Are you willing to take the "High Road" so that some may enter the Damascus Reformation Road? by Teri Johnson
This is the question set before me by Holy Spirit, as I sat with Him; pondering, dismayed, and fed up by the evil, sad & tragic state of the affairs going on in this world today.
I had thought, surely my prayers, prophetic declarations & proclamations were enough, but no, something was lacking.
And that something was faith, love & mercy for ALL.
I had plenty of gumption and a fair amount of unction to pray for the “Persecuted”, but would I also pray for the “Persecutors”?
I had the faith to believe Isaiah 60:2; “gross darkness covering the earth”, but God’s Light shining brighter. However my attitude was angry and downright wrong. I had a strong belief and desire for the punishment & damnation of several leaders & groups who were partnering with evil on this earth.
What if our prayers had the power to turn the largest and most powerful Persecutors and Proponents of evil to God?
What would happen if they encountered and were totally transformed by Him?
After all this happened to the murderer Saul, who became Saint Paul!
What would that look like, people turning to God, whole-heartedly following Him with boldness, using all their influence, wealth and means for the sake of God’s Kingdom?
SCRIPTURES THAT CAME TO MIND
Luke 9:54
“When the disciples Jacob and John realized what was happening, they came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if you wanted to, you could command fire to fall down from heaven just like Elijah did and destroy all these wicked people.”
Psalm 106:23
“God would have destroyed the wicked people, but Moses stood before the Lord in the breach, pleaded for mercy and turned away God’s wrath.”
I knew my prayers have been more of a reflection of “calling down fire” instead of “calling down mercy, that triumphs over judgment” James 2:13
1 Timothy 2:2 TPT
“Pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts.”
It had been so very easy for me to pray for leaders in power that I agree with, but “boy-howdy!” it was sure hard to pray & easy to condemn those with whom I did NOT agree.
My prayers were void of having Hope against Hope and
for God to do miracles for those I deemed evil.
Romans 14:17-18 NASB
“. . .even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope he believed. .”
My prayers were in dire need of the faith to believe that those people I dislike, to be set free, saved, & transformed by the Love of God.
Mark 10:24-27
“And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:24-27
5 MORE QUESTIONS
1. Were my prayers on an unstable foundation and “doubled-minded”? Did I have faith, mercy and love for some, but not for others? (James 1:8)
2. Had my prayers taken the Higher Road of LOVE?
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
3. Were my prayers on the Higher Road, being easily able to win more to come to the side of Jesus, making disciples of ALL nations?
“Now, even though I am free from obligations to others, I joyfully make myself a servant to all in order to win as many converts as possible. I became Jewish to the Jewish people in order to win them to the Messiah. I became like one under the law to gain the people who were stuck under the law, even though I myself am not under the law. And to those who are without the Jewish laws, I became like them, as one without the Jewish laws, in order to win them, although I’m not outside the law of God but under the law of Christ. I became “weak” to the weak to win the weak. I have adapted to the culture of every place I’ve gone so that I could more easily win people to Christ.”
1 Cor 9:19-22 TPT
4. Did my prayers reflect blessing those that curse?
“Bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Luke 6:28 AMP
5. Did my prayers bear the limitless fruit of the spirit towards all?
“But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.”
Gal 5 22-23 TPT
The Greek word “fruit” can be translated “harvest”; our prayers that are filled with LOVE are directly connected with producing God’s Harvest!
OPEN INVITATION
Holy Spirit brought conviction to my heart, but as always there was no condemnation, rather He was inviting me to Come up Higher to His “Repent-Pent” House-View. He wanted me to see clearly through His Perspective. And He was drawing me closer to His Heart and re-aligning my prayers with His Big Heart for others to a greater degree.
This is an Open-Invitation from Holy Spirit to anyone who would like Him to fine-tune your heart to a greater degree to agree with God. As He asked me, He is asking many of you:
Are you are willing to take the “High Road” in order for others to encounter Jesus on “Damascus Reformation Road”?
DON’T GIVE UP
He was pointing out to me, a Higher Road, at the same time encouraging me, to not give up.
“Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.”
Gal 6:9 AMP
“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
קָוָה qâvâh, kaw-vaw'; a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting)
CLOSING PRAYER
As I spend time intertwined, and bound together with our
God of Love, Grace, & Mercy:
I had thought, surely my prayers, prophetic declarations & proclamations were enough, but no, something was lacking.
And that something was faith, love & mercy for ALL.
I had plenty of gumption and a fair amount of unction to pray for the “Persecuted”, but would I also pray for the “Persecutors”?
