In Psalm 84, we can read the words of an Old Testament saint who experienced the Lord and His love so deeply that He became dearer to us than anything else in life.
While worshiping in the tabernacle, moved by the sweetness of God’s manifest presence, he says: “How lovely are Your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God… Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long” (Ps. 84:1-2,4).
What made the tabernacle so lovely to this person? God’s manifest presence was there. In essence, the psalmist was saying, “There is little I need when I am in this place except God Himself. If everything else was stripped away – all my natural efforts, achievements, and possessions – and all I had was God, it would be enough. In God’s tabernacle, I experience Him in a personal way. This isn’t someone else’s experience; I’m discovering Him for myself.”
If you’ve ever experienced God’s presence in that way, you know it’s the greatest treasure you could ever have. But, like most Christians, you may have thought the treasure of God’s manifest presence was hidden away, reserved for special occasions or super-saints.
You may not have realized that you could experience that powerful presence every single day.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
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!”