Lord, as I stand before you tonight, I declare my intense and determined desire to be a Servant of the Living God.

     As so often before, I restate my request to be transformed into to your likeness, no matter what the cost.

     I understand that the cost of discipleship is letting go of anything and everything.  I understand that the cost of Your Presence is the releasing of my clenched fists that so desperately want my children to succeed and my image to remain untarnished.

     Oh God of the Universe, consider my hands that are lifted up to you.  I am helpless to resolve my own situation and am deeply grateful that you oversee all.

     So tonight Lord, I beg too be changed.  Do whatever needs to be done.  I submit to you.  I acknowledge my inability to fix it.

     Please Lord, take my uplifted hand and pull me out of this.

     My Lord and my God.

     In Psalm 143, the Psalmist says "For to Thee I lift my soul. . ."

     This is where the Soldier of The Cross must live - in the Shadow of Him who is all in all. 

     It is far too easy to lift up circumstances, emotional struggles and fears, when in fact there must be an offering up of the thought life and all choice.

     When the soul is lifted up to Him in prayer, it means that the core of one's being is brought before Him without personal agenda.  The barriers of stubborness, personal passion and pride are removed.  Only then is there room for the Holy Spirit ti illuminate and fill.

     There must be a daily acknowledging of His Sovereignty and the Soldier's need to learn to submit in all things.

     This is not for the sort-of servant.  This is for the one who would be a Soldier of The Cross.

     Tell Him today.
     Alone and aloud.

     As the old hymn says "Trust and obey, for there's no other way. . ."

     Those who have learned to wait on the Lord have come to be secure in His ability to exceed any good thing imagined.

     They have found Him to be without any anxiety, therefore He never rushes.
     They have found Him to be perfect, therefore He is never defensive.
     They have found Him to be the God of the Universe, therefore He is never without provision.

     He is able.
     He is available.
     He is The Rock of Ages.

     Agree with The One who is the Lover of Your Soul.  Will He ask anything of you that is less than His Eternal Best?
     Tell Him.  Aloud.

     In a world that is creaking and groaning in anticipation of things to come, we have One Who is The Rock of Ages.

     In the tidal wave.
     In death.
     In false accusation.
     In financial stress.
     In illness.
     In the stress of time.
     In issues with recalcitrant children.

     Soldier of The Cross, there is no life apart from Him.  There must be a habit and pattern of turning to Him at all times and a seeking to give Him the thrill of the hills and the burden of the valleys.

     Tell him.
     Aloud

     Soldier of The Cross,  there is no turning back.

     There was a point at which you told the Lord you would be His, and you agreed with Him that He could be trusted.  You agreed with Him that He knew better than you.

     You agreed with Him that holiness is far better than personal feeling.

     The issue is, you agreed with Him.   

     There is nothing better and there is nothing else.   There is no second best.

     Soldier, advance by faith because you have agreed with Him.   No excuses.

     Tell Him.  Aloud.
     Today

     Noone sees the deepest work while it is being done.

     It is in the aftermath of testing that the finished produced is unveiled.

     Soldier of The Cross, hold firm.   Press into the gale.  He who designed, created and named you has empowered you to cross the Finish Line.

     Cling to His Word.  Determine to trust Him.

     Tell Him.
     Aloud.

    It is not about you.

     The truth of this is a protection for you.  It reels you in from considering the process and the emotional factors and the consequences.

    What does God's Word say? 
     Is there a Price?
     Are you willing to pay?

     What is your bottom line?

     Soldier of The Cross, tell Him today.
     Alone and aloud.

     In this life, there is no such thing as getting all your ducks in a row.

     Because of His immeasurable Love for you, He will continue to keep you on the move.  It is the flesh that wants so badly to settle down.

     Soldier of The Cross, you are called to be a zealot.  You are not your own.  You have told Him you want to be changed and that you will eagerly follow Him no matter what.

     So, the conflict between the flesh and the Word of God should not come as a surprise.

     Reality is not the way you feel.
     Reality is The Word of God.

     Tell Him you will agree with Him, no matter what.
     Make sure you tell Him aloud and alone.

     As I stand before you tonight, my Lord and my God, please help me.

     I have no other to whom to turn.   I acknowledge that you alone hold all in the palm of your Hand.

     So Lord, I stand before you in abject poverty.  I am nothing, I have nothing and I know nothing.  Nonetheless, the circumstances demand a rescue.

     I know you designed this.  I know you heard me the first time I came to you.  I know you are calling me to submit to your Perfect Plan.  And, so I do.

     Lord, tonight I state to you that I yield to you, no matter what.  Regardless of the opinions of others, regardless of the results by sight, regardless of the personal impact, I long for you to have your way with my life.

     My Lord and my God.

     Even though it looks so impossible, we have a God who created everything by speaking it into being.

     So, Soldier of The Cross, pray like never before.
   
     Let Him lead you. The Indwelling Holy Spirit will tenderly and firmly unveil the next few words and the next few after that.  In prayer, you will see your need and His solid Promise to Provide.

     After all, underneath you are The Everlasting Arms, and they will never fail.

     Tell Him now that you will agree with Him.
     Alone and loud.