I had the faith to believe Isaiah 60:2; “gross darkness covering the earth”, but God’s Light shining brighter. However my attitude was angry and downright wrong. I had a strong belief and desire for the punishment & damnation of several leaders & groups who were partnering with evil on this earth.
What if our prayers had the power to turn the largest and most powerful Persecutors and Proponents of evil to God?
What would happen if they encountered and were totally transformed by Him?
After all this happened to the murderer Saul, who became Saint Paul!
What would that look like, people turning to God, whole-heartedly following Him with boldness, using all their influence, wealth and means for the sake of God’s Kingdom?
SCRIPTURES THAT CAME TO MIND
Luke 9:54
“When the disciples Jacob and John realized what was happening, they came to Jesus and said, “Lord, if you wanted to, you could command fire to fall down from heaven just like Elijah did and destroy all these wicked people.”
Psalm 106:23
“God would have destroyed the wicked people, but Moses stood before the Lord in the breach, pleaded for mercy and turned away God’s wrath.”
I knew my prayers have been more of a reflection of “calling down fire” instead of “calling down mercy, that triumphs over judgment” James 2:13
1 Timothy 2:2 TPT
“Pray for every political leader and representative, so that we would be able to live tranquil, undisturbed lives, as we worship the awe-inspiring God with pure hearts.”
It had been so very easy for me to pray for leaders in power that I agree with, but “boy-howdy!” it was sure hard to pray & easy to condemn those with whom I did NOT agree.
My prayers were void of having Hope against Hope and
for God to do miracles for those I deemed evil.
Romans 14:17-18 NASB
“. . .even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope he believed. .”
My prayers were in dire need of the faith to believe that those people I dislike, to be set free, saved, & transformed by the Love of God.
Mark 10:24-27
“And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”
Mark 10:24-27
5 MORE QUESTIONS
1. Were my prayers on an unstable foundation and “doubled-minded”? Did I have faith, mercy and love for some, but not for others? (James 1:8)
2. Had my prayers taken the Higher Road of LOVE?
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
3. Were my prayers on the Higher Road, being easily able to win more to come to the side of Jesus, making disciples of ALL nations?
“Now, even though I am free from obligations to others, I joyfully make myself a servant to all in order to win as many converts as possible. I became Jewish to the Jewish people in order to win them to the Messiah. I became like one under the law to gain the people who were stuck under the law, even though I myself am not under the law. And to those who are without the Jewish laws, I became like them, as one without the Jewish laws, in order to win them, although I’m not outside the law of God but under the law of Christ. I became “weak” to the weak to win the weak. I have adapted to the culture of every place I’ve gone so that I could more easily win people to Christ.”
1 Cor 9:19-22 TPT
4. Did my prayers reflect blessing those that curse?
“Bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Luke 6:28 AMP
5. Did my prayers bear the limitless fruit of the spirit towards all?
“But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions: joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.”
Gal 5 22-23 TPT
The Greek word “fruit” can be translated “harvest”; our prayers that are filled with LOVE are directly connected with producing God’s Harvest!
OPEN INVITATION
Holy Spirit brought conviction to my heart, but as always there was no condemnation, rather He was inviting me to Come up Higher to His “Repent-Pent” House-View. He wanted me to see clearly through His Perspective. And He was drawing me closer to His Heart and re-aligning my prayers with His Big Heart for others to a greater degree.
This is an Open-Invitation from Holy Spirit to anyone who would like Him to fine-tune your heart to a greater degree to agree with God. As He asked me, He is asking many of you:
Are you are willing to take the “High Road” in order for others to encounter Jesus on “Damascus Reformation Road”?
DON’T GIVE UP
He was pointing out to me, a Higher Road, at the same time encouraging me, to not give up.
“Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.”
Gal 6:9 AMP
“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
קָוָה qâvâh, kaw-vaw'; a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting)
CLOSING PRAYER
As I spend time intertwined, and bound together with our
God of Love, Grace, & Mercy:
- May my prayers be in harmony with His Heart for ALL, filled with God’s Compassionate Desire for everyone to embrace His Life, coming to the full knowledge of the truth. (1Tim 2:4 TPT)
- May my prayers cause a downpour from heaven, like the latter & the former rain, drenching the earth with the knowledge of the Lord (Hosea 6:3) on earth as it is in the highest heaven (Luke11:2),
- May I take the “High Road” in my prayers in order that some might ride on “Damascus Road”, fall off their “High Horse” to be saved and totally transformed by God!
