In Pursuit of His Presence: The Secret Place and the Holy Spirit
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In Episode 17 of the Behold the Bride series on Created in His Image with Sylvia Colville, broadcast on Radio Cape Pulpit, the focus is on "the secret place" and being in pursuit of God's presence. Sylvia opens by describing a picture God gave her during early morning prayer: the bride sitting at the feet of the Lord, basking in His light—a picture of Mary of Bethany, captivated by Jesus, which represents the posture of the church that seeks to be the bride of Christ. She explores the heart of the bride: a longing for the Bridegroom, the fire of first love burning, and a determination to be prepared and not caught unawares. For listeners who may not feel this longing, she offers reassurance that this teaching is an invitation from the One who is love, calling them deeper.
Sylvia draws on A.W. Tozer's prayer from The Pursuit of God—"I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still"—and Dr. Moody Stewart's exhortation: "Pray till you pray. Pray till you are conscious of being heard. Pray till you receive an answer." She shares her own heart's cry for more of God's presence, living waters, and holy discontent with shallow pools.
The teaching then clarifies the roles of the triune God: God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are in heaven, while God the Holy Spirit is the presence of God on the earth right now. Believers are already accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:4–6), so these prayers are not for acceptance but for deeper intimacy. Jesus instructs us to pray to the Father in the secret place (Matthew 6:6) and to ask the Father in His name (John 16:23–24, 26–27). The Holy Spirit is the one who answers, teaches, guides, helps, comforts, and transforms us into the image of God (John 16:13–15; 1 Corinthians 2:9–12). Sylvia emphasises that the Holy Spirit is not a vague mystical power but God Himself—infinitely holy, wise, powerful, and majestic—who carries the fullness of the Father and the Son. His prime ministry is to transform us into God's image and reveal God's glory through us. Everything Jesus did came about by the Holy Spirit's presence, and everything we are created to do can only come about by the Holy Spirit on our lives. She closes with a prayer asking God to correct our understanding, help us walk in reverence, and honour the Holy Spirit. Listeners can find teaching notes, the podcast, and her book Behold the Bride via the Radio Cape Pulpit app or her website.
Sylvia draws on A.W. Tozer's prayer from The Pursuit of God—"I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still"—and Dr. Moody Stewart's exhortation: "Pray till you pray. Pray till you are conscious of being heard. Pray till you receive an answer." She shares her own heart's cry for more of God's presence, living waters, and holy discontent with shallow pools.
The teaching then clarifies the roles of the triune God: God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are in heaven, while God the Holy Spirit is the presence of God on the earth right now. Believers are already accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:4–6), so these prayers are not for acceptance but for deeper intimacy. Jesus instructs us to pray to the Father in the secret place (Matthew 6:6) and to ask the Father in His name (John 16:23–24, 26–27). The Holy Spirit is the one who answers, teaches, guides, helps, comforts, and transforms us into the image of God (John 16:13–15; 1 Corinthians 2:9–12). Sylvia emphasises that the Holy Spirit is not a vague mystical power but God Himself—infinitely holy, wise, powerful, and majestic—who carries the fullness of the Father and the Son. His prime ministry is to transform us into God's image and reveal God's glory through us. Everything Jesus did came about by the Holy Spirit's presence, and everything we are created to do can only come about by the Holy Spirit on our lives. She closes with a prayer asking God to correct our understanding, help us walk in reverence, and honour the Holy Spirit. Listeners can find teaching notes, the podcast, and her book Behold the Bride via the Radio Cape Pulpit app or her website.
