Seeking Passionate Prayer in Spiritual Warfare

I’m so thankful for the Lord’s chastisement of my prideful anger the other day, and His reminder to follow His wisdom. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17) His wisdom reminds me to be gentle, willing to yield (not be stubborn), full of mercy (Luke 6:36), peaceable, and without hypocrisy. The picture in my mind for being gentle and willing to yield is the tall grasses in a field, yielding to the breeze, while staying firmly planted.

This sweet Word reminds me of the fruit of His Spirit within me: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23)  Self-control is where I failed the other day, and it led to strife. Had I just yielded in gentleness to the breeze and stayed firmly planted in His Word, I would have stood firm (Eph 6:13).

James says this “fruit of righteous is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18). The fruit of Christ’s righteousness shall be enjoyed by all those who are justified by it; who through the grace of God, live soberly, righteously, and godly. “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.” (Rom 6:22)

As I pondered sowing fruit of righteous in peace, I was taken to the following Scripture: “Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.” (Hos 10:12) Ellicott’s commentary says, “The mercy of God will be the harvest of a sowing to the Spirit. The very soil of the soul is fallow and unbroken. Break it up, seek Jehovah, and He will come as never before. This momentary rift in the storm-cloud shows the light behind it.” What a beautiful confirmation that our Lord loves us even when we sin, and promises to draw near to us when we seek Him and His righteousness (Gal 6:8). Amen!