Lord, Keep Me On a Short Leash!
For Day 28 of our 31 days of supernatural encounters (series index here), we are praying one of the most effective prayers I’ve ever prayed: “Lord, keep me on a short leash!”
Read: Psalm 118, especially verse 27
Know:
One of the most powerful prayers I have prayed since I gave my life to Jesus has also been one of the simplest prayers:
“Lord, keep me on a short leash!”
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And I have needed this prayer. Boy, have I ever needed this prayer.
You may have heard me talk about my testimony a little bit before. If not, I’ll give you a brief lowdown.
Basically, as a young person, I had a heart filled with rage, anger, bitterness, and hatred. I was a very wounded individual, and I was used to acting out of my emotions. I lashed out at others. I had no self-control and was an emotional roller-coaster.
I was a mess.
But when I gave my life to Jesus, suddenly this thing called “conviction” came into my life.
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Holy Spirit began convicting me about one little thing at a time. He was so gentle. He never overwhelmed me, accused me, or condemned me.
But slowly, gently, He began to show me how He wanted to change my heart.
And as He began to convict me, I began to change.
I began to even want to change. I didn’t want to be ugly on the inside anymore; I wanted to be beautiful on the inside. I wanted to become like Him.
And I hated the awful feeling that comes after sin and before repentance. I hated having something ugly between me and God, cutting me off from intimacy with Him.
So I began to pray:
“Lord, keep me on a short leash! Whenever I sin, convict me right away and help me to make things right with You and with people.”
I wanted the Lord to NEVER leave me alone. I wanted Him to convict me powerfully and immediately, every time I sinned. I wanted Him to break me of the sinning habit.
Related: 7 Prayers That Will Stabilize Your Emotions and Bring You Peace
After all, it’s far easier not to sin than it is to make things right after sinning.
Why do we make things so hard for ourselves? Why not just live out the righteousness we are, instead of going down the much harder path of sin?
So the Lord began to answer my prayer.
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As soon as I sinned—whether it was by something I said, or some attitude I had, or something I did, or some other act of disobedience—I began to immediately sense His conviction. Oh, He wrecked my heart with brokenness and sorrow for what I had done.
But then He helped me to make it right.
Remember that 1 John 1:9 tells us that, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We don’t have to beat ourselves up, do a pilgrimage on our knees, or flagellate ourselves ten times to get forgiven. We just have to confess our sins to Him, and receive.
So that’s what I did. Over and over and over and over. Confess, confess, confess.
But eventually, all that confessing and making things right taught me by experience that it’s better just not to sin. The Holy Spirit’s conviction changed my heart and put me out of the sin-enjoying business.
Because He convicted me so much, I began to grow spiritually.
This was new for me because I had been such a mess! But I began to choose to obey God the first time–instead of sinning first, then confessing and repenting, then making things right with people, then doing the right thing.
It is just easier to obey God the first time!
Of course, I wasn’t perfect at this and still am not. But, I still pray for Holy Spirit to keep me on a short leash.
As Psalm 118:27 says:
God is the Lord, and He has given us light; bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.”
Our lives are to be living sacrifices to the Lord.
And if we are to be living sacrifices, then it’s a good thing for God to bind us to the altar. It’s a good thing for Him to chase us and not let us go.
And it’s good for us to actually ask Him to do so—to tie us to the altar until He burns away everything that doesn’t look just like Jesus.
Do you want this? Are you willing for Holy Spirit to keep you on a short leash?
Pray this:
Do you ever wonder why God allows you to suffer?
If so, Jamie’s audio MP3, Understand Your Suffering, is for you. In this 49-minute teaching, Jamie teaches what she learned during her personal story of extreme pain. You will learn:
- How to look at suffering through the eyes of God.
- The Father’s purpose for suffering; and
- The truth from God’s Word about why a good God sometimes allows us to suffer.
If you’re suffering, God has a purpose for your pain.
