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what just happened?
This past week has been an amazing on at CCC. We had nine, two hour sessions of prayer Tues to Thurs, and personally without doubt, this has been the most ground-breaking.
So often we come into prayer with needs. That's just because we're needy people, that's what you get for being human! so it's very tempting to come before God with our needs, our hurts, our convictions and, with the purest of hearts, pray in a manner that almost dictates to God how He should act. It's very easy to find yourself doing it. But on the flip side, it's just as easy to fall into the trap of 'what is God's will for my life' type prayers, where we pray about His destiny for us, both personally and corporately.
These things in themselves are not bad, in fact we're encouraged to bring them before God. After all he's a father who loves and cares us beyond anything we could imagine.
But something special happens when we just come before God, to just worship and wait.
On this past wednesday night, we had a dilemma. We pulled up to our venue for the evening prayer session (where we usually turn the volume up and blast out some energetic songs and worship at the top of lungs!) at the power was out. Apparently someone was digging outside and cut the main power line for a section of the city. great news! all our equipment was set up already and ready to go. so a few phone calls and church wide texts later we were on our way to a hotel in the city with a keyboard and a guitar, 45 minutes before lift off.
8pm we started to worship, as lead by Ramona. we did 3 songs and then suddenly there was a God moment. we read out Revelation chapter 5, and suddenly found ourselves in the presence of God. People were laying on the floor worshipping him, and He began speaking through his people. We were at the throne-room of God. After I got up from the floor, all i could say was "I'm wrecked!". And I was. What can you do when you're in the presence of Jesus, except worship him. The lists were gone. The plans were gone. In the throne room of God all we could do was worship, and then wait.
As we waited, He started to touch and work in peoples lives. laughter, tears, you name it, we were awe-struck. and so the night continued! I woke up the next morning still in awe.
One thing I've learned is that, it's always good to have dreams and ambitions (after all God puts them in your heart), but what he wants is our attention. We prayed all week, "less of us and more of you Lord". and that's what happened.
It's a prayer that's easily said, but sometimes not so easily lived. like me, you might have to lay your own plans before God.
Joshua met the commander of the Lord's army, who told him to take off his shoes. Shoes signify purpose. if we want to start taking the Jerichos for God, then we first need to surrender ourselves to Him, and be humble enough to say "Lord, more of you and less of me" and "I surrender to you".
This is not a formula, it's a way of life.
Paddy
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