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| "My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." |
Last week's post by the same title, chronicled the highlights of a gathering of Christian women praying through Priscilla Shirer's amazing book, I Surrender All! For some it was just a book study, but from the comments and testimonies of others, it became much, much, more! Click here: TOTAL SURRENDER PART ONE
In this post I want to share how the Spirit spoke NOT from the confines of a church building but from a sanctuary surrounded by God's own handiwork in nature. Seventy women continued the teachings that would aid our transformation in a beautiful wooded area a short distance from the city. And as one sister stated, God met us there!
Away from the hustle, bustle, and normal demands of life we stole away for a few hours to focus more on what the Lord was telling us. It was here He revealed an important lesson in Surrendering ... BE STILL! Two little words, only seven letters comprise the entire phrase but one of the hardest things for busy women to do!
Our culture, societal and religious teaches busyness equals productiveness! Not so, in God's eyes. Psalm 46:10 tells us, Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. In too many scenarios of life we exalt work, careers, even Christian service above the simple worship of being still before God...doing rather than being with Him.
JUST BREATHE!
When was the last time you stopped in the middle of your day, inhaled deeply and just thanked God for Breath? Do you know the immensity of this gift that God has given us? It is truly a miracle! Click Here: Genesis 2:7 On the sixth day, of His divine creative process; God paused and just breathed! So should we!
This was the first lesson of our post-study retreat. Discovering the healing power of pausing and breathing. Similar exercises are sometimes associated with the eastern philosophy of Transcendental Meditation. Yet, we were not emptying our minds but filling it with the Presence of God. Disconnecting and decluttering our minds from the worldly chaos we live in! Click Here: Psalm 16:11 God was teaching us Psalm 62:5 the theme verse.... Soul Rest... It is the relief from worries, burdens, and expectations of others through constant effort!
PRAY CONTINUALLY!
Even the nominal Christian understands the command to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17). Whether practiced as diligently as we should or not, for Total Surrender it is absolutely critical! In the beautiful setting of our retreat it seemed God was prompting us to pray everywhere we looked!!! Prayers of Adoration for the trees, flowers and streams! Prayers of Thanksgiving for the food we ate and the fellowship we enjoyed! Prayers of comfort and for clarity of scripture!
Morning Saints find it particularly refreshing to meet God in the early hours of the day! For us the scheduled 7:00 a.m Prayer Walk was the perfect start to our time there. We prayed, recited scripture and reflected on Eight Words: Rest, Receive, Connect, Abide, Align, Surrender, Remain and Bear Fruit. These words kept us focused on our task: learning how to become faithful followers of Christ - DISCIPLESHIP.
The quiet, dew-covered paths near the retreat center provided the atmosphere. The cool crispness of the day kept us alert. Inside the center, a traditional prayer circle formed to petition the Lord for specific and collective requests and if more intimacy was preferred a prayer closet was nearby. We saturated the air with our prayers.
With that said, one of my favorite places at the retreat was the Prayer Closet. Discreetly located in a corner it was available for anyone to steal away for moments of respite or calmness. It was Beautifully decorated with pillows, candles and comfortable seating it was planned and set up on the premises by two sweet sisters in our women's ministry. Women of all ages could be seen quietly going behind the curtains, slipping into the presence of the Lord. Saints, this has not always been the case! But now we have a High Priest who gives us full access to Himself whenever we want it! Click here: Hebrews 4:14-16
STAY IN ALIGNMENT!
The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus... (Ephesians 2:10) Which means we are created triune (body, soul, and spirit). Not like the Triune of the Godhead of course. We are far from perfect. In fact, to be fully functioning, physically or spiritually, the three must be in balance. The misalignment of any of these parts will affect our total well being. Click here: Romans 12:1-2
We can only know God's pleasing and perfect will when we are properly aligned spiritually. This unique relationship was demonstrated in one of our retreat sessions as we learned how our brain and body work together. The complexity and the awe of it all was absolutely eye-opening. Click here: Psalm 139:14 So many of our medical issues can be traced to mental and spiritual misalignment. Truly "I" walked away with a fresh appreciation for my body!
The sacrificial process of Surrendering involves these parts as well. Look at the Romans 12 again. The renewing of the mind; the coordination of fleshly desires, and the cooperation of our emotions all contribute to knowing God's will and way for our lives! We may not have to fear eternal damnation since salvation but our lives surely need to reflect the fire of His glory! Click here: Romans 8:1-2
Have you considered that when we sin we are in a sense suffering misalignment of God's will? And sorrowfully, consequences do occur at each point. The body may performs the sinful act but the mind experiences the guilt from Spirit conviction. Emotional or mental distress may occur and in turn contribute to some physical ailment. Spiritually, our fellowship with the Lord is impaired: prayers are not heard, peace is disrupted until we repent. Click here: Psalm 66:18 We are Misaligned and NOT who God saved and called us to be!
REMAIN!
The Remedy for this Misalignment, we found in chapter five of Priscilla's book: REMEMBER, REPENT, REPEAT! Click here: Revelation 2:5 We need to go back to our First Love Relationship with the Lord! When you couldn't wait to get in His Presence and His Word! When a Praise was always on your lips and nobody had to beg you to help when a need came up! You were there once and you can get back there again! JUST DO IT!
Sometimes when you've been in this state for awhile, we look to bible studies and a retreat like we just had to recharge us and often it will! But what do you do when the emotionalism of such a powerful study and retreat begins to wane? There were several incredible moments in which discerning Saints could clearly hear the cry of the Spirit to SURRENDER! After the last session of the study attendees wrote their surrendered items on slips of paper and dissolved them in water as anointed Prayer Warriors prayed!
At the retreat another chance was given. Gathering around a fire pit we made our commitment to trust and obey God's will for our lives again and tossed them into the fire! We watched them go up in smoke, yet sadly some still went home in bondage! This I believe is the challenge that lies ahead for all of us! How will we make Surrendering, the Experience become Surrendering the Reality. My Dear Friends, this is what I know...Surrendering is not a one, two, or ten time event...
IT IS DAILY!!
IT IS CONSTANT!!
IT IS UNTIL WE ARE... ALL IN! ALWAYS! WITH EVERYTHING!
Frankly, for many of us that's going to take awhile!
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