I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
- Psalm 46:10
There are certain things that cannot be openly shared on blog world, for the simple reason that other people are involved. And it is to honor them that I choose not to share the specific prayer concern that's been on my heart since April this year.
But because my blog is where I share my spiritual journey, on this post I do want to write a bit about some of my struggles.
The warfare has been quite intense. Sometimes, I feel as if I am in a literal battle. The temptation to stay away from reading my Bible, and to spend time in prayer, have been very strong.
Not because I don't want to... but it's the little distractions here and there... the little foxes that destroy the vines - Song of Songs 2:15.
But I know these are to be my top priorities, not only for this season but for the rest of my life: to hide myself in my "prayer closet" and to find time to read God's word.
A few weeks ago, a call to find our place of stillness for seven straight days was given by Chuck Pierce.
He writes:
Most likely, we would not think of "stillness" as one of the greatest warfare weapons available. Stillness occurs when we become one with the King who rules us. Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and you become perfectly aligned. At that point, no weapon formed against you can prosper!Psalm 46:7-11 says:
Adonai-Tzva'ot is with us, our fortress, the God of Ya'akov. (Selah)Come and see the works of Adonai, the astounding deeds He has done on the earth. To the ends of the earth He makes wars cease - He breaks the bow, snaps the spear, burns the shields in the fire. 'Be still! Desist, and learn that I am God, supreme over the nations, supreme over the earth. Adonai-Tzva'ot is with us, our fortress, the God of Ya'akov. (Selah) (CJB)
In this season where the Angelic Highway is becoming so prevalent between Heaven and earth, the Lord is calling us to get still and know that angels are in our midst, working on our behalf! If we get our spirit still and in one with the Lord, we can recognize His help around us!
This is a time where the Jericho which stands in front of you and seems invincible must fall. Once you quiet your soul over the next seven days, you will move into the next level of strength to unlock the best that God has for you. The time is now for you to go into your next war but the enemy would love to hold you in the warfare that has created conflict in your soul in the last season.
"Tell My People to Be Still"
The Lord says:
"Be still and watch Me seat you in a place to laugh at the enemies that have been in your path. I am preparing a release of joy for My people. They will laugh at their last failures and blockages. This release of joy from you becoming still in your spirit will get you across and to the other side of your storm. I will give you a strength to overtake the enemies that you have been battling.
"My people are filled with dangerous emotions. I want to settle their emotions so that their minds will think the same way that I think. Unless they allow Me to deal with their dangerous emotions, they will miss many blessings that I have for the future. Many will end up striking the rock as Moses did out of a dangerous emotion instead of speaking to the rock, causing them to miss their door of entry for this season.
"Tell My people to be still. I am calling for a Jericho stillness. This warfare call is important for the future of My people. If they will come before Me for seven straight days and allow Me to still their hearts and quiet their spirits, that which has been invincible in their past and has kept them from moving into their future will fall before them. Tell My people to still their hearts before Me."
I was really excited and determined to begin doing this right away, but always, something got in the way.
I have asked God to help me find my place of stillness while I am here in Manila. To be obedient, the same way that the Israelites obeyed God when He instructed them to walk around Jericho in silence for seven days...
And finally, tonight is the night I begin! I am committing to find my place of stillness for seven days! This will be different from my usual devotional time. I just plan to sit in God's presence for a period of time and wait to hear what He has to say to me. This will be a time when I allow Him to speak peace to my troubled waters...
I am expecting walls to come tumbling down!
It has not always been a losing battle.
It is in times like these that I have drawn near to God, and when I have run out of words, talking to my Father in another tongue, what I call my prayer language, has been such a comfort.
In the same way, the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, since we do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. Romans 8:26
Too many words are required for me to tell Him what is on my heart. It is too tiring to express what I feel in words!
But the Spirit knows what is on my heart, and He knows what is on the Father's heart. I do not know what to pray, but He does, and He prays it for me!
Christian music has played an important part in my spiritual journey, and even more so now!
