Once again, you have hit right on what I am dealing with. I am praying for a couple people in my life – one that was saved as a child but does not live an outward life of faith, and one that wants nothing to do with any of it. As this video started, I was thinking, “And what do you do when the person has been lied to about you and looks at you as a hypocrite?” and you went right to the heart of the matter – leave it in God’s hands.
The first person that I’ve been praying for has admitted that they are not sure they believe all that they were taught as a child and I have been praying that somehow God would open their heart and mind to His Truth.
The second one has me really troubled and all I have been able to do is cry out to God to put someone in their life that will influence them. Others have tried to talk to this person and have been shut down and told not to ‘preach’. I cannot be that person because they were told lies about me years ago and now believe that I am a hypocrite – effectively undermining any testimony or witness I should have had. I was praying for this person five minutes before watching this video and asked that God would open this person’s heart and that the Holy Spirit would convict them (both of them) of their need. But that is about all I can do. I know it and realize just what you said. We cannot change a person. God is the only one that can touch their hearts and change their attitudes into accepting His Son.
I learned a long time ago that what I needed to pray was that the Holy Spirit would begin to change a person’s heart and then put a worker into their lives that would testify to the Truth and lead them to Jesus. So that is what I do and then leave it in His hands. Thanks Pastor J.
I am glad this spoke Drusilla. I think what I am learning is that prayer IS the one thing that must be done and all the rest is just window dressing. Letting God invade someone else’s life through my prayers is far more effective I am learning than all the talking or witnessing I can do.
Pastor J, there are times when I just have to smile at how God works. One of the blogs I follow is Clark Bunch at The Master’s Table. This post of his from four years ago came up on my Reader feed this morning and I thought you might like to read it, if you haven’t already done so.
Exactly! And these are the times that I must remember when i get to feeling like my prayers are stopping at the ceiling.
I also must tell you Pastor J that I thank God for leading me to Reinventing the We’ll years ago and then to Lillie-Put and now to Notes From the Vicarage. You have helped me so much over the years, been an encouragement and a blessing, and I am so grateful for all that I have learned from you.
Drusilla your words bless me more than you know. There has been so much water under the bridge since Reinventing the We’ll…so much painful and potentially destructive water and to know that somehow I am still of use to people is just amazing to me.
I know about the painful and potentially destructive – I’ve lived through it myself. I don’t know where I would be if God had not held tightly to me as I rode those rough waves and brought me to shore. When I think about it, I cannot wait to see Jesus face to face and wrap my arms around him. For now, I must do that in my mind and just hang on. 🙂
I am finding that the space in my spirit which is lifted into the heavenlies in prayer can give me such a taste of Heaven I never want to come away from it. It is this place which shielded me in my most broken hours. During that season I would find myself “going away” to be with Jesus for 5 or six hour stints at a time and it was glorious.
Thank you Pastor J , for the way you teach and explain this. Once again, it encouraged me thinking about how spiritual warfare, with love as our weapon, makes a place for God to work. We are like base camps. :). And how praying IS the work we are to do. Another blessing and encouragement! Another truth to dispel lies at how little,good we are doing. We pray and God moves in His time and wisdom. Blessings and thanks!
Notes From the Vicarage 
Pingback: Weapons Of Our Warfare Pt. 14…Changing People | Lillie-Put
Once again, you have hit right on what I am dealing with. I am praying for a couple people in my life – one that was saved as a child but does not live an outward life of faith, and one that wants nothing to do with any of it. As this video started, I was thinking, “And what do you do when the person has been lied to about you and looks at you as a hypocrite?” and you went right to the heart of the matter – leave it in God’s hands.
The first person that I’ve been praying for has admitted that they are not sure they believe all that they were taught as a child and I have been praying that somehow God would open their heart and mind to His Truth.
The second one has me really troubled and all I have been able to do is cry out to God to put someone in their life that will influence them. Others have tried to talk to this person and have been shut down and told not to ‘preach’. I cannot be that person because they were told lies about me years ago and now believe that I am a hypocrite – effectively undermining any testimony or witness I should have had. I was praying for this person five minutes before watching this video and asked that God would open this person’s heart and that the Holy Spirit would convict them (both of them) of their need. But that is about all I can do. I know it and realize just what you said. We cannot change a person. God is the only one that can touch their hearts and change their attitudes into accepting His Son.
I learned a long time ago that what I needed to pray was that the Holy Spirit would begin to change a person’s heart and then put a worker into their lives that would testify to the Truth and lead them to Jesus. So that is what I do and then leave it in His hands. Thanks Pastor J.
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I am glad this spoke Drusilla. I think what I am learning is that prayer IS the one thing that must be done and all the rest is just window dressing. Letting God invade someone else’s life through my prayers is far more effective I am learning than all the talking or witnessing I can do.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pastor J, there are times when I just have to smile at how God works. One of the blogs I follow is Clark Bunch at The Master’s Table. This post of his from four years ago came up on my Reader feed this morning and I thought you might like to read it, if you haven’t already done so.
https://themasterstable.wordpress.com/2015/06/30/8040/
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Well now that is powerful stuff and very affirming of what God has been saying to each of us, don’t you think?
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Exactly! And these are the times that I must remember when i get to feeling like my prayers are stopping at the ceiling.
I also must tell you Pastor J that I thank God for leading me to Reinventing the We’ll years ago and then to Lillie-Put and now to Notes From the Vicarage. You have helped me so much over the years, been an encouragement and a blessing, and I am so grateful for all that I have learned from you.
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Drusilla your words bless me more than you know. There has been so much water under the bridge since Reinventing the We’ll…so much painful and potentially destructive water and to know that somehow I am still of use to people is just amazing to me.
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I know about the painful and potentially destructive – I’ve lived through it myself. I don’t know where I would be if God had not held tightly to me as I rode those rough waves and brought me to shore. When I think about it, I cannot wait to see Jesus face to face and wrap my arms around him. For now, I must do that in my mind and just hang on. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am finding that the space in my spirit which is lifted into the heavenlies in prayer can give me such a taste of Heaven I never want to come away from it. It is this place which shielded me in my most broken hours. During that season I would find myself “going away” to be with Jesus for 5 or six hour stints at a time and it was glorious.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Pastor J , for the way you teach and explain this. Once again, it encouraged me thinking about how spiritual warfare, with love as our weapon, makes a place for God to work. We are like base camps. :). And how praying IS the work we are to do. Another blessing and encouragement! Another truth to dispel lies at how little,good we are doing. We pray and God moves in His time and wisdom. Blessings and thanks!
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We are base camps…strongholds for God’s love and His joy and peace as well!
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