Draw the Circle Prayer Challenge Week 2 Update

Really?  Really??  Really???  Really!!!

Yesterday's sermon at church was brought to us by a leadership expert from Singapore.  He talked about John's vision in Revelation 4 where the door is opened and John sees God's glory.  The pastor gave background how in Revelations 3 that the door was closed and Christ was standing at the door knocking.  Now we have the door opening and God's glory and presence on the throne.

Wow.

Close Doors in my life  

As I mentioned in my last post, my big revelation for the week was to ask God to irrevocably close doors that should not be opened and to only open the door that will lead to God's glory.

Reading that passage of scripture in Revelation again this morning, I thanked God for the pastors word.  I began to expound upon my prayer last week and asked that God only open the door where His presence is, where His Glory is, and where worship is.

As the pastor said yesterday, no evil can withstand the worship of God. 

The Seed has disappeared

During this past week I also received encouragement about seeds disappearing which I really needed to hear.  When people plant seeds, they do not dig them up every day so that they can see them to make sure that they are still there.  When planting seeds, people also do not expect to see the seed again. They want to see the full plant! 

Plant, tend the land, and WAIT for the Harvest.  Seed has disappeared because it has to germinate!

I don't think I grasped this concept when it came to sowing seeds in prayer.

I prayed, got confirmation, and then it all just disappeared.  I mean literally disappeared and "nothing" is happening.  For a few weeks, I just figured that was the end of that.  I was completely wrong and now I am going to be disappointed and humiliated yet again.

Well after this time in prayer this week, I realized I was being ridiculous (yet again).  First of all when we sow seeds in prayer, they should disappear in order to germinate.  There's stuff that needs to be worked out, situations that God needs to deal with, hearts that need to be changed, land that has to be worked.

While reading Mark Batterson's testimonies and teaching on this subject I found myself nodding in agreement.  What he is teaching is exactly what I have experienced.  I like to see things while they are happening because then I feel I have some type of control.  

God does not let us see everything when it is happening and I am glad because I would be trying to manipulate and control the circumstances.  Eventually I would make a complete mess out of EVERYTHING.

The Famine is Over

During last week's time of prayer, I began to write down all my dreams.  I wrote down even the ones that appear to be far fetched.  I just let it all out.  I circled and wrote dreams about where I want my career to be, I wrote about what kind of marriage/family I dream of having, I wrote about all the people I want to help. I just dreamed.

Listening to the good Bishop yesterday he declared that the famines we have in our lives are over.  I received that word.  I have received the word that the famine I have been experiencing in my life is over.  I believe it.  

Before I never would have written my dreams down in prayer because I figured they weren't going to happen anyway and God isn't listening so why bother?  This week I just said, "I'm going for it!"  

Other Tidbits

• I took some big steps in furthering my career
• I began to seriously consider YES I CAN do this fitness competition
• God provided exceedingly and abundantly with my paycheck
• Family members were healed

Now this all happened in Week 2.  I have about 4 more weeks to go.

Lord irrevocably close those doors that should not be opened.

Lord I pray to walk through the door where your presence and where your glory is

To God be the Glory