Holy Spirit You are welcome here.
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere.
Your glory God is what our hearts long for, to be overcome by Your presence LORD….
This song…specifically these words…. played over and over in my head and heart this evening while we prayed together as a church (Matthew 18:20).
I have yet to find the words to describe the peace that wraps around me when I truly embrace the presence of the Lord.
And on the way out of church I felt the attack… I know that there is constantly a spiritual war going on around me – the Holy Spirit forever fighting for me against the enemy. I always know it’s there and sometimes I’m aware….
Insecurity. There it was snarling in my face. I wanted desperately to talk to the one we had prayed over and yet I cowered to my insecurity. What if I can’t form an intelligent sentence? (yes, that’s a very real fear). What if she thinks I’m just pitying her? What if she simply doesn’t want to be bothered right now? We aren’t close, so why would she want to talk to me? Who am I to offer comfort or encouragement when she and everyone else knows I’m struggling myself?… These questions and many more went through my mind and quite often do… strangers, friends, my children, my husband, parents, siblings, no matter who it is, sometimes I stand firm with the strength and courage of the Holy Spirit and sometimes I cower. For the times I cower I say I’m sorry, Father God please forgive me and thank You for Your Grace. And when I stand firm I say thank You heavenly Father because I know that was all You and to You be all the glory!
I bring this all up because several of our recent …themes (for lack of a better word right now) at church have been about responding to and obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit. Whether it’s in correcting a behavior, waiting, going, or even speaking to someone and/or praying with them. I want to acknowledge that there is no place in my walk for insecurities…there is no need because I have the One on my side that will never reject me, that always understands my sentences…even when they are simply moans and tears.
Another song that comes to mind and we sang this evening has a line that resonates as does the chorus… This is my prayer in the battle, when triumph is still on it’s way, I am a conqueror and a co-heir with Christ, so firm on His promise I’ll stand. I will bring praise, I will bring praise, no weapon formed against me shall remain, I will rejoice, I will declare, God is my victory and He is here.
Heavenly Father please forgive my weak and selfish tendency to remain in my comfort zone so often. Thank You for hearing my prayers. Thank You for your grace…every day.
I take comfort when I reflect on the words “..be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1) because He is my strength in everything!!
Journey of focus 