Many years ago, the Lord took me into a season of intense prayer and seeking His face. This season lasted for right around a year to a year and a half. I would seek the Lord for no less than nine hours a day, seven days a week.
Often when my schedule permitted I would be in His presence for up to 12, 14, and even 16 hours at time. There was a supernatural grace like never before to just be with Him. I was only requiring around four to five hours of sleep per night at this time.
This season of pursuit contributed to much of what I see and operate in today in life and ministry. There was so much opened up to me concerning His voice, presence, and kingdom during this span that only eternity will tell all that was deposited, released, and imparted at that time.
Early in this window of pursuit that the Lord had sovereignly called me into, I began to notice this praying mantis that would come appear on my back porch time and time again. For months he would come just sit on my back porch in prayer posture, as praying mantises do. Often I would find him sitting on the back of my chair. I’m no rocket scientist by any means, but I had an inner knowing/inclination that this praying mantis could very well be a sign of some sort. This point in time was still quite early in my days of experiencing signs and wonders, which I now know to be very common ways God speaks.
The praying mantis continued to come and show up on my back porch in his precious little prayer posture and look at me with those buggy eyes. He became my little buddy for the time being, and I even ended up taking pictures and video of my praying little friend.
I then was intrigued and began to look up the praying mantis by way of an online encyclopedia. To my surprise, I found out that the actual origin of the name praying mantis means praying prophet! I couldn’t believe it! God was sending a parallel sign in nature to coincide with the season of prayer that He had me in, as well as the joint call of a prophet that I was already aware of.
Not long after I realized the meaning within this sign, the praying mantis appeared no more.
I have come to realize something about how God performs signs and wonders, which I would like to point out. This is absolutely imperative in learning how to hear His voice in the sign and realize how He operates within the function of the sign.
Most often, if there is an authentic sign and wonder being displayed within your life from God to you, this sign will continue to manifest until you get the meaning of the sign.
He will gladly go out of His way to perform a supernatural display of a sign or wonder over and over again until He knows that you have understood what He is trying to say.
I thank God for this, as many times I wasn’t the sharpest tack in the box if you know what I’m saying. I needed His patient yet continual pursuit of me to know what He was trying to say. You will notice that when you have come to fully understand the message at hand, the sign and wonder will stop. This is a good thing. Do not be concerned. This is often merely because you have understood the message.
If you want to learn more about this topic you can read a free preview of my new book God of Wonders here: Free Preview or you can get your own copy here: God of Wonders on Amazon.
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About Brian Guerin
