Joshua 3:5
To some people, the idea of qualifying for places in God may seem strange. They think that because of grace and the plan of redemption, God just hands us anything we want. They think all we have to do is believe Him for it. But that’s not the case.
Just before brother Phillip Halverson, went to heaven, he gave me scripture that confirms this truth. It is Zechariah 3:7, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in My ways and keep My charge, then also you shall rule My house and have charge of My courts, and I will give you access [to My presence] and places to walk among these who stand here” (Amp).
If you read the verse in context, you’ll see that the Lord was speaking there to Joshua, the high priest of Israel and the angels that stood by him. He was sanctifying him to the work of God by taking away his filthy garments and giving him clean ones in exchange. Surely, that was a unique situation! Yet, what the Lord said to Joshua applies to us, as well.
If we will follow the Lord and walk in His ways, the end result for us will be the same for all of us as it was for him. We will be sanctified or separated unto God. We will be separated from the filth of sin and self, from worldliness and carnality so that God’s desires become our desires, His will becomes our will, and we abide in Him.
It is this abiding that gives us our power in prayer. John chapter 15 leaves
no doubt about that. There are degrees and stages in this abiding. The more we
abide in the Lord and the greater our oneness with Him, the more power God
can send through us in prayer.
My dear fellow pray-er, God has made us a wonderful offer. He has offered to give us access to His presence, charge of His courts, and heavenly places to walk in. But we must qualify by seeking Him, obeying Him, and letting Him continually cleanse us of everything that is not of Him.
Not everyone will take Him up on that offer. But I have made up my mind that I am going to do it. I pray that you will make the same choice and keep going to the mountain!
Scripture Reading: Zechariah 3:1 – 7
Source: Devotions for the Praying Heart by Lynne Hammond.
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries
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!”