Have you ever prayed for something because someone asked you to, but you didn’t really know if it was what God wanted?
I have been in that position occasionally. With the opportunity to pray over tons and tons of villagers for healing and deliverance, I’d been asking the Lord a lot about what exactly I should be praying for when people come forward for prayer.
Is it really in God’s sovereign plan to heal every single person of all sickness and disease? Sometimes it can be as big of a testimony for someone to have peace and a heart of praise regardless of their physical circumstances.
I know God desires to heal. I also know God desires His children to give Him glory and praise for who He is, not just for the things He does.
So, what does this look like on a day to day basis when I’m praying over people?
I know God is much bigger than the words I say, but I also know our words hold a lot of power, and Jesus tells us to speak truth and encouragement over one another.
I’ve realized more and more it is SO important to prepare ourselves to be a vessel for the Holy Spirit, because He is the ONLY person who knows what each person needs. If we try to pray out our own strength and knowledge, we are nothing but a noisy gong. We have to trust that the Holy Spirit will give us the words to say and the heart from which to pray. He promises us He will come!
God had me in a season of teaching me a lot about His Holy Spirit on the first half of the race. Although I’ll be a student in that department for the rest of my life, He’s changing gears a little and reminding me of the balance of worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth.
They were meant to go together.
“A time is coming, and has now come, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.” -John 4:23.
God never intended for us to go around performing miracles just to do them.
“If I speak in the tongues of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophesy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing.” -1 Corinthians 13:1-5
None of the things listed in those verses are bad… they are all intended for great things to give Glory to God!
However, these things are nothing without love. God wants us to adorn ourselves in love and Godly character, and when we walk in His character, He’s going to gladly meet us and lead us with His Spirit.
We need to keep ourselves dressed in the truth so His Spirit always finds our vessels ready to be used.
We can’t just ‘throw on Godly character’ when we want it; it is not an outfit laid out, ready to be thrown on when we have a divine appointment! Character is developed through time and faithfulness in walking with Him.
God wants to use us! I know He can do things on His own, but that’s not His desire! He chooses to work through us, so we should choose to be ready for Him to use us.
Life was meant to be lived in intimacy with our Bridegroom. The rest is an overflow of our relationship with Him! When we spend the time alone in prayer and worship and just being with Him, we are going to be clothed in garments fit for His Bride.
“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform miracles?’ Then, I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” -Matthew 7:21-23
Here are some things that God tells us to clothe ourselves in:
-Splendor (Psalm 45:3; 104:1)
-Strength (Isaiah 52:1)
-Compassion (Colossians 3:12)
-Humility (1 Peter 5:5)
-Righteousness (Job 29:14)
-Power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49)
-The Armor of God: Belt of Truth, breastplate of righteousness, the readiness of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
-The Armor of Light (Romans 13:12)
-Joy (Psalm 30:1)
-Fine Linen and purple (royalty), dignity (Proverbs 31: 22, 25)
-Garments of Salvation (Isaiah 61:10)
-Garments of Praise (Isaiah 61:3)
What are you wearing today?
