In the shadow of the cross
As I approached this fast I asked God what He would have me pray into.
I heard His Spirit say, “Weaknesses, chinks in the armor, breaches in the wall, and strategies for battle.”
So I have been praying about these things. Today, in my afternoon time of prayer and study, I was reminded that often I want an immediate answer from God when it comes to matters of sanctification. If I see a problem, a weakness or a chink in my armor I want it dealt with immediately by the Spirit of God. If I see any darkness in myself I want it gone with the first five-minute prayer I lift up.
God reminded me He doesn’t often work this way. What I want is a tidal wave that wipes out the stronghold of wickedness in an instant. What God often gives me is a tidal surge every time I pray that washes away my rougher edges bit by bit.
I believe this is because my less noble qualities, Ok let’s just call them what they are sins, are all tied in with the good parts of me and the essential parts of my personality that God wants to keep. A spiritual tidal wave might wipe out the less desirable pieces of my heart but it would take pretty big chunks of the good stuff that God would otherwise keep intact. So the answer is not one big prayer session where it all gets done and I am instantly perfect but many moments of prayer where the Lord can come and change me bit by bit…glory to glory. The key here is to remember the change is His work, done in His time. Providing Him with the opportunity, through prayer, to change me is my work. Confusion over who does what is a sure way to fail.
Lillie-Put 
Amen to that 🙂
🙂
I still know the combination ……I`m a man of faith I`m not from any one now 🙂
It is true there is a part for us to play but for many of us it is not the part we think.
I respect that sir 🙂
Good analogy, Pastor J and the quote from Heini Arnold really spoke to me as I was reading this passage earlier today.
Me too!