Thoughts for Life: #95 Seasons of Dryness

C. Peter Wagner tells us,
"It would be easy to put
intercessors up on such a
spiritual pedestal that we
forget they are human just
like the rest of us.

But they themselves will be the
first to remind us of their frailty.

Intercessors have their ups and
downs. They have their good days and their bad days.

They can leave a powerful mountain-top experience with God and plunge into the valley.

One of our roles as leaders is to understand this and nurture them through difficult periods just as they do with us.

A while ago Alice Smith went through a particularly strenuous time of intercession and spiritual warfare in Israel where she felt that significant battles were won against some high-ranking principalities.

Soon after that she wrote to Doris and me saying,

'I am in the midst of a very difficult time of dryness before
the Lord. This is not uncommon to experience because
intercessors have to have a spiritual 'tune up' every once
in a while to see if they are praying for the benefits, or
really praying and enjoying the Lord because of who He is.'

Here again is the heart of a true intercessor who has no greater desire than a close relationship with God.

'Especially after a very high spiritual experience such as
I encountered in Israel,' Alice says, 'there is often the
tendency to press into the Lord for a 'bigger high,' while
He is more interested in the quiet, still fellowship of
knowing His presence.'

She seemed somewhat apologetic that even when she prayed for us, she was not hearing much from the Lord.

She was apologetic, that is, to us, but certainly not to the Lord who, she felt, was monitoring her faithfulness at that point. She concludes by saying,

'These times always spark a fresh gratitude for when I do
hear Him speak once again."

Soon afterward, as we knew and she knew would happen,
the dry period ended and things returned to normal.
Meanwhile, we noticed during that period God had given
extra assignments to some I-2 intercessors.

For example, during that time Doris and I made a very significant visit to the March for Jesus office in London and, as I mentioned previously, Dave Rumph and Bobbye Byerly were used by the Lord in a special way to pray the event into being." #65 Feeling the Wind of the Spirit

#95 Seasons of Dryness, in the series

taken from C. Peter Wagner’s

book, PRAYER SHIELD, How to

intercede for pastors, Christian

leaders and others on the spiritual

frontlines. (pgs. 173-174)

By Regal Books

PRAYER SHIELD by ChristianBooks - offered for $9.69 There are many of Wagner's books offered. Type in the title of this book at the top of page.

Let’s pray:

Father, when we're in a time of dryness of soul, may we remember that that's the time to seek You.

Your Holy Bible has the answers for us with encouragement and instructions throughout its pages.

We can turn to the book of Psalms, which is directly in the center of Your Word, and read how King David often had good reason to be discouraged.

But he reminded himself how You'd helped him in times past. (see Ps. 119:49, 50)

Remind us of how You have 'been there' for us, too!

May my own heart turn again to You for comfort, peace, and direction each time I find myself in 'seasons of dryness.'

I ask this in the Name of Jesus, amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Ps. 119:49, 50 "Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me."

Today’s quote: Stormie Omartian “The past should not be a place where we live, but something from which we learn.”

Some thoughts today: God wants us to be content with where we are right now. It is His opinion that we have enough, and need to stop masking our problems with wanting to change our circumstances.

- Loneliness is filled with God alone. You can be in a crowd and feel utterly alone. Let the peace of God fill you today...

26th- Thursday’s post: #96 Need Help from Others C. Peter Wagner

28th- Saturday's post: Smile Joe Stowell

29th- Sunday's post: Pride (how to deal with it) James Cagle

29th- evening's post: God's Under the Bed GodVine

A popular post: Have You Ever Been Alone with God?
Oswald Chambers "When God gets us alone by affliction,
heartbreak, or temptation, by disappointment, sickness,
or by thwarted affection, by a broken friendship, or by a
new friendship – when He gets us absolutely alone, and
we are dumbfounded, and cannot ask one question, then
He begins to expound."