CHAPTER 1
Practice #1
"UPSURGE" BREAKTHROUGH PRAYER
Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer. From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
— Psalm 61:1-2 (NASB)
WATCH #1 Video Breakthrough Prayer Practice Story: Joseph
Find introductory videos featuring true stories that illustrate the breakthrough prayer practice for each chapter of Ultimate Reliance at: www.cokesbury.com/ultimate-reliance-study
It was the soul-level moment out of which a heartfelt cry to God emerges. The psalmist David was in a dilemma. History suggests he might have had enemies in hot pursuit. Or maybe he had taken a path through the hills that he believed would cut an hour off his travel time to the destination, never dreaming of the humanly impassible crags that lay ahead. It could have been he was hoping to gain a strategic view, ensure himself additional safety, or reach a perch of spiritual significance by choosing that particular route. Or it's plausible he assumed he would meet up with helpful traveling companions along that passage. Likely he had strong confidence in his own agile expertise that had always gotten him where he wanted to go, no matter how forbidding the cliffs.
But along the climb he reached a spot at which he recognized to push farther was going to require much more than his remaining reserves. His heart, or in scripture's original Hebrew language, sometimes translated as his "seat of courage," was faint within him. Physical exhaustion was likely. His hiking equipment was inadequate for what he faced. Yet David courageously hung on to his resolve for the destination that beckoned him.
It was then he prayed what I call an Upsurge Prayer, a simple breakthrough prayer asking God to "Lead me to the rock that is higher than I...."
David's prayer contained an intentional choice of words. The Hebrew word for "lead" is also used by Old Testament writers elsewhere in scripture to describe a shepherd guiding a flock. It's the same word that Moses used to depict how the pillar of smoke by day and fire by night led the children of Israel through the wilderness (Exodus 13:21). So David, in this moment of prayer, was asking for miraculous spiritual guidance and resourcing to break through from God — whether through shepherd-like nudges or with brilliant supernatural drama. Lead me....
Note also that David's Hebrew phrasing in his prayer that's translated "higher than I" means literally "to lift up." It was Hebrew language wording more typically used to characterize what parents do when they are raising children, rearing their young to grow up into maturity and adulthood.
So wrapped in the Upsurge Breakthrough Prayer from David was a courageous request to
shepherd me, resource me ... with the same supernatural directive that you provided in the pillar of smoke and fire, the same firm, gentle hand of a shepherd, the same loving, strong hand of a heavenly Parent, to lift me up to the next place that only you can help me reach.
Grow me up — beyond my current capacity, capability, and maturity — to realize the rock that is higher than I.
The Spiritual Path: An Invitation to Ascend
How would you define the phrase "spiritual path," or often called "discipleship pathway"? In some congregations, "discipleship" is the name of the list of Sunday classes that are offered each quarter. You may have heard it as part of the job title of a paid staff person, such as Director of Discipleship, where the title is intended to indicate that the role carries responsibility to set up spiritual growth opportunities for the congregation. "Commitment to discipleship" might be included in the vows a new church member takes to indicate Christian faith.
Discipleship — or the spiritual path of faith — is actually the mechanism through which God brings a maturing of the Christ life inside you, and a subsequent transformation of who you are into Christ's likeness. It doesn't happen only through a weekly "discipleship class" you take. Fact is, your spiritual path is far wider, and includes all of earthly life as your spiritual "classroom." Any opportunity, challenge, roadblock, detour, triumph, or tragedy that come along are all potential discipling scenarios within which God longs to beckon you to grasp the divine hand in trust and dare to progress spiritually beyond where you could go on your own.
The earthly spiritual path's ascent, should you agree to take it, results in "growing you up" so that you develop the new life of Christ inside that's expressed by an unmistakable likeness of Jesus on the outside. How will you know it's happening? The confirmation in you will be evident through emergence of Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 CEB). And God's perspective that you'll gain from the rock that is higher than you will provide confirmation through and through that the climb, whatever the cost, is always worth more than you could have imagined.
Cost? Yes, growing up into Christ's likeness requires the leaving behind of what you might have always previously felt were non- negotiables. "Climbing equipment" (habitual ways of thinking or behaving) that you found useful in the past and the "baggage" of deep-seated attitudes, pride, or insecurities of heart and mind must be released in order to miraculously reach the next handhold. And maybe you've noticed that there are countless comfortable park benches alongside your spiritual path that make it entirely too easy to decide to sit down and just take in the partial view from there (and keep hanging on to the baggage). That's far easier than surrendering to the cost — the transformations you'll have to undergo — of scaling the summit.
