not from the Lord. So what do I do when I find myself wandering the house at night, unable to sleep because of a lack of peace? I go to the Word of God and begin to pray one of the many passages that speak of the peace of God. God’s Word doesn’t present peace as simply the absence of hostility or somehow some state of nirvana we have achieved through meditation. Instead, Scripture ties peace to the presence of God Himself. That’s why I believe that walking in peace becomes a clear sign of someone who is experiencing the revival that comes from God’s presence. One of my favorite Scriptures to pray at night is Psalm 4:8. “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” The very ability to lie down and sleep is one of the benefits of peace. Regardless of outward circumstances or inner turmoil, the peace of God gives us the ability to rest in Him. This verse equates peace with the phrase, “for you alone, LORD.” God’s peace is the practical outworking of the Lord’s presence in our lives. He is the one who makes us dwell in safety. This is an amazing gift of God that is to be accepted and embraced. Note: This is taken from the Introduction of Dave’s 30-day devotional, Prayer, Peace, and the Presence of God.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Saturday, October 7, 2017, is marked in my mind and heart as one of the most extraordinary days I’ve ever experienced. My wife and I were in Washington, D.C. for the Awaken the Dawn days of worship and prayer. Though there was a main stage and some really great worship leaders and speakers, that’s not what I will carry with me the rest of my life. What impacted me most were 58 tents, one for each state, along with tents for regions and Israel, all of them filled with Christ followers who worshiped and prayed 24 hours a day over the course of three days. Again and again as I walked through our National Mall, I was struck by the extraordinary nature of unending prayer and worship in the heart of our nation. In the center of our Capitol, where power is often an idol, Jesus was continually worshiped. Most of the time it was a small group with a guitar or keyboard in a small tent, though sometimes a louder and larger group in one of the regional tents grabbed my attention. But wherever I went, it was Jesus who was exalted. It was absolutely overwhelming! And then there was prayer! Not just in the tents, but all over the Mall. People grabbing each other and asking how they could pray for each other. Prayer circles everywhere. These weren’t part of some leader’s plan, but the work of the Spirit of God prompting the Lord’s people to intercede for one another, as well as for those walking by who didn’t know Jesus. From Friday afternoon through Monday morning, a spirit of prayer prevailed in our nation’s Capitol. I was also moved by the lack of promotion. You could have asked virtually anyone there, “What ministry or organization is leading this event?,” and you would have gotten a shrug of the shoulders. God gave a vision for this to a young man named David Bradshaw and then God moved many ministries and individuals to come alongside. That made this one of those rare events where only Jesus got credit and was exalted. So now what? I’m praying that the principle of the tents moves across America. It doesn’t have to be in a tent, but it is the principle of unending worship and prayer that is firmly focused on Jesus. Will this be a lasting movement? Is this the beginning of revival? It certainly can be. It has all the marks of revival. If we can avoid self-promotion and continue to make it all about Jesus. If we keep seeing extraordinary worship and prayer that is unending and Christ exalting . . . we just may be seeing that for what so many have longed, for such a long time: a new Christ Awakening in our nation! Check out Awaken the Dawn here! The movement continues!

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Though unwanted, fear seems to be a universal part of life. And yet, over and over again, scripture teaches us that we should not be afraid. It’s no wonder that the enemy of our souls, Satan, utilizes fear so effectively among the people of God. Reaction to fear varies from person to person, but fears that are not dealt with can bring damage and paralysis to a life. An example would be the individual with acrophobia (a fear of heights) who may be paralyzed with terror when faced with being in a tall building, or even climbing a small ladder. That’s just one example of many of how fear can bind us and keep us from a fulfilled, joyful life. For others, it is more anxiety and worry than full-blown fear; however, it seems to sideline believers in a similar way. Christians should and often do, turn to the Lord and ask Him to take away their fears. That is a simple request and really is something we can do in full assurance since the Lord does not want us to live in fear. One of the most common commands in scripture from the Lord is: “Fear not!” Where difficulty enters in is when we pray, asking for fear to be removed, and nothing seems to happen. We find ourselves as paralyzed by fear as before we prayed. What happened? Or rather, what didn’t happen and why? There are probably many answers that have to do with our unwillingness to let go of fear. But I believe God’s Word gives us a wonderful way to bypass the blocks to removing fear and receive great peace. David’s prayer in Psalm 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears,” contains the key: “I sought the Lord.” His desire was not so much for fears to be relieved as it was to experience the presence of the Lord. He sought God, not just what God would do for him or give him. It’s a pure prayer that focuses on the Lord and brings delight to God’s heart. What about the fear issue? David made it clear that when he sought the Lord, the Lord delivered him from all his fears. Just like a parent coming into the room of a fearful child, that’s the natural response to the presence of our Heavenly Father. It’s just as Jesus taught us, if we seek Him first, then many good things will follow. As you seek the Lord and enjoy His presence, you will find that your fears have subsided and peace has taken their place. If we seek Him first rather than first asking Him to take away our fear…perhaps we will more and more experience the absence of fear in our lives.

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Silence is very difficult . . . yet, it is in this place where God can choose to speak or not to speak and I am still able to know He is near because of the promise of His word in James 4:8 (“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”). Scripture is very clear that God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) dwells within those who believe and who have entered into relationship with the Living Jesus. It takes time to release thoughts, troubles, etc. and simply be present to God so that He is able to connect with me. God can most certainly speak any way He wishes–even in the busiest, loudest moments of life. But I hear better when I take care to purposefully disentangle myself from every distraction and be still. This means putting my cell phone far away, shutting the lid to my computer, and just getting completely alone. I can be confident that my silence is prayer that God hears–I am telling my Father that He has center stage. He alone is holy, holy, holy. He is worthy above anyone or anything I could choose to engage with in this moment. I choose Him. My silence releases the ache of my heart to be close and intimate with all that He is. In my silence, I am able to “be still and know that He alone is God” (Psalm 46:10). I know that my Father is good, kind, and very present to me. He wants to hear my heartbeat as much or even more than I want to hear His. He wants all of my prayer-filled attention, and to know that all of my distractions have been set aside to allow His glory to fill the temple of the Holy Spirit that He has created for Himself. The prayer of silence speaks from a yieldedness that cannot be accomplished more fully in any other form. It simply is for Him. His presence is all I need. In silence, I can remember that this is so. As I have mentioned, silence is not an easy way to be present to God in prayer. This discipline takes time and practice. It is much simpler to speak to Him with words. But sometimes the offering of my words does not always give Him an offering of myself. And just being quiet doesn’t mean prayer is taking place. Here are three ways to enable yourself to practice silent prayer: Remove distractions.  There is no way to enter into silent prayer when people, technology or visual/auditory stimuli are present. You can’t multi-task in silent prayer. You will need to find your silent prayer sweet spot with God alone. Cleanse yourself from sin.  Recognize any sinfulness in your life, submit it to God with a repentant heart and receive His forgiveness and cleansing. Take every thought captive.  The best way to do this is to turn your thoughts to the Father with a deep desire to minister to Him. Put your thoughts on His glory, His creation, His sacrifice, His mercy, etc. Silent prayer invites the mystery of God to come near. Take time to cultivate His presence in this way, and you will encounter His presence, power and peace in fresh ways. He will come near to you as you sacrifice all else for a desire to draw near to Him in the stillness.