THE DEVIL DOG AND SILENT PRAYER

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So last Tuesday I walked over to the Post Office to check my mail. In my box I found a letter from a Federal Government agency that would normally put fear into the hearts of most U.S. citizens and taxpayers. I opened it. and perused it quickly. I saw it contained a plea for a contribution followed by a list of statutes and penalties that seemed rather threatening in nature. I tossed the letter into the trash can as I muttered something about "getting blood from a turnip."

Then as I was walking from the door of the Post Office I passed by a parked car from which a large dog stuck his head out the window, barked and made me jump about two feet in air. As I was backing up from the car I'll be darned if this large growling devil dog didn't jump out the window and come after me. There was no chance to run so I lifted my empty cloth shopping satchel into a threatening position and yelled, "you want some of me! come and get it, pal!"


That demon dog stopped, looked at me with a confused expression, then turned and sauntered off. I winked at the bystanders, that were gawking at this spectacle, and then started my trek home. As I walked away my chest stuck out just a little further as I said to myself, "Mr Hennessey , you are a brave man ...... a very brave man."

I shared that Post Office episode just to let you know that we can find enjoyment in the smallest of adventures and even maybe give the Lord a chuckle at our foolishness. I believe I could even hear Him giggle as I reflected on my two demonstrations of bravery. LOL

Anyway, having got that foolishness out of the way, I thought to share a little more on prayer today. I am sure we all can remember how it was right after we were saved. It seemed we could throw any ol' prayer against the wall and it would stick. It seems God answered all our prayers as He condescended to our youthful impatience and short attention spans (lol). Then somewhere along the way we grew up and those prayers, which were much about self gratification, didn't seem to get the same results anymore. God had used those previous vain exercises in prayer to build up our immature faith. It was needful, but now we were getting into "big boy and big girl territory." Many of us with our path to maturation, found ourselves even taken to the extreme. With this, we might have suffered our "dark night of the soul" where it seemed we couldn't touch God with either petition or praise and all that was Divine, was as though an absurdity. He had hidden Himself and to our soul's great lament and terrifying futility, we came to know a place of desiring Christ and His voice more than anything in this world. Such is often the progression from child to mature son. Often painful but oh, so glorious! ........... and yes one of those, "you have to experience it to know of it."

Today my petitions of God have become less and less, with most only being but a deep pain in my heart that can only be given expression by the groanings of the Spirit followed by an occasional, "how long O Lord, how long." It has slowly become all about walking in "sweet surrender unto His will."


Also, what a blessing it is to know that some who come to SONSHINE are fellow kinsmen that have found this same deep place of sharing with Jesus, the pain of His death, and the glory of His resurrection. Sometimes I am beside myself with tears, as I fellowship such precious saints that God has brought here to this little blog. From the bottom of my heart I often thank Him for you and the encouragement you carry to my soul.

With that said, I know some of you can relate to this following message penned by a Mexican missionary woman. I pray it blesses you with confirmation as to that which Jesus has already taught you. If not, I hope it spurs you on to experience a deeper prayer life where the soul lays silent as it is transformed into the beautiful bride it was meant to be.


The Prayer of Silence

Even as there are various levels of truth, faith, strength, and glory in our spiritual walk, so there are various levels in the development of our prayer life. First, we pray for what we want, then we come to pray for what others want, and finally, we pray for what our Father desires. The prayer of Silence is that latter type of prayer which signals a maturity of development in our spiritual life. It is called the prayer of Silence not because it excludes the voice or spoken word, but because it has so little to say! It just breathes forth a desire that is unspoken. This desire is Thy will be done. The prayer of Silence is so simple, yet so comprehensive because it embodies the whole desire of our being.

What is the prayer of Silence like? It is resting in silence in Gods love and in His Presence -- it is quieting all our senses and our thoughts. It is allowing His Light to shine upon us and fill us with that Light which He is. Psa. 37:7 says, "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him -- fret not thyself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass." One translation says, "Be silent to the Lord."

True prayer is communion with God. it is based upon a desire to know Him. It delights itself in His Presence. This is the higher road to prayer. As we come to know God in ever increasing measure, we come to love Him more and more -- for God is Love. As we come to know and experience Gods Love, we believe that His will is best at all times, and in every circumstance of life. And thus we are able to make His will the whole desire of our lives. We become rooted and grounded in His Love, and therefore, rooted and grounded in His will.

