Praying for Kingdom Resources to be Released

Prayer Friends!

The fruit of prayer interaction with God, and his people, is often times feeling like you have a backstage pass to a Kingdom production. 

An email went out last week about Palm Sunday with Exodus 33:15 printed across the graphic.

“If your presence does not go with us, do not lead us on from here.”

I had been reading in Exodus last week, mostly the part about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, but the reference to Moses brought me back to the passage and surrounding verses. I was re-captured by the words God spoke to Moses on either side of his poignant statement. He says, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And then, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

I followed a long, winding, beautiful trail of referenced verses as parts of great stories illustrating this consistent truth from Exodus into Hebrews and all over in between. There is inseparable connection of Presence and Rest, Knowing and Pleasure. 

Last week’s prayer was from Ryan, he encouraged us to continue throwing out the nets. The interaction between Jesus and his disciples is an illustration of this connection, all their fear and toiling is quieted to rest when his Presence comes. Jesus demonstrates his great pleasure in the specific person of Peter, even before his friend recognizes him. 

On Tuesday there was a 30 minute gap in my day and between scheduled necessities I stopped at church, took my Bible, and sat on the floor of the Great Room to pray. In the middle of busy…rest. With the rest, Presence. All the things I had been reading and mulling over were in my heart. Holy Spirit brought to my mind Jesus standing on the shore, calling out to the disciples. The first time it happened was when he called them by name (with Pleasure) and promised, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” How powerful it was to use their language to call out to them! 

When I opened my eyes and looked around the Great Room, it was as though I could slowly see the renovation process in reverse until I was seemingly sitting on the floor of Lithia’s service garage as vehicles with open hoods, oil pans, and tools were being skillfully repaired and tended to by talented mechanics. I marveled at what has transpired and transformed in the room.

Then I heard Holy Spirit say, “Come with me, and I will make this space for repairing of hearts.”

Have you seen Bruce Almighty? In the movie, Jim Carey thinks he can do God’s job, and everything seems to be going OK until he starts to hear all the prayers. First they are a soft murmur and then a loud roar before he is finally able to tune in and hear specific things being spoken. It felt like that in the Great Room. A murmur of prayers prayed by employees, patrons, and leaders in that room grew to a roar of the work of the Spirit within this space over time. Then I imagined one early morning mechanic standing just where I was sitting and dedicating their day and time to the work of the Kingdom and inviting Holy Spirit to inhabit the room. 

Wednesday morning I opened Still Life. Day eighty. It’s the miracle story of the building. It’s the call to faith of moving forward. It’s the recollection of prayers and promises. It’s the recognition of the ongoing work of God that began when Lithia first used their resources to establish this building. 

It may not be finished (neither was Peter when Jesus called to him from the shore!), but He knows this place by name and has lavished us with his favor. He is calling us forward now with a promise of his Presence that will always be marked by resting in him. So we join in the prayers of the many, and specifically of this Still Life devotion…designed by God to be read on this day and at this point in our renovation as we are approaching the reveal and feeling the provision tension:

Jesus, I am asking for Kingdom resources to be released. Lead me into Gospel sharing, Kingdom expanding, city-taking faith. Let me never again shrink back in fear, but move forward, trusting each step I will find solid ground to stand on, and at every decision, I will be met by everything I need to see it through. I break off hopelessness and poverty mindsets. You have brought me this far, miracle after miracle, and I know You are not done yet! I prophecy that You are only going to bring us from glory to glory, increase, supernatural favor, and into more than enough! You are our provider! Thank you for going before us in all things, while simultaneously being with us in all things! Pour out your Spirit on my life! I’m ready!