Prayer Warrior

March 22nd – John 14:13-14

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John 14:13-14

What did Jesus mean when He made the promise that “whatever you ask in My name, that will I do”? Does it simply mean we should end each prayer with, “in Jesus name we pray“? Or is there more to it than that?

Jesus makes this promise while speaking to His disciples the evening before his arrest and crucifixion. Christ, knowing all that was about to transpire, was imparting full authority to them. How? By giving them the power to ask in His name. For at that time, to speak in the name of a person meant to fully represent them in all ways.

Therefore, Jesus was promising His disciples that while they were fulfilling their mission; He would do anything they asked Him to do while asking with the authority of His name. In short, He was handing His disciples a great privilege as well as a tremendous responsibility, but what does this promise mean to us?

First and foremost asking in His name is acknowledging His authority. In other words, our standing before the Father is based solely on the finished work of Jesus alone. We come to Him in prayer, not through our own  merit, but in the name of Jesus.

Secondly, we must pray wholly surrendered to His will not ours. How often have we prayed believing we know what the answer should be and were disappointed when the outcome did not turn out as we planed?

Finally, we should pray seeking His glory, not our own,. because glorying the Lord is our sole purpose for being here on this earth.

Keeping these three objectives in mind makes it easier to pray for each of His children. For prayer is a beautiful and precious privilege. It is an honor to be given the right to come before God at any time and in any place, bringing all our petitions before Him. But we must pray in a way that acknowledges Christ and seeks to glorify Him always.

Blessings,

Sue

March 22nd – John 14:13-14 Read More »

March 21st – Philippians 4:6-7

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Philippians 4:6-7

The faith and love of the Lord exhibited by Paul never ceases to amaze me. No matter if he endured beatings, persecution, imprisonment, or a shipwreck, he never gave up. Nor did he give in to anxiety or despair. Does it mean he didn’t have those feelings, even for a brief minute? Of course not. For Paul, like us, always battled his human nature. But because of his close, personal, relationship with God, Paul experienced a peace beyond human understanding. And we can too.

Anxiety and worry go hand in hand with life. Especially as the days grow darker. But that doesn’t mean we have to stay trapped in the swirling cyclone of turmoil. We have a choice. But unfortunately some people get so used to being surrounded by anxiety and drama, without it they feel incomplete. And sadder still, some even thrive on it. But that’s no way for Christians to live. Because God wants to fill every area of our hearts, minds, and lives, with His perfect peace.

First we need to believe in our minds that God is the Author of peace. Next we need to believe in our hearts that He will overflow us with that peace. And we do that by following Paul’s example of prayers and thanksgivings. How do we learn to pray and give thanks? By spending time in God’s Word, and applying His promises to our lives. For as we grow in our understanding of the overwhelming love our Heavenly Father has for His children, our minds can find the peace they so desperately crave. And our hearts can’t help but burst with thankfulness for all God is and does.

As long we the earth is our home, we will encounter situations that will test our faith, and attempt to rattle our peace. But remembering that nothing happens without God’s say so, and He uses all things for our good, gives us a peace that transcends human understanding. I love the analogy of living in peace being like the petals of a flower unfolding in the morning sunlight. Our petals of peace open as we learn more about God. And as we soak in the sunshine of His perfect love, our petals blossom in His warmth and goodness.

March 21st – Philippians 4:6-7 Read More »

March 20th – Luke 11:1-4

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Luke 11:1-4

During His ministry, Jesus would often slip away to spend time alone with God. From afar, His disciples would watch the Lord pray; witnessing firsthand the strength, comfort, and joy He received from those prayers. Wanting the same for themselves, they approached Jesus asking, “Lord, teach us to pray”. And so Jesus began by first instructing them what to say, giving what is known as the “Lord’s Prayer”. The perfect prayer model for Christians to follow.

Jesus begins with, “When you pray, say:”

“Our Father in Heaven”-In reverence, we are to acknowledge God for who He is and our relationship to Him.

“Hallowed Be Thy Name”-Hallowed means sacred. We are to give the holy name of the Father the esteem and respect it alone deserves.

“Thy Kingdom Come. Thy Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven”-We are to earnestly pray not only for the return of Jesus and the establishment of His kingdom on earth, but also for the will of God to be done everywhere.

“Give Us Each Day Our Daily Bread”-God cares about every aspect of our lives, both big and small. We are to pray that He will provide for our physical needs.

