One of the greatest challenges we face in positioning ourselves for the glory is separating ourselves from the distractions of this age. It’s not easy to put away the DVDs, log off the Internet, or turn down a trip to the mall to spend time fellowshipping with Jesus. It’s not easy when there are restaurants on every corner to separate ourselves from the dinner table, like the ministers at Antioch did, to do some fasting.
But if we want to experience increasing degrees of God’s power and presence in our lives, we must do it. We must in very real and specific ways present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, devoted, consecrated, and well-pleasing to God in spiritual worship.
Supernatural things happen when we do that. The Bible leaves no doubt about it.
It tells us about times even under the Old Covenant when God worked wonders and revealed Himself in extraordinary ways simply because His people separated themselves from the distractions of life and devoted their attention to Him. Consider Leviticus chapter nine, for example. It records one instance when the Israelites drew near to the Lord to bring Him offerings and in response:
… the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. (verses 23 – 24)
Isn’t that amazing? When God’s Old Covenant saints separated themselves to Him, He met them with a cloud of glory and an outpouring of heavenly fire.
Do you think He would do more for them than He would for us?
Certainly not!
The Bible says that God has given us, as New Covenant believers, even greater promises than He gave them. It says we’ve been given a “better covenant” (Hebrews 8:6). Surely, if we will separate ourselves and draw near to Him, He will move in our day as supernaturally as He did in theirs. Surely, He will pour out His glory upon us!
Scripture Reading: Leviticus 9:1 – 24
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”