Family trouble is heartbreaking enough, but when I was facing another visit from them, Father showed me a different way to pray. It involved understanding that I have a kingdom. He’s shown me this scenario several times now.
It’s the premise that The Kingdom of God is made up of countless little kingdoms and that each person within The Kingdom has a little kingdom of their own. My little kingdom consists of everything and everyone who exists inside my realm of love. It’s not the realm of superficial love, but the love that pulls at my heart with intensity. My responsibility for the peace and welfare of everything and everyone inside my little kingdom involves this different way to pray in order to fulfill my responsibility.
Granted, everyone has their own kingdom and we all overlap, but that’s beside the point. I still have responsibility for mine and you have responsibility for yours. This is the part about learning to rule and reign on earth.
These prayers look similar to the way a business person handles responsibility. For instance, when a problem arises, a business person has a plan and then issues orders for solving the problem. But first, it requires a vision for the plan.
Similarly, when I go to Father with a problem in my kingdom, He asks me what my vision is and what I want it to look like. If I don’t know, then He waits and tells me to get one.
I used to argue with Him, that I wanted His vision and His plan. But eventually, He indicated I was being lazy. He had created me in His image and given me the creative ability to have a vision, just like He has them.
Once I seek out my vision, then I share it with Him. He isn’t like a dictator who evaluates my vision and accepts or rejects it, rather He accepts it unconditionally. If I haven’t achieved a vision with enough far-reaching perfection, then I will have to face the shortfall later with another vision. But for now, I present what I see. He accepts it and backs me up … just like the perfect marriage partner would do.
That’s it! Honestly, that is how it’s done. The vision is the prayer. I don’t have to go through a lot of words. I simply share with Him my vision. Then I leave it with Him and He does the rest.
It’s not like we were taught, to plead and cry out and beg with my face on the floor. But the face-plant rarely accomplished much except to empty me of myself, which was a good thing. Those are the years of maturing. I had to go through them before Father could show me another way. As a child, I couldn’t do the things adults could do. That doesn’t mean I was wrong or stupid. It means I hadn’t gone through the growing process yet. I would. In my own time. And this progress was the same.
So, with my family on the verge of another visit, I went to Father for a solution to the turmoil and arguments. And He responded inside the context of my kingdom and asked me for my vision.
I didn’t have one. But rather I did a lot of talking about how I wished it could be, and shed a lot of tears about my woundedness. He waited till I was finished and asked again for my vision.
Now it was time to get serious. It was my responsibility to get a vision. Nothing would happen to fix the situation until I did.
So I sat quietly and let my love for these people rise to the surface where I could embrace them with my heart and see the beauty of our family. Then I could see the vision. It was like painting a picture and only including the pretty ingredients.
We do it all the time, actually. We get family portraits and orchestrate them so that everyone looks happy and on their best behavior.
Why not paint that picture in an action video and present it to Father as my vision?
And that is what I did. I glossed over the character flaws, softened the opinions, made love the primary goal in each person’s heart and then handed it to Father. He took my vision and I waited.
The day came. And it was amazing. Hugs were long and deep. Kisses were sweet and sincere. Appreciation hung thickly in the air. And Peace reigned throughout the days we were together.
Painting visions are the new prayers. Who knew?
Thank you for sharing my journey. Blessings on yours.
Faith
Woo hoo! Love this! Thanks for sharing about a better way!
We’ve needed a better way. Thanks, Jan!
This is a confirming word to how I have been praying lately. Just sitting before Him and imagining the picture of how I choose it to be. I stopped with the whining of what isn’t and such peace is coming now. I love this!
That is the creative being that HE made, taking her position – and being creative. Bravo!!!
Fascinating.
I’ve been hitting a wall with casting down some imaginations…trying to bring them into obedience to Jesus even tho’ they’re pretty much lovely thoughts. They’re not anti Christ but can be considered fleshly gratification, kind of like having a warm, caring family reunion.
It has occurred to me that they may be focal points I should use to augment the environment wherein He’s placed me.
My answer thus far has been to thank Him for placing His desires in my heart and for bringing them to pass–and then pray in tongues a bit to distract my brain from the video that wants to play.
Thank you for sharing, Faith–I think I’ll relax and praise some more.
Let Him be alive in your thoughts. He isn’t exactly what we were taught. 🙂 Blessings to you darlin’!
Thank you, I have much to learn…
As do we all, that is why I share … someone else needs this too!!! 🙂
Oh seeet faith. … your words are filled with wisdom…you always amaze me with how you articulate every feeling with such depth. You have a great gift for digging deep into ones soul! I love it! You make me think on a deeper lever…you challenge me and I love it!
You are such a deeply integrated soul…you’re like a beautiful tapestry made with an enormous amounts of unique threads… call me crazy, but you are a hidden treasure that is being revealed piece by piece…
i honor your gift and bless you and your journey. I love following you, I never know where you’re going next!!!! Wooohoooo!
Ahhh, my cheerleader!! Mmmm, when I feel unheard, misunderstood, and ignored … there you are standing there waving your arms in big, wide sweeps to encourage me! I’m so thankful for you, my precious Sister!!! Bless your beautiful heart!!!
I do have a question or perhaps a request for counsel. My son and d-i-love are giving my new precious little grand-daughter the prescribed vaccinations. I struggle with fearing this. I’ve sent a couple articles but at the same time I wonder if it is all about our perception. If they do NOT fear negative consequences from vaccines and believe they are good, will that belief protect baby? I don’t want to put fear in their hearts and put them in a position of doubt. Meanwhile I pray for a shield of protection around her and declare she is safe from toxins and poisons. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. This is one area I have not succeeded in booting fear out completely and I want to! Thank you.
This is one of those situations we’ve all faced. Father pointed out to me Mark 16:18 and said it is the prophesy for this. I’ve used it several times. And then, of course, Trust Him to handle the rest. He loves them even more than we do. ((hugs))
Ah, love it! Thank you!! Yesterday I apologized to my d-i-love for posting the articles (I deleted them before she saw them thankfully) and told her I’d be trusting in God to protect the baby. Then, last night, my faith community group went to the courts for the subject of vaccinations and getting our records clean on this subject plus agreements with pharmakai! I was amazed at the wonderful timing. I’m so thankful it’s not my place to try to persuade anyone else. It was an ugly burden and I’m glad to be free of it. Thank you for taking time to respond. I’m so thankful for friends in this new world of kingdom living.
Father is using every one of us! And it’s so cool to watch the same topic and the same response popping up almost simultaneously throughout the Kingdom. Holy Spirit’s got this! 🙂