God has also given me many specific words from Scripture, during my quiet time, and through other people.
Manolo is visiting old friends in the Philippines for a few weeks this June. After our lunch together, he offered to pray for me.
I was just so amazed at the words of Scripture that God placed on this man's heart for me.
It has been very dry and hot the past days, but last night refreshing rains fell over the city. As it was raining, I sensed God speaking to my heart, "I will come to you as refreshing rains falling over dry ground."
On this post I share some of the pictures I have taken of our garden here, and the Scripture passages that were released to me during the prayer time with Manolo.
Praise God indeed for these times of refreshing!
What a God-given opportunity to enter into a season of stillness, and to meditate on the many words of Scripture God has given as a confirmation of what He is doing in my life at this time! His words will not return to Him empty but will surely accomplish the purpose for which He sent them.
The blessing of the LORD brings wealth,
without painful toil for it.
- Proverbs 10:22
Enlarge the place of your tent,
stretch your tent curtains wide,
do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left...
Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame.
Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.
You will forget the shame of your youth
and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
For your Maker is your husband—
the LORD Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of all the earth.
- Isaiah 54:2-5
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
- Psalm 68: 5
...blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.
- Jeremiah 17:7, 8
Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.
- Mark 1:2, 3
For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound,
who will prepare himself for battle?
- 1 Corinthians 14:8
Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people,
“The work is great and extensive,
and we are separated far from one another on the wall.
Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there.
Our God will fight for us.”
- Nehemiah 4:19, 20
Do not be anxious about anything,
but in every situation,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And the peace of God,
which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Philippians 4:6, 7
21 comments:
Lidj... I think I've finally gotten my e-mail situation figured out. Would you mind e-mailing me a "hi" at elaineolsen@live.com so that I can have your e-mail in my address book? I try to comment back to you when you comment at my posts, but I don't think you're getting them. I wanted to say that my "pink" season was in connection to the fact that here in America, a pink ribbon is the universal symbol for breast cancer. I love all the pink photos you've included with this post. As for stillness as a requirement, I have cancer to thank, yes thank, for that. In many ways, what you've written here today has been a beautiful confirmation of something that God has been saying to me in recent days. Thank you.
Be still; know God!
Pray for Judith. She's in a terrible way right now and will have surgery on Tuesday.
peace~elaine
The pictures and the verses are certainly refreshing and so filled with promise! I'm glad you were able to have that time with Manolo and pray you are further refreshed in your quiet time.
I am praying for you. Peace be still.
Wonderful life lessons again from
your heart to mine, dear Lidj. I
understand burdens of the heart.
I pray we may both find our place
of stillness in His love.
Love & Prayers,
Sandy
Dear Lidj,
I so need some good answers now.
I will take 7 days of periods stillness from today and avoid talking about to others, the reason why I take these periods.
I feel I also shall avoid talking more about my problems.
I will come back to this blog post to remain inspired though.
From felisol
"Set yourselves, stand and see the salvation of Jehovah who is with you!", 2 Chronicles 20: 17.
The whole chapter is a help - keep praising!
this is a such a great message...one I needed to read. Sometimes I feel like I can just fly...other times I feel I have no purpose. Stillness....being outside in the woods...listening....to His whisper...in my spirit....I got to do that. Stay strong out there.....you shine Lidj...
beautiful flowers - beautiful words. I read the same encouragement from Chuck last week or so. I have followed Chuck since 2003. The lord seems to use Chuck's words to confirm a dream that God's give me or a direction that I seek. Like the walls of Jericho - I had just encountered my own wall of Jericho a few days before reading Chuck's word. I experienced victory then, but when I received Chuck's word, I knew that God was going to help me stand in that victory. The wall was not going back up!
