6/29/2022 • Desk of Dennis Piller
Praying in the Flesh – vs – Praying in the Spirit
What does the title say to you? People pray all the time. Different denominations all over the world pray, some of them five times a day. But what makes the difference?
We have been talking about the roadmap that the tabernacle of the Old Testament has laid out for us in prayer. I would like to dial in on what that means practically and why so many prayers are not answered. God gave Moses a roadmap of how to pray. He told him precisely how to build the tabernacle and how to honor him.
Why? So that you might discover a richer prayer life and a deeper relationship with God, "in the spirit." Because praying in the flesh.
Praying without waiting on God…
will get you nowhere, and certainly not get your prayers answered.
Exodus chapters 25 to 31. The tabernacle was a tent-like structure inside a rectangular courtyard, facing east. There was a gate that the priest would enter into the outer courtyard where the brazen altar was nearest the entrance, and then the laver of water. The five pillars, symbolizing one of the characteristics of God. Inside the tent was the holy place housing The lampstand/Golden candlestick, the table of shewbread, the golden altar of incense, and then finally The Holy of Holies where the Ark of Covenant rested.
We enter into the gate which is Jesus himself. We come in thanking God for every blessing. The brazen altar represents Jesus himself, dying in atonement for our sins. Our sinful man could never approach a holy God without the blood of Jesus.
The Laver of water represents us taking a daily look in the mirror and being washed by and applying his word as cleansing so that we can serve and minister before God. The word will sanctify and cleanse us. It is the renewing of our minds – it is where God’s will becomes real to us! To the right,
we see the table of Shewbread where
we surrender our body as a living sacrifice as Jesus did.
And then the Altar of Incense… only the fire of repentance can burn the incense of our intercession. This is a symbol of our prayers in intercession going up to God as a sweet fragrance. Psalms 141-1 – “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.”
We can only commune with the father in the realm of the spirit. That is where faith is born. We cannot do this in the flesh, and we cannot do it because we will it.
Look in Genesis 1
It says, “the spirit moved and THEN God speaks and said let there be light”. The Spirit must call us, move us first. When the Holy Spirit moves, everything comes alive. He quickens us. It’s his calling. Everything in you magnifies his name. “Deep calls to deep” Ps 42:7 as we become completely immersed in worship and there… by the ark of the covenant you will hear his voice. He is my refuge – Ps 91:7 “Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you.”
Why? Because you are in the holy of holies. And when you walk out, you’ll have that glow similar to what Moses had when he was in the presence of God. Your presence becomes his presence. Your vessel becomes his presence. When Jesus is at the heart of you – all promises are activated. They are Yes and Amen in Christ Jesus. In the realm of the spirit victory comes… Power comes… healing comes. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” Romans 8:2
He tells us to pray all prayers and supplication “in the spirit”. Eph 6:18 That is where your eyes become his eyes and your ears his ears… in that secret place – in Christ Jesus. Psalm 32-7 says it well, “You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance”. This is what happens in the secret place.
So how do we practice the presence of God.? We enter his gates, and we find Jesus Christ and we proclaim his name – we honor his presence, and we leave our flesh behind and we learn to worship and be still. We must learn to wait upon the Lord. Music as a backdrop can help us with our distractions. Worship helps us connect with the spirit and forget about our struggles but once the spirit connects with us, then we see, hear and pray differently. Only the spirit can draw us in. We cannot manipulate that. “It is not by might, not by power, but by my spirit! It is all about Jesus!
At the gate Jesus becomes real
At the Altar of sacrifice, the cross becomes real
At the Laver the word becomes real
At the Lampstand his will becomes real
At the Table of Shewbread we surrender our bodies as a living sacrifice.
Worship is a union of communion with God… here every part of who we are magnifies the lord. The Holy Spirit calling us, lifting us… as we are immersed in his presence by the ark of the covenant.
Only blood gives us access to the Holy of Holies. There is only mercy there. We are free and without judgment. We are in THE place of intimacy with God. Through Christ, we take authority over things that work against us. Because the spirit of the Lord is upon you. Wait for it!
Phil Driscoll You Deserve The Glory
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmdaV0ES8MU
