Prayer Through the Tabernacle

I wrote this prayer series for a New Year’s prayer emphasis that the women’s ministry of our church hosted. When preparing for the 4 week prayer study, my mind was going in one direction, but God was pulling me in another. After much struggle and stubbornness, God was finally able to get through to me. This came at a deeplyspiritually purging time in my own life; my heart and mind were at war with God’s peace. As a pastors' wife, satan often fights my husband through me. Satan and I were in a war, but God’s word proved, yet again, its truth: He has given me all I need for victory, I can stand by way of His armor. The choice to walk in His Spirit rather than my flesh or Satan’s lies had to be made. It was an exhausting week, but in my weakness He was made strong. A few months earlier, I had the joy of attending a ministers’ wives conference (praise the Lord there are times where we can be ministered to as we are constantly pouring out!) where the speaker led a prayer through the tabernacle. I was participating in the prayer, so I had nothing written down from the prayer time (I suppose that’s a good thing). I knew, however, that I was to begin this month of prayer for the women of our church with praying through the tabernacle. My husband had just preached through the Bible chronologically the previous year, thus we had read in Exodus the description of the tabernacle and then saw that come to life in Hebrews with Jesus as our High Priest. God’s timing was clear. So the study, research and writing began. How thankful I am that I did not miss this incredible opportunity to be taken to the throne of God Most High or sharing in this precious time with our women. As I was studying and listening and praying, God began to show me so many truths about our prayer relationship with Him. He created the design for the tabernacle in such an intentional way. Our prayer life is in desperate need for the same intentionality. I began to realize how this process through the tabernacle purifies my motives and prepares my heart to enter His presence. The depths of my soul began to grieve at how much I’ve missed in my relationship with God, how often I’ve attempted to enter His presence with my requests but have failed to recognize truly who He is or enjoy His peace or have so arrogantly failed to considered my motives. It is recognizing the reality of the gospel in my life, who He is and who I am, that my sinful state has been atoned, that I am now declared righteous by way of Christ in the presence of the Holy God. When we begin to realize the intentional process God created for this progression through the tabernacle, we begin to realize how crucial this process is for our personal prayer life. Prayer is our relationship with God, all else is the overflow. This process, when done from a heart seeking Him rather than merely following some steps, puts our hearts and minds in correct posture to enter His presence wholly, purely, longingly; no walls, no doubts, no restlessness, no fears, no pride. It is through this process that I am able to hear Him say, “Come and talk with me” and my heart is able to respond, “Lord, I am coming.”  He waits for you to come to Him so that He can show to you His love and compassion. And so let us enter His presence.

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This prayer guide can be used as a personal devotion or done as a group study. I ask that you reproduce this document only for personal use.