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How the Spirit Turns Ruins into Foundations

PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 

Jesus, I belong to you.

I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body as a holy and living sacrifice to you. 

Jesus, We belong to you. 

Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen. 

Romans 8:26–30 (NIV)

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

CONSIDER THIS

Ever since I first heard it in England, I’ve been listening to this song on repeat:

“When I feel like ruins you see foundations . . . you see foundations . . . to build your kingdom here.”

The song speaks . . . no . . . cries out to me of the anchoring words of Romans 8:28,

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

One evening last week, during the Wildfires festival, I was walking across the pasture of the grounds of Wiston Place back to my room. A couple I had briefly met the day prior ran over to me and beckoned me to join their little twilight picnic group for a chat. Did I mention it was freezing and I didn’t take the right clothes and that I was battling sickness and was bone tired? I didn’t want to do it, but something told me to sit with them. What ensued was a conversation concerning the power of the atonement, the healing mission of Jesus, and his kingdom that could only be categorized as extraordinary with a fellowship of saints who could only be categorized as exceptional.

As darkness fell on the land, a New Testament scene was rising up around us. One of the men in the circle, Patrick, asked if I would pray for him. It turns out he is a priest in the Church of England and an anointed healer himself. He spoke of the health crisis that emerged in his life in his early fifties. Now at fifty-seven not only had his kidneys failed but they were so diseased they had to be removed, resulting in nightly dialysis at home. His physical body was in ruins. Nothing more could be done. Patrick needed a miracle of supernatural order. 

“When I feel like ruins you see foundations . . . you see foundations . . . to build your kingdom here.”

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a single seed of wheat. You know I always carry seeds with me to remind me what I am doing in this world—sowing love—indeed for a great awakening. I placed the seed in Patrick’s hand. He stunned me as he put the seed in his mouth and swallowed it whole. I asked if anyone had oil. They only had wine. I asked each person to audibly affirm the ancient creed, “Jesus is Lord,” and then I asked each to affirm their faith in Jesus’s presence to heal. I anointed Patrick with wine (a first for me), making the sacred sign of the holy cross on his forehead in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Next, I said to the circle, “Because the power of Jesus is present to heal we need not put the emphasis on what we are doing here or our mode of prayer and intercession but instead let us focus simply on what Jesus is doing—which is healing his son, Patrick.” Because the Spirit was already interceding in wordless groans, I added, “I sense the Spirit would not have us ask for healing tonight but to instead receive healing in the name of Jesus.” 

I led Patrick in this simple prayer, “Jesus I receive your healing.” Then his wife and the other couple laid on hands and joined us, saying, “Jesus, we receive your healing—for Patrick.” We exchanged some more words of love between us and I departed into the night for my quarters. 

What will happen? This will happen:

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

And then I hear the words to that song, 

“When I feel like ruins you see foundations . . .”

THE PRAYER

Father, thank you for Jesus, and Jesus thank you for the Holy Spirit. Sweep us up into this mystical place of prayer, where you work out your winning even through losing and even especially in losing. We pray now the words of this new hymn rising up in the church:

My brokenness made beautiful,
it’s like you said all things made new,
my heart cries out build your kingdom here.
Let faith like fire burn in our bones,
let hope arise from weary souls,
our hearts cry out build your kingdom here. 

Praying in Jesus’s name, amen. 

THE QUESTION

As you sense faith rising in and around you would you join voices in prayer around Patrick? “Jesus we receive your healing.” Where are the ruins rising up in your life and taking the shape of foundations? 

THE HYMN

Today we will continue with our Romans 8 anthem, “Love Divine All Love’s Excelling.” I’m sorry about the snafu earlier in the week with the hymn. I think we are back on track. It is hymn 88 in our Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise. Let’s let these lyrics and their melody crystallize our faith today. 

For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt

P.S. Are You Digging the Holy Spirit Well Deeper This Summer? 

At Seedbed, we always dedicate the summer months to a deep dive into the Holy Spirit. I wanted to make sure you knew about a new resource just released: The Holy Spirit: An Introduction, by Dr. Matt Ayers. This is kingdom gold. Matt is the president of Wesley Biblical Seminary. He’s the rare kind of scholar who can translate the depths of theological wisdom for everyday Christians and local churches and who can teach Scripture in a way that it combusts into flame. There is so much whacky teaching out there about the third person of the Trinity it’s hard to know who and what to trust. It’s why we are behind this book. Take a look here to get a feel for the book and Matt (via an amazing series of free video shorts) and order a copy today. 

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WHAT IS THIS? Wake-Up Call is a daily encouragement to shake off the slumber of our busy lives and turn our eyes toward Jesus. Each morning our community gathers around a Scripture, a reflection, a prayer, and a few short questions, inviting us to reorient our lives around the love of Jesus that transforms our hearts, homes, churches, and cities.

Comments and Discussion

2 Responses

  1. I woke up this morning with a foundational thought. “There’s hope for a soiled heart. A soiled heart can be good soil for God’s Word.”

    Let your heart become good ground. Receive and nurture the falling seed that the Sower is ever sowing in your heart. Direct it off the path of self-will, away from the stones of spiritual hardness, beyond self-focused desires, consumerism, and worries. Warmly and tenderly embrace the seed of God’s Word with humility, repentance, and brokenness. Let it grow and flourish inside your innermost being and transform the ruins in your heart into a glorious garden overflowing with an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit.

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