RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

Prayer and Being Led by the Spirit
Many Christians often experience wonderful seasons of prayer — then immediately find themselves in the midst of a raging battle. Some have learned to tarry with God, but not walk with Him. They have been filled with the Spirit of God but haven’t learned to be led by the Spirit. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He taught them first to place their focus on God. When we see Him, we will see ourselves in an entirely different light. When we see His holiness, we will see our sinfulness. When we see how big He is, we will see how small we are. That view of God drives us to cry out for His leadership in our daily walk.
Moses met with God in a special way. He would often pitch a tent outside the camp. He would go into that tent, and there he would meet God. Those times were special to Moses. They were the foundation of his leadership of the children of Israel. But he said something very interesting to God at the close of one of those meetings. “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). God gave him assurance, “The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest’” (v. 14).
Perhaps the secret to Moses’ life and leadership can be found in what happened in that tent. He secured not only the presence of God, but also His leadership. Moses was a great leader because he learned to be a great follower. He could lead because he had been led.
The key to being led by God’s Spirit is learning to remain in a spirit of prayer. Sometimes I wish I could stay in the quiet place of prayer and never leave. Those times are very special. But we must never see them as an end in themselves. God has a plan for each of our lives. Those solitary moments in prayer prepare us for life’s battles. We don’t abandon His presence in the battles; we must learn to practice His presence in them.
God will often lead us into special times of prayer to prepare us for such battles. Several years ago, I was told by a medical doctor that I had polyps on my vocal cords. My life centers around public speaking. So hearing those words was pretty traumatic. I was told to spend two weeks in absolute silence. When the doctor told me that, I knew that God wanted to do a deep work in my life. Those became two of the most wonderful weeks of my life. Not only did God heal my vocal cords, but He also manifested Himself to me in a very special way.
But I didn’t realize that time was a preparation for what would happen during the next six months. I experienced some of the most volatile times in my ministry — and in my life. I preached when massive demonstrations broke out in Peru, and I walked into a war zone in the Congo. I saw thousands respond to the gospel. I’m so thankful that before going into the battle for souls, I had that special time with God.
I’m thankful that God will walk with me in the midst of life’s battles. He’ll meet with you, but He also wants to go with you. Learn to “pray without ceasing.”