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 to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Acts 24:10–16
When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.”
CONSIDER THIS
Paul didn’t seem to be too worried about the situation. Come to think of it, Paul never seemed to be too worried about anything.
But isn’t this situation a bit different? These are the imperial courts of Rome, yet Paul seems to be signaling to us, “I’ve got this.” In the law, there’s an old adage some would apply in this case that goes, “Whoever serves as their own lawyer has a fool as a client.”
To the naked eye, Paul clearly appears to be serving in the role of his own attorney. However, whenever the Holy Spirit is involved, there’s oh so much more going on than meets the eye.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, need I remind you of Exhibit 1A: the words of Jesus himself: “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12:11–12).
Translation: Yes, Paul was up against a legal team rivaling that of O. J. Simpson. Still, Paul knew he had the best lawyer in the land, the Holy Spirit.
Now, did you catch the little favorite three-word phrase of Jesus in the verses above? See if you can find them. Okay, here they are: “Do not worry.”
Remember back in The Sermon (on the Mount), when he said don’t worry about clothes or food or tomorrow or anything else? Paul took him seriously. I mean, Paul had a thing or two to say about worry. Remember when he said this: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6–7).
Paul knew his counsel was the Holy Spirit and he need not worry about anything. He knew the Holy Spirit would tell him what to say and when and how and to who. This is what it means to carry “the shield of faith.”
You see, there are our problems and there is the bigger problem. The bigger problem is always worry and anxiety. Jesus and Paul knew how worry and anxiety literally destroy faith from the inside out, the way cancer destroys a human body. Rather than a shield, anxiety actually has the effect of making us a target.
Faith and worry simply cannot coexist. One will overcome the other every time. The question is which will win in your case. It’s why we pray every day here in our Prayer of Transformation: “Jesus, I receive your peace and release my anxiety.” Today we will add, “I receive your faith and release my worry.”
THE PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION
Lord Jesus, I am your witness. I long to be like you.
I receive your righteousness and release my sinfulness.
I receive your wholeness and release my brokenness.
I receive your fullness and release my emptiness.
I receive your peace and release my anxiety.
I receive your faith and release my worry.
I receive your joy and release my despair.
I receive your healing and release my sickness.
I receive your love and release my selfishness.
Come, Holy Spirit, transform my heart, mind, soul, and strength so that my consecration becomes your demonstration; that our lives become your sanctuary. For the glory of God our Father, amen.
THE JOURNAL PROMPTS
How much of a problem are worry and anxiety for you these days? What might a new strategy or approach to them look like?
THE HYMN
Today we will sing “Power in the Blood” (hymn 487) from our Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise. Get your copy here.
For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt
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2 Responses
I find it helpful that when the trials and tribulations of this life are encountered, I remind myself that Jesus is already enthroned above, and remains sovereign over the affairs of this world. And yes, we’ve already been warned that the Way to eternal life with God in eternity proceeds through a narrow gate, which only a few will find, and follows a narrow road to its final destination. (Matthew 7:14) When I encounter obstacles to my progress along the way, I need to keep eyes fixed on Jesus, because I want to be found faithful at the conclusion of my journey.
“I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” O that all Christ-followers would begin to do that moment by moment.