Danger

So I'm currently in the kitchen, chopping away at some veggies for a salad. I have a girls night to attend in about 30, but really wanted to blog before I lost track of my thoughts. Come to think of it, I have many thoughts. But I'll start with last weeks realization. It wasn't a thought that I came up with unfortunately, it was definitely dropped into my mind like a stork with a baby after several minutes in prayer. Therefore it was not my thought, but rather the Spirit's that He chose to share with me. Allow me to share!

This past summer, I distinctly remember the Spirit impressing upon the importance of prayer. In specific, I felt like I was called to intercede on behalf of His people. I remember thinking at the time "huh, that's interesting... what does that mean? What would interceding even look like in my life?" A month later, I was at a holy spirit night, praying in a group of close friends. While in prayer, a woman (that I'd never met before) walked up to our group, and asked who in our group attended Arizona State University. I raised my hand, and happened to be the only one out of the group. The lady (still a stranger to me) proceeded to tell me that she felt like I have a calling on my life to be an interceder (those were her words) and that I was called to pray for the lost in my life. I remember walking away from that night and calling my grandpa. Surely if the Spirit of God prompts your heart to move, and it is confirmed by a complete stranger, this must mean I should jump on it... right? But I wasn't even sure how to. Sure, I love praying, and it is an effortless part of my day, but what does interceding look like? 2 weeks after this incident, I happened to grab a cup of coffee with a woman that I have grown to know and love. She is full of wisdom and is sensitive and obedient to the prompt that the Spirit places on her heart. During our time together -- in the middle of a conversation about nursing school, she stopped me mid sentence and said "Kelly, I really feel like God is wanting you to be steadfast in prayer." and she proceeded to recommend the name of a book for me to read. I was astonished, and quickly filled her in on my story. Which brings me to this past Sunday. I have been out of school now for about 2 weeks, and have made a commitment to spend an hour in prayer (be it through writing, drawing, speaking, or being silent)every day. While I was driving to my Phoenix home on Sunday, I was in deep prayer and had a divine realization that I am dangerous.

A surrendered heart at the mercy of her Father, an empty cistern filled with His love, a tool whose purpose is to be used by the craftsman. I am dangerous. In the hands of the one who is ALREADY victorious. Set free from sin, with death no longer holding me back. I am dangerous. I am a threat to the enemy. With victory on my side, and the Spirit of the Victor in me, I can claim enemy territory and actively combat the works of satan in my community, and in my life. My wish is not to live the comfortable American dream, but to live within 10 feet from the gates of hell and offer the hope and salvation of Jesus, the only one who can save, to those who the world would deem good as gone. Alone, I am useless. But with Jesus, all things are possible. My epiphany may seem childish, but my challenge is strong: if God has prompted your heart, or placed a defined call on your life, and you are not living in obedience to that, you are now living within the confines of satan. You are in his grasp, and you are playing his game. His goal is to distract, and direct us -- his Enemy's people -- off course, and to nullify and drown out the Spirit's call in our lives. Empowered by the spirit, and courageous in the world, we as believers are an active threat. My challenge to you, my challenge to myself is this: God is calling, God is moving, God is desiring for His people to be united with Himself. He will not leave us, He promises His spirit to be in us, but He uses our hands -- that are open to him, He uses our hearts -- that are surrendered to Him, He uses our will -- that is yielded to Him, and He uses our feet -- that are at the will of the One who is the way, the truth, and the light. Will you follow?