Tag : prayer-2
Tag : prayer-2
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
(Mark 11:24)
Do you want to know what direction to proceed? Ask a specific prayer.
Do you need an answer about a job? Pray specifically.
Contemplating a move? Pinpoint the city and lay it at God’s feet.
I have seen specific answers to specific prayers over the past couple of weeks. Last week, I traveled to San Antonio to share my testimony at a luncheon. While I was paid a small honorarium and sold nine books, my husband and I still came out of pocket because of hotel, meal and travel expenses. I want to be a good steward so prayed specifically prior to the event: Lord, If I am supposed to continue to speak at these types of luncheons, I pray for one salvation as a result of hearing my testimony. That alone would be worth the money we were about to expend.
After I spoke at the luncheon, there was fruit. My testimony about forgiving my mother prompted a woman to forgive her mother. Another woman, who had an Orthodox Jewish father, bought my apologetics book, The Root that Never Died, so she could share it with her Jewish relatives at Thanksgiving. After the luncheon, the ladies filled out comment cards and as I went through the cards with the luncheon leader, there it was. One woman said she accepted Christ as Lord and Savior! It was my answer to continue speaking at these luncheons—a specific answer to a specific prayer.
I have also been praying specifically about one of my volunteer leadership jobs. While I love those I serve, it takes a lot of time and with a growing ministry and school commitments, there is not much downtime for rest and exercise. For a while, I’ve been asking God what to do about this commitment and He has been silent. That generally means to stay put. But this week a pastor prophesied over me and told me to get ready because our television ministry was going to grow. Right after that word, I had a vivid dream saying that I would lose favor if I remained in the leadership position,. God was now speaking, so out of obedience, I stepped down. It was another specific answer to a specific prayer.
Do you need some answers? Take them to the altar. Be specific. It might not be in your timing but God will be faithful to answer.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16).
Categories: Blog
There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
(Ezra 8:21, NIV)
Biblical fasting is a way to draw nearer to God and eliminate distractions for a spiritual purpose. We reset our minds and are transformed from the inside out. It is a way to humble ourselves before God and make prayer requests for us and our loved ones. It also prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to give us and enables us to celebrate His goodness and mercy. Most importantly, when we seek God in prayer, it deepens our relationship with Him and allows the Holy Spirit to lead us in our journey through life. When we dedicate and commit to a 21-day fast, combined with prayer, we intentionally seek God every day in prayer and faithfully believe that He is going to move in a powerful way in a specific area in our lives.
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
(Job 5:9, NIV)
There are different ways to commit to a fast but the most popular one is the Daniel Fast during which you remove certain elements from your diet such as meat, sweets, and bread. The Jewish Fast involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can be from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown. The Soul Fast is a great option if you wish to refocus a certain area of your life that is out of balance, such as social media, watching television, or cell phone usage. The most important thing to remember is that you are focusing on your relationship with the Lord and want to remove anything that is hindering you from focusing on Him. Schedule a set time to pray every day and determine a specific place to pray, away from distractions.
Create a list of things or people you want to fast and pray for. When reading the Bible be mindful of specific Scriptures and ask God to lead you in your prayer time with Him. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus tells His followers, “When you fast” and gives specific instructions about how they are to fast and pray. Jesus didn’t say “if” you fast, He said “when” you fast. This tells us that fasting is a spiritual discipline and is expected in our journey with Christ. Every Christian must devote a time for fasting and prayer to deepen their relationship with God in order to grow closer to Him and experience breakthroughs in specific areas in their life. If you want to see Him move supernaturally in a specific area or during a difficult season, this is a great time to fast and pray.
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
(Mathew 6:16-18, NIV)
Categories: Blog
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will bein you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
(John 14:15-18, NIV)
I am in Cartagena, by myself, enjoying a week of mingling with the local Colombians. This is the second time this year I visited Colombia. When I tell my friends and family where I’m going, I always get the same response, “Be careful.” I always respond in the same way, “There is no fear in love.” We are created in His image, obviously not in the physical realm, and yet we sometimes operate out of fear and judgement. This is not His Way. God is Love. I enjoy traveling and witnessing what the Creator has given us in love. He has provided a world that is heaven on earth (if we choose to see the world through His eyes). Jesus’s first prayer was the “Our Father” and He says, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
A few days ago, I was sitting at a beachfront restaurant, and I was praying a prayer over Colombia and especially over the young girls that are selling their bodies for money, and I heard the words to a reggae song playing in the background:
Love and hate can never be friends. Here I come with love and not hatred... It was a song by Dennis Brown called, “Here I Come.”
