missed opportunity

Not until after... did I recognize the missed opportunity... to bring life into the life of another...

Over the past several weeks... this vision of the Lord's army has been persistently present in my thoughts...

I was suddenly on a mountain where I could see the entire army. As I watched, I noticed that the plain was dry and dusty before the army, but immediately after the first twelve divisions passed, the earth was dark green, with trees giving shade and bearing fruit and pure streams flowing through the land. The army was restoring the earth. I thought of how different this was from what would happen when one of the world's armies would pass through a land. They would plunder and forage until the land was utterly stripped wherever they had marched.

I watched as the second divisions passed over the same ground. They left bridges and many buildings, but the ground was not left in as good of shape as before they had passed. The grass was not as green, the streams were somewhat muddied, and much of the fruit had been taken. 

---Rick Joyner, The Call 

My desire... to be part of the first division... bringing life... rejecting the temptation to build... which ultimately is about self...

But I've been unsure... what it looks like to be one that promotes life... growth... practically...

Then today... I received a glimpse of what gives life... through a missed opportunity... a lesson given... by not recognizing the moment... for what it was...

A brief conversation with a man... 5 weeks post-open-heart surgery... shared openly about his pain...

Now this is an acquaintance... seen once every few months... at a particular venue...

I offered sympathy... and encouragement...

He walked on to talk to others...

Again he passed by... See ya' later's... given...

The thought came... Offer to pray for him...

I hesitated just long enough... caught off guard by the thought... to get to that awkward point where he was just too far to call back...

My flesh determined the opportunity to be missed... my spirit went to confession mode... seeking forgiveness... experiencing remorse...

Then the Spirit made it clear...

This is how you bring life...

Suddenly I understood... one aspect of generating life... is to be prepared... attentive... to the call to intercede... or at least offer to intercede... for those who cross your path... any time... any where...

And I missed it... never realizing... that this is one way... the Lord's army fights... the dry... dead... places in the world... and brings life...

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

2 Corinthians 10:4

The lesson learned... Believers bring life into the world... when we are open... sensitive... to the call of the Spirit... to lay hands on... and pray... for those in pain...

It's not just a nice thing to do... it is a weapon in the arsenal of the Lord's army...

Father God... thank You for this lesson... prepare me and enable me to be obedient... without hesitation... to offer to pray for others at Your call... Help me to remember... this is what it means... to bring life... healing... renewal... to a spiritually arid... world...