Being In His Presence

There are several things that make ministry tough at times. The obvious ones are sin in your life, the attacks of the devil, enemies of the Gospel, and false brethren. However what I endured this past week was seemingly the weakness of my flesh, but there was more to it than that

Right in the midst of preaching several series on building yourself up and renewing your commitment to the things of God, my get up and go, got up and went. It can’t really be attributed to being sick or stressed out, there are simply times when you don’t feel like during anything. It’s hard to recognize it coming on you until that day you don’t even want to get out of bed. That’s about how it was as the weekend approached last week. Thankfully my schedule made me get up and get at it each day, but any moment when I wasn’t under demand, I was either staring at the wall, or laying in bed staring at the ceiling.

There was pain in my body. Walking on the treadmill became a major chore each morning. Usually my morning’s are filled with the joy of spending time in God’s Word and with my wife at the kitchen table. Lately though, I just wanted to stay in bed and the study, prayer, and duties of the day overwhelmed me. Again, I know stress and this is not what I was feeling. Susan decided, since she was suffering the same, that we had an underlying sickness that was getting us down. I developed a fever blister, which usually means my immune system has been compromised and she developed that reoccurring pain in her stomach that has plagued her in the past.

I finally got smart and went to the Lord and asked, “What am I doing differently that has brought on this attack in our flesh.” Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Since the Prayer Tower has been so cold this winter, I have not been visiting it first thing in the morning when I get up. Instead, after a short time of prayer at home, I’d get into my daily devotionals, then read my leadership development books, eat, exercise, and start my day. It seemed to be working great. I felt wonderful having so much accomplished before the sun came up that I didn’t realize what I was missing.

Then the Lord began to draw me away first thing in the morning, away from the books, away from the YouVersion on my iPad, even away from the kitchen table. He wanted some time alone with me, like I had been doing in the Prayer Tower before the cold snap this winter.

With just a Bible, some gentle music, and an attitude of a listening heart, the Lord began speaking into my life again and our sweet fellowship was restored in a warmer place — the side desk in my office. For only about 30 minutes a day he was feeding my spirit and coaxing me into his glorious presence. Just like he had done in the Prayer Tower this past year.

Well, guess who got mad at that? I began to see the pattern. The devil wanted me to forget and omit that personal time of God’s presence from my daily life. As the attack set in I couldn’t lay my finger on it, but the devil was trying hard to get me to leave that special time alone in God’s presence each day. Whereas he couldn’t get into the Prayer Tower, I had not sanctified this new place of meeting yet, nor dedicated the time to the Lord.

Although I found a place to meet with the Lord, I had not anointed it as we had the Prayer Tower or the sanctuary of the church. The devil could see into this new space and began an all out assault on Susan and I to prevent this daily meeting with the Lord from happening.

This past Sunday I felt so bad and my head hurt terribly. Since I wasn’t making any progress, I gathered the church at the altar and we prayed for one another. The assault was spreading quickly and I began to see other people coming under attack. We needed a revelation.

I asked the church to pray for Susan and I before the service, because we hadn’t been able to shake the fatigue and the pain ion our bodies. That was Sunday, the very next day I felt much better. I got up, got my coffee and sat down at my side desk and asked, “Lord what was that all about?” That’s when the revelation hit me. This new place of meeting has angered the devil into an all out attack just to get me to stay in bed 30 minutes longer and miss this quiet time with the Lord.

I guess the devil thought I had given up on the vision of the Prayer Tower and that portion of my life was just a passing fad. Yes, I miss praying in there with my Prayer Team, but that doesn’t mean they have quit praying for me. Each week, with their tithes checks, I am reminded by a note that says, “Pastor, we are praying for you and Susan.” Each morning in that moment I spend in his presence, before my day begins, I am praying with my team and filling my heart with the presence of the Lord. Just like in the Prayer Tower. Before next winter, I am going to make sure there are doors on the tower, so we can heat it each morning and I won’t make this mistake again.

As for that place I meet with the Lord now, until warmer weather, I have anointed it as a Secret Place too. The devil’s attack has been abated. My resistance to give it up has caused him to flee once again.

Saints, protect your Secret Place where you meet with the Lord each day. It’s more than a place of prayer or a time of devotional study. It’s the place of his manifested presence.

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Calvary Assemblies of God | 720 N Plum St Union City IN 47390 | Pastor Brian P. Jenkins |  (765) 964-3671 | www.calvaryassembliesofgod.org