You understand, now, that the Upsurge Breakthrough Prayer practice on your spiritual path is not a request for safety or protection. It's like the "Archer Prayer" style I described in chapter 2 of my book Flood Gates, breakthrough prayer that aims specifically at your longing for God to mature you further, whatever it takes.
Lead Me to the Rock That Is Higher Than I: Ministry Leadership
I remember a close friend in a Bible study group who was known for her wonderful personality. Alicia lit up the room when she entered. She was always the first to get everyone laughing, was always the catalyst to spark discussion. The atmosphere was noticeably lacking at the Bible study if, for some reason, Alicia couldn't attend that night.
Alicia always talked in our group about her love for Christ and of her confidence that God would eventually lead her to a way she could serve at our church most effectively. So we were all excited when Alicia told us one evening that she had been invited to become the hospitality team's front door greeter on Sunday mornings. What a perfect match for Alicia's overflowing enthusiasm toward life and people!
Alicia fulfilled her Sunday morning greeter role for several months, regaling our Bible study with stories of newcomers she had welcomed and the fun she had serving with others on the hospitality team. Then one week, Alicia asked us to pray with her about a new invitation she had received. The longtime hospitality team leader had announced she would be stepping aside and had asked if Alicia would like to take on the responsibility.
Alicia explained her decision-making considerations. "Truthfully, I have found myself becoming a little unhappy and dissatisfied every Sunday when I arrive to serve in my usual greeter role because I can't help but notice the person who has been the team leader. I feel I can take responsibility for the team more cheerfully than she has been demonstrating. I have also wondered what she has actually been doing for the team besides sending out a serving schedule each month. Making and sending out a schedule? That's something I know I could do, and I'm also pretty cheerful by nature — definitely more than her. So this seems like a great potential next step.
"I feel certain that God will bless me with even more peace and joy as I lead the entire hospitality team to welcome newcomers. Plus, it will be perceived as a position of respect in our congregation, a sign to others that I am viewed by the nominations committee as spiritually mature enough to move further into leadership. I feel thrilled to accept."
With the full support of the Bible study group, Alicia excitedly took leadership of the team. At first she smiled whenever the group asked her how the new role was going and said, "Great!" But as weeks passed, her smile lessened and, uncharacteristically, her comments and interaction during the study and discussion time declined.
Then one week Alicia arrived to Bible study, looking visibly upset. Emotional words began pouring out.
"I thought becoming the hospitality team leader would be a wonderful time. But here's the thing. The total opposite has happened. There's no joy, no fun. This job is impossible!
"There are several big issues. Some of the hospitality team members don't show up regularly on their assigned Sunday mornings even after I've sent out a serving schedule, and they don't let me know ahead of time. So I am continually frustrated and have no idea how to inspire them and get them to understand the importance of what we are there to do. I get discouraged and have had my feelings hurt by their behavior. I believe I have every right to expect respect and support as their team leader, but instead it seems like they now socialize with each other more than with me, and I haven't figured out why. It feels so unkind. No one asks if they can give me a hand with anything extra, and it doesn't help that I've never been comfortable inviting people to help me. But they should just want to do that, shouldn't they? Bottom line, I have to stay much longer than everyone else after the worship service has ended in order to organize and put away our team's supplies myself.
"It is demanding much more of my personal time than I ever anticipated. It feels like God has abandoned me and all I have are irritations and hindrances, trying to get my arms around what I am doing. I feel like a failure and want out of this leadership role. I have a picture in my mind of an amazing, over-the-top atmosphere of love and welcome our team could someday achieve. But how can I do my job as the team leader when the team doesn't do what they are supposed to do? How am I supposed to know how to get them to be committed? I want to go back to being the sanctuary front door greeter. I know how to do that. With the team leadership, I am way out of my comfort zone and I don't like it at all."
Perhaps as you are reading this true story, the Upsurge Breakthrough Prayer practice of David is resonating inside your spirit. You may be wondering if Alicia as a ministry leader was at the same analogous spiritual point as David had been in his physical rocky ascent. I can almost hear you pointing out that she was considering choosing an easy, comfortable seat along the side of her spiritual path, rather than praying for God's supernatural resources to equip her onward to the summit visible with the eyes of her heart.