I did do the 7 days for stillness. It was a wonderful time with the Lord. I received much insight and wisdom and strength. He poured Himself into me. I wrote His wisdom in my journal day after day. It was not only a healing time, it was freeing. I can truly say that the Lord touched me in a way that brought healing to a lifetime of pain. Just being still in His presence - allowing Him to empty me of me and then to fill me to the brim with all of Him. It was almost as if it happened overnight - but it was a process that evolved slowly over this small window in time - until the final moment. One morning I got up and the weight was gone. I've been free for 2 weeks now! Seriously free.
I want you to know that I will be praying for you in this time of stillness. One thing that He really brought home to me was the fact that "We have not because we ask not". I had been trying to get free - in my own strength - for months (actually these last two years). In this stillness - I just asked Him to accomplish what I had struggled so hard to accomplish - to do it through me, because I could not do it in and of myself. I was admittedly powerless in the situation and the enemy continued to beat me up - because he could. But God stepped in when I asked Him to do His work through me - and the walls of Jericho just disappeared. He did it!
I am believing that great walls will tumble during your time of stillness before the Lord. Walls that you may not even know are in place. Ask Him to reveal any walls that stand between you and Him. In the stillness - He will reveal all that He needs you to know for this window in time.
Be blessed, my friend and may the peace of God meet you at your front door.
Shalom
Patrina<")>><
Lidj, you are in my prayers. Many times I have not felt like spending that quiet time with the Lord and read His Word because I set my mind on other things. But when I went ahead and did it anyway, He was there and I came away blessed because of it. It is awesome who He prays for us when we do not know what to pray, isn't it?
God bless,
Ken
Finally, the walls have come down - and I have been able to press in with my Lord! I have been able to reach into His word - and in the spirit, my prayers have poured forth. My spirit under seige has been liberated.
Listening has been a word on my heart. I hear it everywhere - and I have stilled to listen. That joy, that blessing has danced in my feet, sung in my heart, even my finger tips tingle with joy in their movement.
I praise God for his great mightiness in battle - and for loving me to fight my battles.
I pray Lidj for your liberation from your battle by the great mighty love of our Savior!
Maryleigh
I need to find this still place ....I think it is crucial.
I found myself praying at the same time in my mind as I was reading your post sister Lidj. To be still is already a "battle" in itself as there are so many distractions of this world that try to take our time away from spending it with the Lord. But we must...it's vital to know more things of God.
Praying for you and the Lord knows your needs. I know with our faith even as small as a mustard seed can move even the biggest mountain of trials. But I imagine us moving the Mountain through our prayers, the Mountain Who intercedes for us and Who clothes us with righteousness.
I love all the Scriptures you shared with a few that the Lord had given me this past few days as I also face this own battle of mine. He is our true Refuge in these fiercest storms. I thank Him for giving us the true peace no matter what goes on around us.
To God be the glory forever and ever...in all ages to come. May you remain strong in the Lord's mighty power and always standing here in agreement with you. Take care sister...Be still...Because we know He is our only true God! Love to you.
Lidj, thank you so much for this message. Beautiful words and a much needed reminder to me that I must be still, pray more, and listen for God to speak to me.
I pray for you, and will continue to do so. God knows exactly what we need, and in His time, He will reveal it to us.
Blessings,
Angela
Your photographs are so beautiful! I wanted to comment on them first before I forgot to mention that.
Second, I want to thank you for each and every visit you make to Heart Choices. You are so thoughtful in your comments and I read and reread them often. It means much to me. I'm glad you enjoyed my husband's drawing of Miss Debbie; lol.
I learn so much from your writings. Sometimes I wait to come and visit you because I don't want to be rushed. And then things come up and I forget. I'm so sorry. But I'm here now and I'm so glad I got to read this post.
Being still before God is a challenge for me. I love to have my quiet time each morning but lately with my work schedule and so little time to spend with Greg, my time has been cut back. And I need that time of solitude with the Lord. I pray in my car and I talk to God all day. When I get to school and the classroom is empty, I pray for the children I will be spending the day with. Many of them do not come from Christian homes.
