To God be all the glory for all the things He has done.
He has shown His grace and glory to the Israelites through the generations; He has demonstrated His Grace and Truth upon them through their wandering, through their time under judges and then kings; He has shown faithfulness to them, even when they were dragged out of Judah and Israel, to the kingdoms who conquered them… and I could go on, but I think all of this just continues to prove that His faithfulness endures forever – to the nation of Israel, and especially to us, the body of Christ.
He has displayed His faithfulness throughout hundreds and thousands of years, and we know that here and now, He continues to project and demonstrate His faithfulness to us, as He will be faithful in the days and years to come, to the end of time and beyond.
The conviction of the Holy Spirit is towards one and all – and I have reason to believe that He convicts the entire world, regardless of social ranking, tongue, color, tribe, nationality, belief system, etc.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin – sin that entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, sin whose wages is death. All that leads to death in this world is a result of sin.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness – that is, right-standing and full reconciliation with the one true God, free for all who confess with their mouths and believe in their hearts that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
Finally, the Holy Spirit convicts all of us of judgment – the end of sin and the vindication of righteousness.
And while these concepts may seem fleeting, it could all be condensed into Christ’s words to John on Patmos: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.Revelation 3:20
Considering our discussion on the altars of Isaac and Elijah, leading to the events of Pentecost, I believe my prayer, desire and expectation in the coming days is for the voice of Christ to sound off louder, for the conviction of the Holy Spirit to be projected even greater, for the glory of the Lord to be seen that much more in all Creation;
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
We thank the Lord, because as it is written, He is faithful – all temptation that comes our way is not beyond what we are able; We have the Word to speak and to meditate on, as Christ responded to temptation, and with the Word we also have God-given means to escape.
Praise God, because the stakes are high, and the presence of temptation only confirms this. We soldier on. We keep on moving ever forward with the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.
We submit to God, we resist the devil, and the devil flees from us.
We live by the Word of God. We do not tempt the Lord, our God. We worship God, and God alone.
And sure as Elijah was ministered to in the wilderness, and just as Christ was ministered to after the devil tempted Him… So the Word comes to life in us, and the Spirit enforces His presence around us.
Commercial over. Thank You, Lord.
Anyway, I was about to say that yesterday, I talked to my Mom on the way to church. I mentioned Psalm 37:4 – ‘Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.‘
So I asked her – what were the desires the Lord placed in her own heart? She didn’t take too long to answer, ‘peace‘. Peace of mind for others, as she has peace of mind, no matter what happens. I said I agreed with her and now that I mention it, I do pray she does get the desire of her heart.
In light of what I’ve been writing about here, and what the enemy is apparently trying to derail me from getting to, I’m inclined to say that the desire placed in my heart can actually be found in Elijah’s prayer, before the altar soaked 12 times over:
“LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.“
I am a bit selfish about this because I specifically want certain people in my heart and mind to be exposed to the distinct, absolutely powerful voice of Christ, the greater projection of the complete constant conviction of the Holy Spirit, and to the glory of the Lord seen that much more in all Creation, even in the most complicated and confounding of circumstances.
In the name of Jesus, I pray with the body of Christ, for eyes and ears to be opened, for hearts to be softened, for minds to be calmed, that the souls of all I care for and love would be brought to godly sorrow and/or the goodness of God, leading them to repentance.
I pray with the body of Christ, for boldness and peace beyond human understanding, that we would be ready in and out of season with the words of our testimony;
I pray, in the name of Jesus, for the power of the Holy Spirit, to confound, foil and completely derail the plans and the schemes of the enemy to steal, kill and destroy.
Now, as in always, no weapon formed against God’s beloved shall prosper. No curses said against His beloved shall come to pass.
Now, as in always, the Lord is faithful to work all things for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to His purpose.
Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Everything reminds us of the love of our Father. And it is all because of Christ, in whom there is no condemnation, only reconciliation.
Come as a Flame and a Flood, great Holy Spirit. We need You.
I need You in all of my concerns, my anxieties, my frustrations, my desires, my joy, my pain, my preferences, in all that has been made new, in all that is changing, in all of my being and all concerning my being.
I need You in my heart, my mind, my past, present and future. In my family and all I hold dear.
I need You in our ministry, in our church, and in all You have given me charge over.
I need You, Holy Spirit. Come as Wind upon our city, our province, our country, our region, our continent, our world. Come to Your church in these days, weeks, months and years.
Again, open eyes and ears, and let Your glory be known distinctly in all things.
Holy Spirit, reveal Your power and peace, that paths would be cleared, doors would be opened that ties that were cut would be restored; That wells would be opened, that opinions that don’t matter fall in favor of opinions that lead to life;
Reveal Your power, that we would see beyond what we think is necessary in our immediate surroundings. Reveal Your peace upon our troubled and anxious hearts, our dormant and desensitized souls, and our overstimulated, distracted, diverted minds.
Pour out Your blessings! Pour out Your healing, in minds, bodies, souls, relationships, memories, pour it all out, Lord!
Oh, Lord, all for the unity of Your body, the expansion of Your kingdom, and for the utmost glory of Your name!
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
He is worthy to be praised and adored!
So we lift up holy hands in one accord,
singing blessed be the name,
blessed be the name,
blessed be the name of the Lord!
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