We see this prayer is not designed to change Gods will, mind, or desire. Thus as we seek Gods face ( Presence ) and rest in that Presence. Our desires are purified, becoming Gods desires. And our wills are transformed. As we look only unto Him, beholding Him, we are changed into His same image as by the Spirit of the Lord. Our whole life's yearning becomes, Thy will be done.

In this prayer of Silence, we have passed beyond the realm of being conscious of need. In union with God, we are complete. There is no need that must be explained to our Father. Matt.6:8. Not only is there no longer a consciousness of need in one's own life, but also no consciousness of needs of others, knowing that Gods all is complete and whole. There is no worlds consciousness, nor self-consciousness -- only God consciousness during these times.

In the prayer of Silence, prayer has been lifted up above earthly motives and desires. Prayer has risen above the soulish level. It is prayer in the realm of Spirit. Romans 8: 26 tells us, "Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought -- but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." These yearnings and groanings are for the will of the Father to be done.

We are admonished to pray without ceasing. This is accomplished as our every breath breathes the desire, Thy will be done. This is realized as every cell of our bodies bursts with the same desire. As Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, there came His final, matured prayer, Not what I will, Father, not what I desire -- but as You will and desire. The cells of His body had become so saturated with the desire to see His Fathers will done that they burst, and His sweat became as great drops of blood (Life) dropping to the ground. His Life was poured out to us because Jesus had come to do His fathers will (Heb.10:7). This is the very Life that saves all mankind.

Desire is prayer whether your desire is your own will, or the will of God. In the presence of the suns rays, the waters upon the earth ascend to the atmosphere as vapor, and returns to the earth as rain -- either to bless the earth and its inhabitants, or to curse the earth as acid rain. Even so, our prayers ( unspoken desires included ) can bless or curse. Unholy desires ascend into the spiritual atmosphere to compound the idea of sin and evil in this world. But Holy prayer (desires) in the heat of the Holy Spirit ascends to God to dispel sin and sickness, and descends to earth as the spiritual rain of blessing and Life. Thus, it is of utmost importance that God purify our thoughts and desires as we practice the prayer of Silence in His Presence. Invisible prayer ascends in the Spirit to produce a visible effect.

What is your expectation? Is it our Fathers expectation? Is it to bring about full salvation, full change for all creation? Then let us say with the psalmist, "My soul wait (be silent) thou only upon God, for my expectation (full salvation, full change for all creation ) is from Him."
The Amp. Bible also says, "silently submit in expectation and hope."

What will be the result of the prayer of Silence? When the whole desire of our being becomes God's will, as we rest in silence and submission in His Love, then GOD BECOMES THE MOVER IN OUR LIVES. Joel 3:16 says, The Lord also shall roar out of Zion ( that high place in the Lord, where we are One with Him in our being ) and utter His voice from Jerusalem ( city of rest, peace, and trust ) and the heavens and the earth shall shake -- but the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

God will be the Mover and the One who roars. He will speak, and it will be HIS Voice commanding a thing because it is HIS will. "And His counsel shall stand, and He will do His pleasure" (Isa.46:10). God arises within us, and His enemies are scattered (Psa.68:1). When Gods kingdom has been established over all other kingdoms in the hearts and lives of His people, then shall the LORDS house be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it (Isa.2:2). The prayer of Silence is a pathway in Christ to the realization of this blessed state of union with our Fathers plan, will, and purpose -- so that through us, His body -- His will may be done, even as he taught us to pray.

And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the LORDS. Obadiah 1:21.

By Joanna

Yes, there are many facets to prayer and this by Joanna speaks to one of the deepest places of union with God through Christ, Jesus. On the other hand, although I have matured in my prayer life, my friends and family still know me as the "King of Parking Places." It seems I can always pray a good parking place into being and I love to show this talent off.
Maybe, this is another one where God rolls His eyes and chuckles :-)

Jack and Joian


Note: I paraphrased a couple of
Joanna's thoughts and added
some punctuations for clarity.


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