“And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.”
The Lord heard my prayers and reassured me through a song. Is there corruption in Colombia? Absolutely. Men come from all over the world for “Tourist sex.” Young girls that look barely fifteen approach men on every corner; drugs are sold on the streets,
Yet the tour busses have images of Jesus Christ.
There are shrines to the Virgin Mary on almost every corner. Unfortunately, this is the way of the world. The Bible tells us in John 15:19: “As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” During my travels, I have met some wonderful, kind people. Some are lost sheep looking for their way and I tell them Jesus is the only Truth and the Way to life. He is the Good Shepherd and He will come looking for His lost sheep.
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Categories: Blog
“You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.“
(Psalm 77:14, NIV)
Have you ever prayed for a miracle and had your prayers answered? What about the times you prayed for something and what you were asking for did not transpire? What happened? Do you ask yourself why didn’t God grant your request? How about all the everyday little miracles that we take for granted? Do we thank Him for all those little blessings? Sometimes, during a season of difficulties, we think He is not answering our prayers, but when we look back at the situation, years later, we realize He answered our prayers, after all.
“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.“
(Job 5:9, NIV)
Four years ago, a very dear friend and sister in Christ gave me a prayer box. It was my first prayer box, and I wondered why anyone would write their prayer down on paper and save it in a box? Nonetheless, I did believe in the power of praying so I went ahead and decided to use the box. I didn’t think writing my prayers down would make a difference, until one day, my box got so full, I decided to empty it. As I was emptying it, I was reading the prayers, and to my amazement every one of my prayers had been answered. I then realized I often focus on my problems, turn to God for help, and when He answers my prayers, I barely notice because I am so busy focusing on the next prayer request.
When I acknowledged that every single one of my prayers had been answered, I understood why it’s important to write them down. It’s to remind us of what a mighty God we serve. To give Him praise and worship for His faithfulness in every area of our lives. Even when we do not see Him working, He is working ALL things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. We serve a mountain-moving God so no matter what you’re going through today, put your trust in Him, the Creator of heaven and earth. Pay attention to all your miracles, big or little, and give Him thanks and praise!
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.“
(Haggai 2:6-7, NIV)
Categories: Blog
Have you ever felt overwhelmed?
Yesterday was one of those days where everything seemed to cave in. There were school and ministry deadlines, relationship issues and financial concerns. In the past couple of weeks I also had a friend whose brother died, and another who suddenly lost their young daughter. It was a lot weighing me down and I just needed to talk it through with someone, so I texted a couple of friends to get a feel for their availability. They were either under the weather or seemed busy. I had already prayed, so feeling a bit alone, I prayed more fervently.
In the New Living Translation, Psalm 17:6–7 gives us a beautiful image of how God hears our prayers. David said, “I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray.” What if when we pray, we imagine God bending down close to hear what we have to say? Picture a loving dad crouching to hear his young daughter whisper in his ear— because He cares.
When we are at our very lowest, the LORD hears our prayers and responds with a lifeline.
In Psalm 18, David was also feeling like he needed God’s divine hand to save him. He said, “The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path” (Psalm 18:4–5, NLT). If we are honest, sometimes we all feel this way. But then David said, “But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.” And later in the Psalm David shares his victory: “He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies” (Psalm 18:16–17, NLT).
God is our rescuer.
In my case, he prompted a good friend to call me out of the blue because she wanted to talk. I listened to her, then she heard me out and I was able to share my struggles and pray with her for resolution to each of the issues I was dealing with.
Today is a new day and I am still afloat because I was rescued by a loving God who bent down to hear about what was troubling me. If you are going through something today, share it with the Father. I promise he will listen and will rescue you from the depths of despair.
Categories: Blog