Ignite!
We look for the mountaintop experiences in life. However, we’re built for the battle in the valley of human need to which God has called us. It’s the staying quality that matters. From life’s valley of humiliation we reach up for God to rescue us from pain and shame. From the valley of humiliation God will remove all doubt…His power is made perfect in our weakness. According to Psalm 34:18-19, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
Peter Kling’s grand daughter Leslie, a police officer, was recently murdered in the line of duty. She and her family Jack, and Zachary, had just bought a new home in Hemet last year. Peter shared a message about seeing his grand daughter again in her “father’s mansion” where he as prepared a place for her.
The catastrophes of life drive us to our knees. These trying times cause us to run to the Lord and not away from him. Humiliation steals our sense of value that our earthly life amounts to anything. In the valley of humiliation the adversary will beat us down. The devil will remind me that in my flesh there is no good thing. However, Jesus said, come to me all of you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. God made children to be afraid of the dark. However there is nothing worse than grown men who fear the light. For the light came into the world and men rejected the light because their deeds were evil. God sent his son to rescue us from the darkness.
The theme of this weekend’s men’s retreat is “Ignite.” Prayer, studying the word, and fellowship with our brothers in Christ provides the fuel for igniting our hearts. The spiritual warfare gives us the purpose for prayer. Prayer and the Word of God are God’s offensive weapons in the spiritual battle. Spiritual revolutions are worked through the power of prayer. Praying men are God’s mighty men, empowered with hearts on fire ignited by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When a nation defies the truth of the Word of God, the only thing that will save the nation from destruction is God’s mercy and grace. Men of God must stand in the gap to lead and to shepherd his people through prayer. Intercessory prayer allows men of God to forge spiritual bonds as families and as churches in the body of Christ. As men respond in prayer, God will intervene with the power of his might. Prayer is God’s force multiplier. Prayer is God’s offense in the spiritual battle. Praying in the power of the Holy Spirit wields the sword of the spirit of truth and allows God to intercede against the powers of darkness. The golden bowls of incense in the book of Revelation is the prayer of the saints. God’s prophet in the Old Testament said we have no plan and we have no power but my eyes are upon you, Lord. In prayer, the power of God is loosed upon earth to bring about his purpose and his will. May our prayer be, “here am I Lord, send me.” Prayer is aligning my heart with his heart, my will with his will, his purpose with my purpose. As we pray, it is God who works within us to will and to do of his good pleasure.
We are the ones whom God has called to link heaven and earth. Prayer is the communication… The co-Union between God and men. We have been called a Royal priesthood to stand in the gap…to intervene on behalf of God’s people. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. The riches of the Glory of the mystery is Christ in us the hope of glory. He has called us to lead others from darkness to light. There is no one in the dark so deep as the one who thinks he’s in the light but he’s really in the dark. Therefore quench not the spirit. May we be like John Wesley who said when someone asked him why people came from such great distances to hear him preach, “I light myself on fire, and people come from miles around to watch me burn.”
Through prayer…let your light so shine before men that they see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. O Lord, ignite me, set me on fire so that the light of your Holy Spirit will lead others from darkness and into the glorious light your gospel of Truth.
May God richly bless you,
Your brother in Christ,
Michael