Back to the Bible study that night. All of us looked at each other. Then one person began.
"Alicia, we are all so sorry to hear this has presented an unexpected scenario for you. Once you look past your initial disillusionment with the role, which is so different than what you anticipated it would be, what specifically challenges you the most?"
Alicia reflected. "Well, like I said, the first thing is that I have no idea how to inspire the hospitality team to show up and serve on their assigned shifts. That always seemed to happen like clockwork before, back while I was just a member of the team. But now that I'm the team leader, it seems hit and miss. I don't know what to do, and quite frankly I just don't want to keep hitting my head against that wall."
Someone else tried a different question. "Have you met with the previous hospitality team leader and asked her for wisdom and advice from her long season of leading the team? It sounds like from what you just said that she had figured out how to do that."
Alicia's gaze dropped, and she paused. "Well, I didn't have a conversation like that with her when I started because I thought I probably had better ideas than she did. And if I asked her to meet now and share advice after I've already had my first couple of months in this role, I would lose face. It would be too embarrassing. It might be humiliating. I'm not going to admit to her I am struggling. I would really have to swallow my pride, and I hate doing that."
"So you would rather hang on to your pride, instead of casting it aside in exchange for practical guidance that could enable you to be effective at doing what God has called you to do?" another friend in the group prodded.
Again, silence. Then Alicia continued. "I just don't like how most of the hospitality team members no longer chat with me and are friendlier with each other. It feels hurtful. It didn't used to be that way before I became the team leader. But at the same time, my opinion of the persons on the team has dropped significantly with their irresponsibility to show up as scheduled. They are clearly not very mature Christians."
The group kept pressing her. "Do you suppose your judgmental view of them is what has diminished their warmth toward you? Maybe they can sense your critical attitude. What would happen if you let go of judging them and sincerely loved and accepted each one just as they are, whether they always show up or not?"
"I can't do that," she shot back. "They might think their behavior is acceptable, and it is not. Besides, they never offer to help me with anything. I didn't know that there was so much to do at the end of every Sunday morning to put away hospitality supplies and keep things in order. And don't bother to suggest that I ask them to stay and help. I get feelings of self-inadequacy if I have to ask someone to give me a hand. I know in my head that's not the case, but please don't say I need to change my thinking about that. It's been part of my frame of mind since childhood, and it would be very difficult to give in and change after all these years.
"So, as you can see, I'm just not cut out for this team leader role. Okay, when it comes right down to it, I guess I don't like getting pushed to change and grow. It's much more comfortable to be the way I am, even if I do have some judgmentalism in me and prefer to avoid appearing incompetent by asking for help or advice. God created me just the way I am, I guess. I am not even going to pray about this. I am just going to tell the church nominations committee that I want to go back to front door greeting. That's enough for me."
You might argue, after listening in on this story thus far, that Alicia had a right to be disappointed that her obedience to God's prompting to embrace a new, more significant leadership role did not initially result in satisfaction and joy.
But do you suppose that, more importantly, Alicia had actually stumbled across a truth about the spiritual path of a leader? The expedition of genuine discipleship includes seasons of precipitation, heavy at times, of the unanticipated, unforeseen, and unpredictable. Although on the path we do also find ourselves led through vistas of green pastures or beside beautiful, still waters, the spiritual path's purpose is not accomplished by offering only unbroken coziness with guaranteed and contented safety.
If you ever felt frustrations similar to Alicia's as you have attempted to lead others, you may have already discovered your own version of David's Upsurge Prayer practice, a breakthrough request for God to help you reach farther into the impossible to fulfill God's purpose. And, like Alicia did, you also had to surrender some baggage to enhance your spiritual adroitness for the challenge.
"Alicia, listen. Do you really, really want to miss all the benefits God could bring you through the growth process of learning to lead? Stop and think about it. What if you prayed to be willing to surrender your pride (which doesn't honor God in any way, shape, or form) and schedule coffee with the former team leader to ask her how she kept the team so inspired and committed? Just imagine what you could learn that would help you both now and in the future as a leader."
"Yes!" said another Bible study member. "And what would it take for you to love and care about each hospitality team member as beloved children of God above anything else? And what if you took the initiative to find out about their families and their work like you used to, and to pray for each of them? Do you suppose God cares more about you loving them as people than drawing critical conclusions about them?"
