Breath of Heaven
Recently, while considering prayer and the keeping power of God, I was struck with the analogy of under-water swimmers. Their lives depend on the oxygen above. If they do not surface for the pure air they will drown in the dark depths of their surroundings. So, it is with Christians. Prayer is the lifeline of our spiritual lives in a dark and dank world.
The deception comes when we feel safe and comfortable in our material world. Things generally seem to work out, day after day goes by and we can easily take life for granted; life which is ours only because of the breath of heaven. Prayer is not something to be scheduled or orchestrated by human design. Prayer is simply drawing near unto the One who has begun the great work of salvation within us. His desire is to bring the rule of His Life into the lives of His own. A man’s natural tendency is to want control and religion often placates this desire. But the prayer and communion of His Spirit brings the fresh fragrance of Christ into our stale air.
Prayer enlarges our world. Lives lived outside of prayer are shallow, limited in scope, and have little contact with the world around them. Without the love of God beating in our hearts it is impossible to feel His compassion for others, to know His ministry of outreach. His breath in our hearts expands our horizon and desires to make Him known.
The beginning of Man in the garden was the result of the breath of God. Just as the first Adam became alive by the breath of God so too do we become alive by the Breath of the Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:47).
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”
Genesis 2:7
We see Jesus in the Book of John, prior to His resurrection, breathing upon the disciples the breath of the Holy Spirit. Though it was a temporary ministration it transformed their lives and prepared them for the coming of the indwelling Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
“And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost”
John 20:22
As with all things in God, that which is external is transient and temporary. But the breathing on them as they walked with God was to become an internal reality. God’s full purpose is that we may live UNTO Him for eternity. Prayer is the essential breath of the New Man. His Spirit is the fire of His presence burning and purifying us within.
God’s instruction to us:
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves
on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God…”
Jude 1:21
Christians with unforgiveness, bitterness and stagnation are those who fail to inhale afresh the atmosphere and substance of God. This breath cannot help but bring change and transformation to our lives!
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
Please See: The ING of God
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“Believers keep up and maintain their walk with God by secret prayer. The spirit of grace is always accompanied with the spirit of supplication. It is the very breath of the new creature, the fan of the divine life, whereby the spark of holy fire, kindled in the soul by God, is not only kept in, but raised into a flame”
– George Whitefield
Brian Troxel
Praise God for His Holy Spirit who helps us to pray when we are too overwhelmed even to speak!
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26,27).
God Bless Your Day.
Julia
Such a good scripture and a timely one. I have been so encouraged with the different ones in the blog world where the Spirit of God is speaking. We have little locally who see and feel the fire of God and the day we are in. I am thankful for yours and several others. May God stir our hearts more and more.
Bless you
BT
Thank you for this message. Well written and to the point.
These truths are most important to any true disciple, for we are true disciples not when we live for or like our teacher, but when the teacher is living His life in and through us. This can be true in us only by our “secret prayer” (Whitefield, above) experienced as conversational communion with the Holy Spirit. This is the testimony of those who lived in Christ, by Christ, to Christ. For those who are busy trying to somehow live for Christ, this communion will likely elude them.
Without the Christ within all is in vain. Appreciate your heart and fire… I hope we meet sometime.
Fellowship is rare but powerful. May we hold one another up to Him.
Blessings
BT
I’ve often found myself walking around and just having a “mental conversation” with my Lord. Sometimes even a three way conversation with Father God and the Lord. Sometimes, the conversation is out loud. There have been times when others have heard me and asked who I was talking to. I replied honestly with a great big smile large enough to see through my beard. “You crazy” many say. I just reply back, “Who, me or the one I’m having the conversation with?” Thank God, so far nobody had walked up with a straight-jacket. If they did, I’d probally say, “No thanks, still trying to grow into the one I’ve already been given.” Praise the Lord without fear! LOLGB+
Thank you for stopping by. The prayer of which Jesus spoke was in secret.
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6
Blessings
BT