Paraclete is not a term we use every day. But that Greek word is what Jesus used to refer to The Holy Spirit.
parakletos. Looks like parakeet, but they could not be more dissimilar. The definition is advocate, helper, intercessor, lender of strength. But that really doesn’t convey a complete picture. The Holy Spirit is indeed all of these, but this is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead! This is the power of God not only to live the way He has called us to live, to endure the challenges and trials of this life, and that pleads with God for the pardon of our sins in the widest sense, but the full might of God that wages war on our behalf.
If I can ever get my meager mind to comprehend that our Paraclete is released to bring the victory we so desperately seek when I hit my knees then I would spend more time and energy to be there.
I am really fighting discouragement this morning. Trying to lead my children on a 40 day journey that will change the course of their lives, the lives of those around them, and the lives of those who follow them – but only my wife and my mother want to come along. You know you can lead horses to water, but you can’t make ’em drink.
I’m discouraged by the fact that as soon as I commit us to prayer, the bottom falls out of my business, our livlihood.
How do I battle discouragement and take up courage again? I hit my knees. I recount how faithful God has been. I Pray Hard and Think Long! I ask for our Paraclete to lend me strength, to open my spiritual eyes, to plead my case, and to give me courage.
Discouragement means to have courage drained from you.
Encouragement is to be filled with courage.
So, Father, I pray that You will make TCG and me such an example of God’s grace, love, power, and provision that our kids can’t resist the immense desire to follow in our steps. Help me release control and let You bring the victory I am unable to bring. Be our God, we are Your people!
How do you make horses drink?… make them thirsty!
After reading yesterdays and todays 40 Day Prayer Challenge, I felt empowered~! I was reading in Nehemiah 4, Nehemiah began rebuilding the wall in Jerusalem, which left them very vulnerable. They began rebuilding with great opposition…I think the more people built, the worse it got! There were days Nehemiah felt as though he couldnt lay another stone! But, because he was faithful, he KNEW what he was suppose to do and Gods Word depended on it, he pushed through and perservered! Thats what we are doing..we are rebuilding! We are with great opposition, the closer we get to completion, the greater the battle! That is satans weapon. He knows when we are close to a breakthru, that we are getting ready to celebrate because “God Surprised us” Satan is having to work overtime. He knows if he can get us to worry about how we are going to get the wall rebuilt, hes got us discouraged and felling defeated! Well, guess what?? Hes given us the blueprints for the wall, we just have to follow the plan. We have to get up every morning, face that wall and know that Gods sovereign hand has planned our footsteps for that day! I dont know what the future holds, but I know who does! I know that He is for us not against us, that he loves us unconditionally and that His greatest desire is to see us rebuild our wall so that the enemy cannot break through! Lets believe for a GOD SIZED SURPRISE today. As Mark Battersons grandma always said, “you cant never always sometimes tell”. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN! TG I pray for you today, that the Holy Spirit would RAIN on you, that He would encourage you, that your dreams would come to fruition because of your faithfulness and because Gods WORD depends on it! That the horses would come for water because they will see the miracles that are happening everyday in our lives. That they would come along beside us and be excited to “rebuild our wall” in anticipation of a HUGE SURPRISE PARTY, the kind that only God, Himself can do. Hit the floor praying, face the wall and declare VICTORY in the Name of Jesus!!