“And Forgive Us Our Trespasses, As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us”-Daily we need forgiveness. We are to pray that God will both pardon the sins we commit against Him, and give us the strength to extend that same pardon to those who sin against us.

“And Lead Us Not Into Temptation, But Deliver Us From The Evil One”-Each day Satan plots ways in which to get us sinning against God. We are to pray for both protection from the Enemy and the strength to stand against his attacks.

Prayer is a fundamental part of the Christian Faith. It helps us to grow in our personal relationship with God and enables us to receive that same strength, comfort, and joy as Jesus received. Have you come before God in prayer and are waiting for His answer? Don’t give up. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking. Because although God may not answer our prayers right away, and He may not give us the answer we want, God will indeed answer.

March 20th – Luke 11:1-4 Read More »

March 19th – Psalm 141:1-2

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Psalm 141:1-2

The alter of incense inside God’s holy temple was where Aaron was commanded to offer sweet fragrances to the Lord. Every morning and evening, he burned the sacrifice according to God’s specific instructions. And the pleasing aromas were a powerful reminder to the people; a reminder to pray. For the sweet smoke that rose to the heavens was seen as carrying the prayers of God’s people to His ever listening ears. To our loving Father all prayers of His children are precious, and He always responds to their cries. David knew this well. And so continuously he lifted up his arms and offered God prayers for deliverance and of praise. And we should do the same. Each day we need to be offering the sweet smell of our prayers to God. Laying our petitions on His alter, and letting them be carried to the One who longs to hear them.

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March 18th – Matthew 5:44

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Matthew 5:44

One of the most amazing and radical teachings of Jesus was His command to love our enemies. I think about that now with the war waging in Ukraine. Praying for those who hurt or disappoint us is one thing. But what about those who are actively trying to take our homes, land, families, and even our lives? Jesus tells us that no matter how or who persecuted us, we are to pray. And not just say the right words, but to actively and purposely pray for our enemies with love. This goes against everything we feel and believe in our own human frailty. But if we truly want to be the salt and light of the earth, we need to rise above and walk as Jesus. Impossible in our own strength, but through the work of the Holy Spirit, instead of fleshly hearts of stone, we can have hearts of Christ. Hearts not bent on seeking revenge, but bent on sharing the love of Jesus!

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march 17th – James 1:5-6

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James 1:5-6

There are many who have knowledge but do they have wisdom? And what’s the difference? Knowledge is information gained through experience, reasoning, or acquaintance. Wisdom is the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting. Knowledge can exist without wisdom, but not the other way around. One can be knowledgeable without being wise. Christians are called to be wise. And wisdom comes from spending time in God’s Word. James 3:13-18- talks about two kinds of wisdom, godly and earthly. So how can we tell between the two?

Godly wisdom is pure, peaceable, gentle, and reasonable. It is full of mercy and good fruits. And is unwavering, without hypocrisy. Earthly wisdom is rooted in jealousy and selfish ambition. It is double minded, lead by evil spirits, and loves lies above the truth. And as 1 Corinthians 3:19 tells us, foolishness before God.

So if it’s wisdom you seek, pray and ask God. For He is generous. And to all who ask, He will give abundant wisdom we need to navigate life!

Blessings, Lyn

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March 16th – Matthew 26:41

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Matthew 26:41

Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, knew that he was facing the biggest spiritual battle of a lifetime. He also knew that his disciples would be facing great spiritual battles too. They would be afraid and feel alone as their leader was taken from their presence and imprisoned. Jesus knew that even though they loved him and said they would never deny or forsake Him, in their own strength, they would fail to carry through. He knew their weaknesses and the cunning power of the enemy and that’s why he strongly encouraged them to pray.

Prayer is how we engage in spiritual warfare. Temptation is a tool of the devil. One he used in the Garden of Eden to lure Eve and then Adam into sinful desires and disobedience to God. We all will face temptations. But God’s Word tells us that there’s no temptation He hasn’t encountered. And certainly no temptation He can’t help us overcome. In His time of deepest sorrow, Jesus had mankind on his mind. One of the most beautiful things about God taking on human flesh to dwell among man is that He can relate to all of our struggles and hardships. Jesus provided reconciliation for us to God and He actively intercedes for us.  What a privilege to know we have access to the throne of God for our petitions and prayers. 

