Prayers

Gathering Transmissions

by Terry Barlow
09/23/14
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

    I see now that I have thought of the Apostle Paul's exhortation to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10 v.5)as referring to negative thoughts that must be nipped in the bud or snuffed out early so that they can't be allowed to establish themselves as permanent residents or fixtures in our minds. But there is more to it than that, and that may not even be the principal meaning and intent of that verse. God is communicating with us constantly, but we may only be receiving a small sliver of that communication in such a way as to actually act upon it or apply it.

  God is always "transmitting", even transmitting multiple thoughts simultaneously, but our "receivers" are often out of (the great) commission. How many times have I heard someone say, how may times have I said it myself, "Well, I wanted to do it but didn't quite get around to it. I don't know why." To take a fleeting thought of this kind captive to obedience to Christ is to give it full consideration, accept it into our worldview and apply it. The more we do that the more "transmissions" will come into our awareness, the wider and more active becomes our "radar" screen. And the more transmissions and blips, or divine communications that that we are applying the greater becomes our capacity and delight to handle them.

   This is part of what it means to be watchful in prayer, to have our spiritual antennae continuously upraised. There is a perpetual vigilance required, an alertness, and especially as the stakes are raised higher and higher in these last days. As those stakes are raised the consequences become more severe for sluggishness or sleeping at our post. At any moment may come a life-changing transmission, which makes every moment important. There is a greater and greater concentration being required of us, but also there is greater grace being provided and shed abroad for the task by the Holy Spirit!