I have one week off between summer camp sessions. I have much to do but I also want to be still before the Lord as you described. Maybe I can get up early and sit outside with my Bible and journal. You have inspired me Lidj. I thank you for that my friend.
As I was writing this lengthy comment, my husband came into the room. He is amazed that I have friends in different parts of the world that I really care about and love. But I do and I'm so grateful that the Lord has brought us together through blogging.
May you be so blessed and refreshed as you spend time with Him. And please come back and share all that you're learning with your blogging sisters, OK? I will try to read some of your other posts that I have missed out on.
Blessings and much love,
Debbie
Be still and know I am the Lord!
Hi Lidj,
Our pastor once told me how the Lord held him in his chair for 8 hrs straight. He was being obedient to God and God told him to be still. He told me he sat and sat and his mind wandered but God brought him back. He said it the most wonderful feeling, sitting in the presence of the Lord.
Blessings on this 7 days of stillness, it looks like you are in the right spot. The flowers are beautiful and the house hold fond memories for you.
I am anxious to read what you are willing to share with us on this journey the Lord takes you on.
I'll be covering you in prayer sister.
<><
Hi Lidj, the flowers and other plants in your garden are out of this world! The photographs are fantastic! I know what you mean about "being still" and letting other things get in our way of spending quiet time with God. One thing I plan in our new house is to set aside a place in my room just for that special quiet time. I am going to paint the walls blue, I have found a perfect shade of blue. I hope you are finding that stillness now in your life.
Thank you so much for your visits to my blog. You always have such meaningful things to say and I appreciate them.
~♥~
Cindy
I think most of us struggle with taking the time to be still before the Lord and staying faithfully rooted in His Word. Jesus warned us of the cares of this world that would seek to choke the life out of us. It IS a constant spiritual battle! We had a wonderful sermon yesterday that reminded me though that there is a big difference in the Christian life between "trying" and "training". The biggest sin of all is unbelief, and we must remember that God is good and faithful all the time. While we are called to train ourselves in godliness (living more and more like Jesus) we must remember it is not about our efforts to attain to some spiritual loftiness, but about God's power to keep us, strengthen us, comfort us, and help us through our daily lives. He is good and He is FOR us. Remembering that brings me a lot of peace.
Thanks for visiting me recently! Your photos, as always, are beautiful Lidj. God's blessings on your day, and remember, the battle is the Lord's!
Thank you for turning the light on that going to the Lord and being in His stillness is a battle....and oh, how I've felt it this week. It may be too raw and to personal to share and it does include my mom-in-love but your prayers for me and mine are cherished beyond words.
Amy
As always, your blog is a place of rest and refreshment - a place to regain perspective. I have some prayers in my life that I also am sometimes too weary to pray. It is good to know that God knows it all - the things we can say, the things we cannot.
Loved all that you shared about stillness. Last Friday I posted about solitude. There is something about being quiet before the Lord that is so very powerful. I think the enemy must work through the noise of the world, distracting us, doing his best to block out the still, small voice.
But, in confidence and quietness is our strength.
I'm going to have faith that quiet prayers will bring down walls!
GOD BLESS!
Hi Lidj -
Thank you. This post immensely ministered. It is an ace word from our Lord indeed! Aren't they all?
On occasion, our Lord has called me aside with Him for three days and for seven days. It hasn't happened much but your post witnessed to me that I need to be about it in this season in my life. I am grateful that our Lord used you to alert me of the need to be still, as the Spirit of our Lord leads.
I love the scriptures that you included and the flower photos.
Great shots, lady of GOD.
Hi Dearest Lidj, I've haven't been blogging as much lately. I feel the Lord is doing a work in me. Sometimes it is difficult to pray because of the things that have recently happened in my life, sometimes I don't know where to start in prayer, or what to pray for. I think that is when the Lord wants me to just meditate on him, focus on him and just move with him, trust him completely. Actually, it's very comforting, I like it very much. Thank you sharing your beautiful pics of your garden . . the flowers are stunning! Blessings, Sandy:O)
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