Blessings, Becky

  

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March 15th – Luke 18:1-8

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Luke 18:1-8

Have you been praying for something or someone for a long time, and nothing seems to be happening? It’s tempting to give up, isn’t it? We can become discouraged praying for the same things over and over again and never seeing even a glimmer of hope. We can begin to doubt whether God’s going to answer us, or even if He’s listening to us at all.

We all have prayers that continue to go unanswered. And if we’re honest, we’ve been tempted at times to simply give up, or question our ability to pray. We know our God is able, therefore we must doing something wrong. Satan will always do his best to discourage us and keep us from persevering in prayer. But God doesn’t want you or I to quit praying!

The most effective prayers in the Bible are those that persevered in prayer. In Psalm 55:16-17, David wrote: “I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.” David, was “a man after God’s own heart” and he knew the importance of persisting in beseeching God.  Even Jesus demonstrates this for us on the night before He was crucified in the Garden of Gethsemane. (John 17) So, why should we be persevere in our prayers, even when you don’t get an answer?

1.) Persistent prayers prepares our heart for the answer.

I’m sure you’re able to testify that at times, when we make a request to God, God often wishes to answer in a better way than we’ve prayed for. Therefore, I believe sometimes God denies our prayer requests because we’re thinking and asking too small. He wants to give us something bigger and better that will put His glory on display! But first, he has to prepare our hearts for it. So God uses delays in answering our prayer to help us grow, get ready, and prepare us for a bigger and better answers.

2.) Persistent prayer works to focus our attention.

God doesn’t need to be reminded! I believe it’s more to remind us Who the source of our answers and all our needs is. If every prayer you ever prayed were instantly answered we might be tempted to look upon God as a Genie and fail to revere Him as we should. God wants us to reverence the Blesser over the blessings.

3.) Persistent prayer clarifies our request.

A delayed answer gives us time to search within to see exactly what we are asking for and to refine our prayers if need be. I believe when we persist in prayer to your heavenly Father, it tend to separate the deep longings from mere whims. It’s not that God doesn’t want to answer our prayers, but He wants us to be certain of what we really want.

4.) Persistent prayer tests your faith.

James 1:3-4 says, “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (NLT). I believe God uses these times to grow our faith and those closest to us. Just think how Hannah’s faith grew once her prayer was answered – enough to give her son Samuel back to God. Spiritual maturity comes from having our faith tested, one of the ways God’s going to test our faith is by delaying some answers to your prayers.

Blessings, Sue

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March 14th – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

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1 Timothy 2:1-2

Right now the world is in crisis. War in Ukraine, soaring fuel costs, and rising inflation, are but a few of the challenges we face. And that’s why now more than ever, we are called to be mighty prayer warriors! Soldiers on our knees filling the heavens with our petitions. Prayers for ourselves, each other, and especially our leaders.

In his letter to Timothy, the apostle Paul tells us that Christians have a duty to pray for all mankind, leaders, and those in authority. And he gives us four types of prayers we’re to use when praying both privately and publicly.  Deēseis, proseuchas, enteuxeis, and eucharistias. Translated into English, these are supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings.

Supplications are those fervent pleas we make to God for immediate response. Prayers refer to all of our general petitions made to the Lord. Intercessions are those prayers from the heart where we lift up before God the needs of others. And thanksgivings are those prayers of praise for all God is, does, and blesses us with each and every day.

Before we  received Jesus as our Savior, we were eternally separated from God. His eyes were blind to our troubles, and His ears deaf to our cries. But now, through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have the privilege and honor of fellowshipping with God. We can approach His throne of grace, and lay our prayers at His feet. Prayers for a hurting world filled with hurting people.

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March 13th – Matthew 18:19

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Matthew 18:19

I once read it said as prayer warriors we must remember that no matter how hopeless a situation may appear to us, God gives us power in prayer to do something about it. Especially when Christians come together to pray as one. We know that the prayer of one righteous person can accomplish astonishing things. (James 5:16) But when two or three have gathered to pray with one mind, God says He will be with them in a special and unique way. For we are the church of Christ, made up of one body. And we are called to pray together as that one body for God to heal, bless, uplift, and strengthen all. Many times in the Bible we read stories of amazing things that happened when Christian’s prayed together. And those amazing things can happen for us when in unison, we pray for the needs of each other.

March 13th – Matthew 18:19 Read More »