Family of God

Family of God – Insights from God’s Word
I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. - Ephesians 3:16

You have made known to me the paths of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence. - Acts 2:28

Family of God - Knit together with Other Believers
Prayer: Father, I come quietly tonight into the place of Your Presence. I recognize this is why You made me and why You have grown, challenged and encouraged me through this journey of my life. I realize the great privilege I have been given to sit in your Presence as I do tonight. It is an amazing revelation of Your grace and Your mercy. You draw me closer and closer -- as I wait on You to fill this place with the fragrance of Your Presence. All around me I sense a coming together -- both in this natural quiet place -- and in the supernatural heavenly places.

More and more -- in places I don't even recognize -- You are knitting Your people as one -- and preparing us to take our rightful places. You have begun to take back the darkness that has permeated our world. I can hear the cries of so many who have gone before me -- encouraging me -- and all who pray this prayer -- to keep praying -- to keep putting Your kingdom needs ahead of everything and everyone else. Your grand design is far too elaborate for my finite human mind to grasp -- but I do know You are the designer and what You design will have no end.

As I pray for an increased clarity of vision for Your Body, I know that my prayers are being echoed in quiet places all around the world. I may not see or hear them, but these prayers are being spoken -- and my prayer tonight is joining the chorus rising up all around the world.

It is such a joy -- such a comfort to know I am not alone. It gives me a peace that truly does surpass my human understanding, knowing I am tightly woven with other men and women of God who are building their lives on a kingdom that will last forever.

Your Body is not perfect -- I am certainly not perfect. Yet by Your grand plan -- You have chosen to use us as we are -- broken, burned, wounded in ways that really should have caused us to give up and give in. It doesn't matter to You what we look like -- You take us as You find us -- and that knowledge gets me to my knees -- knowing the favor of my God rests on me -- and all who call You Savior and Lord.

I don't know why mankind makes everything so complicated. I guess it is just our human nature reacting to our own selfish interests. You make it so simple to become a member of Your family -- yet still so many choose to follow the path of life leading to worldly pleasure and worldly pursuits. I know this can change -- which is why tonight I lift my voice in prayer -- asking You to remove the blindings that have so many bound in darkness.

It is Your will that none should perish -- so I pray in agreement with Your Holy will -- that anyone praying this prayer who has not yet found the path leading to salvation, would do so right now. I join my voice in a chorus response to all the other believers worldwide tonight praying for this same thing. I ask You to send Satan and his hordes of evil fleeing -- as the rumble of a tsunami wave of prayer hits them and overtakes them. Remove the darkness that surrounds those for whom I pray!

I pray also that You would increase the hunger drive in everyone praying this prayer. I pray they will commit to following after You -- no matter where this may take them. As they lay down their own earthly needs, I pray that You will feed and nourish them by satisfying their hunger for having Your Presence manifested in their life. Only You can create this spiritual hunger I am praying for! I look to You alone to fulfill the cry of my heart -- knowing that when spiritual hunger is present in my life -- everything good follows. It is in these times that Your Word comes alive to me. I find fulfillment only in Your truths and in Your Presence.

Make us all spiritually hungry Father -- as only You can give us the patience to wait on you -- so we don't jump out ahead or fall behind You.

Many of us are emerging from a season of drought! I pray for those spiritually hungry ones, that You would hear their cry from Your heavenly dwelling place and reach out to them! Nourish them along their way -- and create an army of believers so singularly focused in their purpose that nothing can prevent them from moving ahead into the brightness of this new day You have prepared for them. Darkness cannot survive Your brightness -- so we gladly march hand in hand together -- watching You destroy the strongholds and free the people. To You be all the glory!

Family of God – Making it Personal
Reflect: As I prayed this prayer I was impacted deep within my spirit by the knowledge that I am knit together with other believers all around the world -- who were also lifting their voices together in prayer and worship. I think God wanted to remind me that even though I walk a "lonely walk" many days -- I am not alone. As I have said before I know I live in the "land of odd" most of the time, but tonight God's grace and mercy hit me in my spirit, assuring me that He was with me and many others -- both in the natural and spiritual realms that we were joined together in prayer and worship. I was also hit with the realization that we are beginning to win the battle that's being fought -- even though oftentimes it doesn't look that way. Only God can draw people near, and He is doing that in unprecedented ways all around the world. Darkness is beginning to flee as God's people join together in prayer for His kingdom to come to the earth. Pray with me tonight the Lord's Prayer -- and trust him to reveal His kingdom truths and His kingdom needs to you so you can be used by him to wipe away tears of despair and hopelessness by the prayers you send his way. Please don't forget to journal!