The circumstances of a saint’s life are ordained of God. In the life of a saint there is no such thing as chance. God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose through the intercession of the Spirit in you. Never put yourself in front of your circumstances and say, “I’m going to be my own providence here; I will watch this closely, or protect myself from that.” All your circumstances are in the hand of God, and therefore you don’t ever have to think they are unnatural or unique. Your part in intercessory prayer is not to agonize over how to intercede, but to use the everyday circumstances and people God puts around you by His providence to bring them before His throne, and to allow the Spirit in you the opportunity to intercede for them. In this way God is going to touch the whole world with His saints.Am I making the Holy Spirit’s work difficult by being vague and unsure, or by trying to do His work for Him? I must do the human side of intercession— utilizing the circumstances in which I find myself and the people who surround me. I must keep my conscious life as a sacred place for the Holy Spirit. Then as I lift different ones to God through prayer, the Holy Spirit intercedes for them.

Your intercessions can never be mine, and my intercessions can never be yours, “…but the Spirit Himself makes intercession” in each of our lives (Romans 8:26). And without that intercession, the lives of others would be left in poverty and in ruin.

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November 7, 2014

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Lord, this seems to be a lesson You want me to learn well…. “God by His providence brings you into circumstances that you can’t understand at all, but the Spirit of God understands. God brings you to places, among people, and into certain conditions to accomplish a definite purpose…” Yesterday Dave and I talked and prayed about how to respond in difficult circumstances, knowing that we are shaped by You in these spaces. And Your word tells us to not try and get out of our trials too early so they may have their perfect result in shaping us. But every time we find ourselves inside a difficult circumstance all we seem to want and pray for is rescue and relief. How can we respond as You teach us when our natural inclination is to try and avoid the pain and heartache of difficult times? How can we see difficult times as times for growth and trust You completely?  When we see a freight train of difficulty bearing down on us all we can think about is getting out of the way.

And God says…”As the scripture says for this devotional, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” As you have been learning, your role and responsibilities are very simple. When you find yourself in a difficult time: be connected to Me, (know that we are communicating), be curious and expectant about how and when I might respond, listen for and to me carefully, and then respond obediently. Within this context you know I love you immeasurable, recall My sacrifice, you know I will respond as a loving father, and recall all the times in your personal history when I have responded. Trust in Me with all your heart and do not rely on your own answers or ways and means and I will make your paths straight. You need not be worthy, Jesus is worthy and He is your substitute. You need not be faithful enough; I have faith, love and mercy enough for you. Simply delight yourself in Me; surrender your circumstances, dreams and trials to Me…. I will give you the desires of your heart, and in the process I will continue to shape and mold you into My image.”