Renewing of the Mind pt 3

[joannbkkpr]

Chapter 2

Go Before the Throne

(STEP 1)

Lay it all out on the alter. You are going to pray what’s called a prayer of petition or prayer of faith. In this prayer you’re asking God for a desired outcome. You’re not telling Him what to do, but you’re asking Him for what you believe is the best outcome.

Our first step should always be prayer. At times things are happening really quickly and it may seem you have not time to pray. In those instances, consider a short prayer like, “Lord help me.” But, for the purposes of this book, I am talking about a more in-depth prayer. One in which you will take time to talk with God on a deeper level.

Tell God how you feel. Be honest with God. If you’re scared, say that. If you’re angry with Him, say that. If your feel embarrassed, tell Him that too. Be open about how you really feel. Don’t try to suppress anything in the name of being spiritual. Release the fear, anger, hurt, pain from your heart by pouring it all out.

When my grandmother died in a tragic house fire, I had zero understanding of how something like that could happen to such a loving and beautiful woman. I told God I was angry. Why didn’t He protect her? Why did she have to die? Didn’t He know that I needed her? I blamed people who had driven by and seen the smoke but didn’t stop or call the fire department. I was hurting, and I told God who, what, when, where and why. Tell Him how your feel. He can take it. He is God.

Take the time to thank God for His love, the very love that has delivered you in the past and will deliver you again, because He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. At first you may not feel victorious.

You feel like a victim. You’re nauseous. You feel like someone has knocked the wind out of you. You’re caught off guard and you have not idea what to do next. And you know what? It’s okay to feel that way right now. It’s just an indication that you have a little spiritually work to do.

Normal fear responses are fight, flight, or freeze. Fear makes sense in some instances. I see a snake, God forbid, I’m going to feel fear. That’s normal for me. Some people have them for pets. I hate them. They creep me out and in Texas you can run into these reptiles practically anywhere. My fear response says, “Whoa something is threatening your safety and you need to act now to stay safe. Your brain has kicked into survival mode and adrenalin is rushing through your body.

In life, when we go through difficult situations, the fear response kicks in. Something is not right, and you need to take action. Now, I have no intentions of facing any snakes (shiver) but, in the case of a spiritual battle, you have to face the fear. It’s there. It’s real. Suppressing it will not get rid of it. It will only show up again in a different way. Fear is based on something you believe-a deep rooted belief caused by some negative or even traumatic experience.

That traumatic experience will remain deeply rooted until you pluck it up through prayer. If you don’t, it will bloom doubt, insecurity, and anxiety time and time again. You have to get to the root in order to change the negative belief. You have to deal with it. How? Face it in prayer. Here is an example of a prayer that I might pray. It’s general, but will give you the gist:

God I’m scared. Help me overcome this fear. I know you have not given me a spirit of fear, so I release it to you. Show me your truth about what I am afraid of. Give me wisdom to understand why I am afraid and how I can see this in a more positive light. Your word says you have given me the power to tread on serpents, scorpions, and all manner of evil in the earth. I desire to let that power reign in me. Thank you, Father, that the light of your love casts out the darkness of my fear. In Jesus name, Amen.

Prayer will give you the power to break down fear. Whether you freeze, fight, or flight, God is ready and waiting to cast out fear and fill you with love, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:17)

Pour out your heart in detail about the problem and how you feel about what’s happening. You’ll feel better releasing it from your soul. It’s okay to cry or pound the pillow. Suppressing anger and pain will come back to bite you in the form of fear and doubt down the line. Let it out now. The Holy Spirit is your comforter and guide. He will comfort you. Ask for healing, strength to be renewed and receive that healing by faith.

You’re hurting, and all of the negative energy needs an outlet. This is a healthy outlet. It’s much better to let it out in prayer than lose it in public or act out of vengeance. Go ahead and pray and cry until the tears slow down or stop. You may even want to journal about your feelings during this process. That’s what I did in 2011 during a financial hardship.

End your prayer with praise. Give praise for who He is as the creator of this incredible universe and all that is in it. He’s powerful and He loved us enough to place that power within us. Be thankful for that power flowing through you. Acknowledge the blessings and birthrights you have through Jesus Christ. you have a right to healing, victory, abundance, peace, joy and every good and heavenly gift. All of which is available to you. Praise Him for that. He will inhabit your praise and you will feel His presence.

Sit in the acknowledgement of God’s goodness for a time. Reflect on the last time God delivered you. Remember how you felt at the beginning of that circumstance and let yourself feel good knowing that He will deliver you again. It’s a matter of your standing in faith; seeing it through His eyes and focusing on the promise, not the problem.

Again, this is what I do. Your prayers may be different. The main thing message is give it to God in prayer. Go boldly before God and lay it all out. Release it. Don’t stay in fear and sadness. Let God shift you from fear to faith. When you get up from prayer, you will feel better. You may not know yet what to do, but you do know that you are not doing it alone.

I end my faith prayer by making peace with what is happening and what is outcome may be, not that I’m expecting to be defeated, but I now have a faith mindset which means:

• I am resting in the promises of God that this will work out for my good.
• I don’t like this experience but I’m going to learn and grow from it.
• This cannot last forever and whatever the outcome, I will trust God.
• Even though I’m still a little afraid, I’m not hopeless, and I won’t give up.

These types of prayers require privacy and time. If your schedule is hectic, I understand, but you have to make time to have this discussion with the Father. Prayer warrior prayers that are effectual and fervent take time to pray. They make time. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

In the following days and weeks, I continue to pray to God. I don’t pray the exact same prayer though. I’ve already asked Him for my desired outcome, so my prayer changes to a prayer of thanksgiving. From this moment forward, I thank God EVERY day that my prayers have been heard and I have what I asked for or something better.

The following is a brief outline of what that prayer might look like for me.

• Thank God for His goodness and love now and forever. “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.” (Psalm 100:4)

• Forgive everyone involved. Ask forgiveness for yourself and receive it by faith. “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have fought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25)

• Acknowledge remaining fears and ask God to help you overcome them. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrew 4:16)

• Ask God for a new perspective to see it through His eyes. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)

• Listen for Answers. Sit still and quiet.

• Yield to His direction. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are they are the sons of God. (Romans8:14)

• Thank God that He has already given you what you’ve asked for or something better.

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you , that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you,” (John 15:16)

You may not know the outcome but know this-you will come out. Amen. Once I’ve quarantined the issue and poured my heart and soul onto the altar, and listened for God’s voice, I move on to the next step. I notify my tribe.

PRAY FRUITFUL PRAYERS
• Thank God for His Love That Will Inevitably Deliver
• Acknowledge Fears and Doubts-Release Them To God
• Thank God for The Best Outcome For All Involved
• Reflect on Past Victories. Feel Good About The Outcome
• Rest in His Peace. Expect Victory No Matter What