My Father's Journey - Part 2

Before you read the next installment of My Father's Journey, please read the first installment...

My Father's Journey - Part 1

From the moment we heard the news of David's condition, Bunty and I have been pressing in earnestly in prayer. Often we are up at all hours of the night - 4 am, 2 am, sometimes all night - but the more we are stirred in prayer, the more our faith rises.

We cannot always understand some events and crises that come along during our life span, but we do know that crises take us deeper into the unfathomable depths of our God (Psalm 42:7). And we know that His overshadowing love and mercy always follow us, and David has described this so well in his journal entries on December 30 and 31st, "The Lord is my Shepherd".

Three things we know...

1. The eternal purpose that the Father has for our life. It begins with the gift of eternal life and continues on in eternal life here and beyond the grave.

2. The absolute finished work of the Lord Jesus upon the Cross and in the Resurrection. During this massive act of redemption for each of us personally, Jesus took our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21), our sicknesses (Matthew 8:16-17), and the curse (Galatians 3:13). All of this was done for each of us.

3. Jesus, when He left, promised to send the Comforter - the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18; 26-27) and in the context of this He said "Out of your innermost being would flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38). We are now led on our journey by the Holy Spirit.

It is the Holy Spirit who searches the depth of our hearts and our lives. Romans 8:27 says:

"And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."

...and it is the Holy Spirit who also plumbs the depth of God for us. 1 Corinthians 2:10 says:

"...The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God."

Obviously the Holy Spirit does not need to plumb the depths of God for Himself, as He is God, but He does that for us.

God, in our salvation through the new birth, changes us from a self-centre to a Christ-centre. On a daily basis we choose to walk in that Christ-centre and, if we do, the leading of the Holy Spirit will take us beyond the blessings of God to the purposes of God - His plan and will for our lives. And we will also be willing to move beyond the comfort zone to minister to others in their lostness and suffering.

Jesus left the comfort zone of Heaven and headed for Gethsemane and, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross (Hebrews 12:2). God has now also called us, as sons, to the same privilege of taking up our cross and following Him, in order to take His glory to the ends of the earth.

Just Jacob (even with all his faults) only desired and cherished the Birthright, which was to carry the eternal purpose in his generation, so we make these choices also.

David, you have always been willing to follow the difficult paths in serving your beloved Lord.

When we think of the depths of God and the sweeping changes that we know that He is making in the Body of Christ, and in our individual lives, we stand amazed in the fact that Hebrews 7:25 says that right now Jesus is ever living to make intercession for us. So He joins us, and joins David, in this challenging trial of faith.

Over the years, we have learnt, as we entered into intercession as part of our ministry, that the Holy Spirit has four anointings of intercession.

1. The anointing of bearing the burden of the Lord, joining the Lord in feeling His heart for individuals, cities and nations. For example, Jesus wept over Jerusalem, greatly desiring them to know the day of their visitation (Matthew 23:37; Luke 19:41,44; 1 Peter 2:12). We too can weep over people and over cities, shedding not just our own tears but those of the Lord too, as we feel his heartbeat for the nations. History shows that all visitations of the Lord upon the face of the earth are preceded by a great outpouring of intercession.

2. The anointing of identification with those suffering, where we can identify in prayer to the point where we actually feel the pain and suffering of another. The greatest act of intercession was the identification of the Lord Jesus with us on the Cross. There have been many emails received from people around the world joining us in an anointed identification with David's need of healing.

3. The anointing of travail, or "spiritual labour pains". In Galatians 4:19, Paul said, "My dear children, I am again in the pains of childbirth Christ is formed in you" (see also Romans 8:26). In this sense, David's situation, like that of so many Christians undergoing the same kind of suffering, is representative of the Body of Christ, to which we all belong, and God is wanting to bring to birth wholeness in the Body of Christ.

4. The anointing of warfare against the Enemy. Ephesians 6:10-18 says: "Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not again flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms...take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

So as we intercede for David we are attacking the death-carrying cells of cancer and asking the Lord for David to be released, healed and completely set free.

David, we love you and we continue to lift you to the Throne of God (Hebrews 4:16). You are a joy to us. We continue to pray also for Elena and the children.