Apostolic author Michelle Pace offers a devotion on prayer.
Praise breaks you out of your prison of selfishness, loneliness, depression, sickness, and disease.”
I had the privilege of traveling to Yellowstone National Park. It was a breathtaking experience. My goal was to see as much as I could in a short period of time, which led me to take shortcuts to the scenic viewing spots. I experienced some marvelous scenery but wondered what was waiting for me beyond the easy route: delving deeper into the forest, feeling the need for rest and a cool drink of water on an unknown path and the feeling of uneasiness at what might be lurking around the next bend.
So it is on the pathway of prayer.
Exercising Self-Discipline through Prayer and Fasting
You can choose to rise up in the morning and quickly bow your head and bend your knee for the satisfaction of being able to say you experienced prayer without having truly explored it. Or you can prepare physically for your “hike” through prayer by fasting. Exercising self-discipline and denying our flesh is often uncomfortable, but it is what will give us strength to face our foes and to tear down strongholds for ourselves and others. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6, KJV).
Stay Dedicated in Prayer
You can only achieve the physical strength and demands of your hike through an “I will not quit” attitude and dedication. Let us push past lethargy and complacency and reach for that higher calling in Christ. Daily dedication will create an addiction to prayer.
Channel your wasted energy of worry into a powerhouse of praise. #DevotionOnPrayer #ApostolicAuthor Click To TweetAs you climb in prayer, take those moments to rest beside the still waters God has placed so cleverly along the mountainside or the babbling brook as it runs along the rocks. In this time of rest and meditation, you will learn to hear His still small voice as you feel it ripple through your mind. Allow Jesus time to speak words of encouragement, direction, and even correction into your life. Acquire a discernment and understanding for the things of the Spirit. In stillness and waiting we can learn to hear the voice of our gentle Shepherd: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12, NIV).
Take a Moment to Be Still
As you break through the forest and into the clearing and are surrounded with God’s splendor, won’t all the toil of your climb have been worth it? As you feel his majestic presence, your heart will be filled with praise.
Take a moment to be “still and know that [He is] God” (Psalm 46:10, KJV).
Take a moment to be “still and know that [He is] God” (Psalm 46:10, KJV).
Praise breaks you out of your prison of selfishness, loneliness, depression, sickness, and disease. It will place your focus on the one who is bigger than all your problems. You can channel your wasted energy of worry into a powerhouse of praise. The pathway of prayer through fasting, dedication, meditation, and praise will take you beyond the casual interest of a tourist who is curious but not willing to spend the time to know and explore the vast beauty beyond the lookout point.
Bio: Michelle Pace is the author of two books, Legacy of Grace and Out of the Ashes and a native of Bismarck, North Dakota. In January 2017 Michelle moved to Tupelo, Mississippi, where she served as a house parent for the Tupelo Children’s Mansion and subsequently filled the role of executive assistant at TCM. She now resides in Fargo, North Dakota, where she assists in a home missions work.
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