Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Prayerful Experience of the Presence of God

OH POWERS of God in the Spirit-filled person. Powers of God all through the world in the angelic realm. But only by prayer would we ever know. Only by a depth of prayer that takes us out of this world would we ever know. I love the not-of-this-world truth in the following quote:
“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.”
— Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892)
Praying is many more times important in the Kingdom realm than preaching is, but it’s preaching that will get people convinced of the Kingdom in the first place.
I decry the world’s religions for their love affair with preaching. They miss the more important spiritual ministry. Preaching is of this world. Prayer is of the next. But this is obviously a hobbyhorse of mine. Let me continue.
There is much more a spiritual realm beyond the physical grips of this earthly life. It is here to be tapped into; eternity reaching all the way into our lives. But we can only know the blessings of this other realm not-of-this-world through the powers of surrender — to give up our carnal life, which cannot sense angelic Presence, in order to receive our spiritual life that God has pre-ordained for all of us.
God has so much more for every one of us. So much. Incomparable are the heavenly delights that may be experienced in the body in this world. But first we must purge ourselves of every darkness and doubt and deficiency of faith. We must become pure and as little children, again and again.
To encounter the realm beyond this physical world, to sense the angelic realm, to join their cause, we must give up every carnal impediment — every striving, jealousy, resentment; every debasing presence that takes us out of God’s holy Presence.
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God has much to give us in this life. But we must first be willing to let go of the world. The world is pitiful in comparison to what God has.
God invites us to a foretaste of heaven in this life, by a prayerful life.
Prayer gives us entry into the realm the mystics experienced. Those that inspired the likes of A.W. Tozer have much to teach us about prayerful meditation.
Prayer is entry into the Presence of God with power and much peace. Prayer gives much more than we give, but our giving must be whole and unswervingly authentic.
Prayer is about the heart with which we come to God. A heart purified of sin is bound to sense God’s Presence.
God blesses the prayerful heart; the soul absolved of daily wrongs will experience the reality of the Lord.
Prayer is for the sake of healing. We’re not healed because we do not pray.
© 2015 Steve Wickham.

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