Ushering in the Spirit

My
husband and I had the honor recently to pray over a couple who has had
a rocky marriage ever since it began.  He has struggled with
alcoholism, gambling and drugs.  She has struggled with control,
bitterness and suppressed anger.  She has filed for divorce
several times and was close to actually being divorced before stopping
it just days ago.


Why?  You may ask.  What changed that a woman who has had to
act as both father and mother to her two kids for many years would want
to “try again” with a physically absent and emotionally unavailable
father?  Well, the change can be summed up in one word…JESUS!!


JESUS radically changed this man's heart.  It's taken a lot of
broken relationships, hurt feelings, mistrust and deception to get to
the place of turning his life over to Jesus but he has done it. 
And I want to be one of the first to say just how much this man has
changed.  A different man walks into the room now.  Someone
who's heart is devoted to Jesus.  Someone who's heart desires
nothing else than to earn his family back. 


He holds two jobs now.  As long as I've known the family he has
had no job.  He rarely came home at night.  And when he did
he was drunk or high.  He rarely contributed to the family in any
way that was constructive.  On occasion he would give his wife
some money if he had won any gambling but that about summed up his
contribution to the family.  His family didn't trust him. 
His wife didn't love him.  His children didn't understand why dad
was never there.

But now…..

This man is being transformed into a warrior for Christ.  His
entire demeanor has changed.  He's different.  He's
new.  He's now a child of God. 


Last week we, along with two other couples, anointed them with oil and
prayed over them, begging God for the resurrection of their marriage
and the reconciliation of their family.  They have already made
great strides in reuniting but felt as if they needed the spiritual
boost of others praying for them.


It was such a privledge to come before God on behalf of these two
people.  I have prayed with the wife for nearly 5 years for God to
change her husbands heart.  When He did it came at an unexpected
and tremendous cost to both her and her family.  It's been a tough
road for these two but after our prayers the other night I know God is
going to use this couple as a testimony to HIS own power and strength.


Our prayers were sweet, broken and right before the throne of
God.  We prayed believing in God's miracles for this couple. 
The Spirit swooped into our broken huddle and transformed not only
their lives, but ours.  All of us left the circle changed. 
Most of us praying realized we had done a very poor job of loving the
husband in his sinful life.  It's so much easier to love someone
when they are acting the way you think they should.


I'm so thankful Jesus doesn't love me that way…only when I act the
way he wants me too.  I pray I will be able to love others as HE
loves me.  I know it's impossible in my own strength.  Love
like that can only come from Him. 


We, along with the angels, cheer this couple on to victory in Chirst,
reconciliation for their family and a testimony that God will use for
all eternity. 


Do we quench the Spirit when we stay in control?  Yes.  Do we
need broken hearts to be healed?  Yes.  Does God do more than
we can ever imagine with the brokenness?  A resounding YES.

JESUS is all about the business of love.
And for that I am so very humbled.

Julie