Listen to this powerful message, and receive hope that, one day, you will look back and say, “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
“Heavenly Father, in Jesus’ name, I thank You for sending Holy Spirit to live inside me. Thank You that You are always convicting me and working in my heart.
Father, thank You that I have grown in You, even though I’m not where I want to be yet. You are working in me and You who began that good work in me will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Now Lord, I have heard Jamie’s testimony and I want the same thing. Lord, I invite You right now: Bind me to Your altar. Tie me to Your altar, Lord, and burn everything off of me that doesn’t look like Jesus.
Holy Spirit, please keep me on a short leash.
Whenever I sin, convict me right away. Show me what I’ve done and why it’s wrong. Show me what I should have done instead. Help me to immediately confess my sins to You and receive Your forgiveness.
Give me no peace in sin, Lord; but teach me to act like the slave of righteousness that I am. Teach me to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling, Lord. Keep me on Your narrow way, and help me to obey You at all times.
Thank You, Lord. Thank You for teaching me, correcting me, disciplining me, discipling me, and convicting me. Thank You for forgiving my sins as soon as I confess them to You. Thank You for Your blood, Jesus, which makes me clean.
Father, please help me to live for You, and I pray that You’d get all the glory in my life.
In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Listen:
Listen to Rick Pino singing “Come Make War,” and invite the Lord to make war on every other lover in your life! Ask Him to hedge you in, tie you to the altar, and make you just like Jesus!
Does this word encourage your heart today? If so, please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
Jaimie thank you for your wonderful testimony and I just pray God will do the same for me.
Blessings
I must have been opposite, even as a little girl . People thought my mother overprotected me but I had choices, I think God was doing it, if only I had obeyed the first time later on, but I finally wised up. I think you have to be about thirty.
I want to thank you very much , its truly amazing, Father God is really using your teaching to answer my prayers. I prayed each prayer that you have send so far, and honestly, I felt so much lighter, one by one my burdens are coming off. I would like to in courage you to never stop. I give our Lord Jesus Christ all the honour and praise. I pray for Him to protect you and your ministry. God Bless
Help me Lord, to do every thing according to Your word. Whenever I seen convict me right away in Jesus name amen
Jamie in his presence is so awesome,I appreciate you and your website l ask that you pray for my finances so that I can bless you in your ministry!!!!!
Thank you Jamie for another timely word. As I draw closer to the Lord, I’ve been praying to the Father to hedge me in and be quick to show me when I sin your word today is a beacon on my prayers. A light that shows me my prayers are not selfish but necessary as I walk deeper in His love and truth.
Amen!
Thank you for this awesome prayer. It is such a blessing
I love this prayer! It is powerful and effective!
Tears are flowing down my cheeks I thank God for the fire inside my soul!Lord God take control of my life, every area that needs to be broken and filled with your mercy the Holy Spirit. Father I cry for your loving arms to rescue me from my sin that keeps me away from you. Thank you father for allowing me to understand the war that’s taking place in me. I can feel you fighting for me God. Give me the courage to see this through. Don’t let me give up this time, Jesus. I’m reaching for you Lord help me Holy Spirit.
In Jesus name amen
Protect Jamie’s mind and body Lord God, allow your perfect will to be done in her life.
This is a beautiful prayer, thank you!!!
I was looking for information or articles about “God has me on a short leash” and I came across yours. It is indeed one of the BEST prayers to pray, that the Lord convict us quickly, don’t let us ‘get away with sin’. I’ve prayed this too. To be very aware of His pleasure as well as displeasure. To be so close to Him, that I can sense His ‘NO’ very clearly. I am in a season right now such as this.
Thank you father for giving me another chance. Thank you father for your word. I trust you lord, you are mighty and I ask that you do for me what you done for others in my position who cried out to you and believes in you. I I’ve you father
Please keep me on a short leash
I’ve read that the horns of the altar represent mercy and protection. How wonderful that our Merciful God ties us into His protection and Mercy so we are not harmed.
1 Kings 1:50-53