My mind is like a wild stallion, not wanting to be tamed, refusing to be ruled. It wanders wherever it wishes. It speeds ahead to the agenda of theday. It clamors for its own way. It refuses to be bridled. It won't be still. Peter tells us tobring it under control. "Gird up the loins of your mind." Put a girdle on it! Fasten it down. Make it do what you order it to. Paul says, "Bring every thought into the captivity of Christ."

I have found that it is virtually impossible for my busy mind to be still.So I found a simple tool that helps me discipline my mind. It is a 3-minute timer.I use the three-minute egg timer to keep myself focused and to spend a disciplined amount of time on each step of intercession. It is hard. It takes work. It demands time. Make yourself do it.

I begin with BE STILL and force myself to lay quietly on my face before Godasking him to help me be obedient and be still. Then I push things out of my mindby saying "No" to them. I demand a complete 3 minutes of a quiet mind and heartbefore allowing myself to go on.

I punish my mind for wandering by tacking on another 3-minutes when I perceive that my mind has not been quiet - that is, it has not beenbrought into subjection to the obedience to Christ. "Be still" is a command, not a suggestion!

Sometimes it takes me five or six flips of the timer until my spirit and mindbegin to slow down and obey. That's 18 minutes! I have had to spend as much as 36 minutes getting quiet in God's presence before moving on. Hurry is the enemy of prayer. Hurry and busy-ness is what has always kept you out of God's throne room. Satan knows that if he can get us worried about going somewhere, or doing some thing,we will not be where we should be to receive God's approval and blessing.

Your mind is not used to focusing on one item. Your spirit is notdisciplined and will want to hurry. Do not hurry! It is Satan who ispushing out of the presence of God. Corral that wild stallion! Make yourself spend time with God. That is what intercession is all about. It is not about asking many things from God. Spend time with God getting to know Him in unhurried preparation. God did not come to Adam in the cool of the dayto check up on his progress or productivity in the garden of Eden. God came to spendtime with his friend.

You goal IS NOT supplication. You goal is INTIMACY WITH GOD. It may be months beforeyou get far enough along to walk through all 12 Steps in one sitting (kneeling). ButYour goal is not to do the steps. Your goal is to be intimate with the lover of yoursoul. Get familiar with the holy place. Get known before the throne. Spend time withGod. Enoch "walked with God" and he was not because "God took him." God wanted the fellowship with Enoch, not Enoch's productivity.

Focus on God

INTIMACY: FOCUS ON GOD Spend 3 minutes on each Be Still Quiet Room - for silence, slowing down and preparing for prayer. Be Worshipful Adoration Room - for praise, exaltation of God's name, and worship. Be Thankful Thanksgiving Room - for giving thanks to God for everything.

Focus on You

INTIMACY: FOCUS ON SELF Spend 3 minutes on each Confession Personal Room - for personal confession of sin, self examination and surrender to God. Clothe Yourself Authority Room - for reading & applying promises and principles of authority of the believer. Cast your Care Burden Room - for personal burdens to be laid down before the cross.