I love to pray with and for people but it has not always been that way for fear of not doing it right etc. Sometimes though we talk the talk and never walk the walk. Basically I mean that we are so quick to say I will pray for you but then as you carry on the convo etc we tend to let that thought slip right out of our head. How sad it that....we get so busy in this world with everything anyways but we tell someone we will do that and we don't. That is one area as christian we can NOT fall short in. Sometimes people are in a place where their faith is being tested, they are questioning God, or are in a place where they can't even pray they are so broken. Do you realize what that means...you might be there intercessor to God for that time being....what I mean is that you many be that only person that prays on there behalf. For some reason they chose you, what a honor but how are we honoring them by not praying or praying half way. How a simple prayer could change their life as well as our own by obeying.
What if, just what if in the very middle of the convo they said hey can you pray for me....and well at that very time no matter where you are you say lets go to prayer now. Or when they ask us that we actually write it down to pray fervently over that paper etc. I had a dear friend Kelly, that we were stationed with...we have since reconnected but we had so many memories but one that sticks out that I loved about her is one day she was out walking her new baby and she carried a small piece of paper that had names on it...as she walked around the block she would pray for the people on the list...seriously to this day I can still remember it as plain as day. I knew at that very moment when I would ask her to pray for me she would...it was very comforting to know that I would make "the list" and I was so thankful for her. She prayed on my behalf when I was in a place not feeling worthy of prayer. What would that look like and how could that change that persons life, requests, and thoughts.
Well here is my opinion
A. I think that would look like this to this person...Hey I want you to know that I hear you, that I am listening, that I care about you.
B. Taking that very request at that very time to God may be the very exact timing that God has for this person. You could change the outcome for praying on there behalf in a time that they did not feel like they could, or wanted someone to pray in agreement with them.
C. The thoughts of that very person could be all over the spectrum...but I seem to think to have someone willing to stop everything and pray for their very need at that moment in life. Especially if they are broken and need someone to just listen and step up and in for them. How comforting to know that someone....just someone cares enough to do that for them not worrying what the world around them thinks as they are praying in the middle of the store etc.
Some people struggle with praying. They feel I can't do that right, I don't know what to say or even how to say it. The simple truth is God knows our hearts but He needs to hear our desires of our hearts. Imagine the volumes it speaks to someone or the volumes to God. Imagine when that person comes back to you and says remember when you prayed for me....XYZ happened.....what a true blessing that comes back to you for obeying and wow God gets the glory.
Proverbs 15:8 Tells us this..The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.
Romans 10:1 Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayers to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.
Those are just a couple of scriptures out of many about prayer but I love them. What if at that very time someone asks can you pray for me you pray with them and that becomes there very day of salvation...the day that the ask Jesus to come into their heart or they rededicate there life again....How about the one day we will have to look God in the face and he says what about that time XYZ asked for prayer and you agreed to pray for them but you never did. I don't know about you but I have so many things I have to answer to and I don't want that to be one..
So just my thought on what hit me this weekend. If that means you carry a small journal to write down that request to pray for them fully later then carry it, if that means take notes on your phone for later.... take them. People we can NOT afford to fall short in this area. We must be prayer warriors but serious ones...we need to fight for, on behalf of, or for ourselves with prayers...We need not to worry about what "others" think or "where" we are, we just need to care that we answer that calling when God tells us to rather we pray at that very time or later in private....but pray and pray fervently.
Until next time.....
These verses come to mind after reading this:
ReplyDeleteRomans 8:27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the SPIRIT INTERCEDES for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Romans 8:34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ JESUS who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and IS ALSO INTERCEDING for us.
How great is it that the Spirit of God and Son of God are on the same prayer chain as us, are lifting us up as we lift ourselves and others, are rooting for us even when we can't muster up the courage to root for ourselves? When we add to the prayer and intercession of the Spirit and Son, we create an even greater task force to combat attacks that may be thrown at us or someone we know or love.
Romans 1:9... how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times... Pray without ceasing. It matters. It matters to God. It matters to the God's children. It makes a difference.
Love you Tiff! And your heart for God and others!
Girl...I love how you bring it...preach it sister....Love you sweet friend
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