ARTICLE SEARCH 

You can tell a lot about a person by listening to him or her pray. The passions of the heart flow out through prayer and give us a glimpse into the soul. What is really important to a person will find its way into the prayer life of that one. So it was for Jesus as He prayed in John 17. The entire chapter is often referred to as “The great high priestly prayer” of Jesus. As you study this powerful prayer of our Lord, you can find five basic petitions: 1. Restore Me to the glory I had in heaven.2. Protect My followers from the evil one.3. Sanctify them by the truth.4. May they be one.5. May they be with Me forever. I’d like to focus on a point of passion with Jesus. It concerns the fourth petition, “May they be one.” It seems to me that Jesus is most passionate about this request. It is this part of the prayer that seems to identify the believer most with both Father and Son. The practical, lived-out unity of the Body of Christ is literally the most powerful apologetic to the world that God had sent Jesus into the world and demonstrated for all eternity the Father’s great love for mankind. New Testament scholar Merrill Tenney writes, “The unity mentioned here is not simply a unity achieved by legislation. It is a unity of nature because it is comparable to that of the Son and the Father. The unity of the Church must spring from the common life that is imparted to all believers by the new birth; and it is manifested in their common love for Christ and for one another as they face a hostile world. The unity of the Son and the Father was manifested in the deep love that each sustained for the other and by the perfect obedience of the Son to the Father and the perfect response of the Father to the Son.” (The Gospel of John, Merrill C. Tenney, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishing, 1981, p.164). Our passion needs to come alongside that of our Lord’s. Should we not join our prayers with Jesus for the unity of all believers? We can discuss the implications and obstacles to unity forever, but the most powerful force toward unity is the same used by Jesus…prayer! How can we pray in an effective way concerning this essential issue in God’s kingdom? Praying Scripture is always my first impulse. It is in praying the Word of God that we most line up with His thoughts and intents. Would it be possible for us to take Jesus’ prayer for unity that we find in John 17:20-23 and make it an integral part of our prayer life? I’ve taken the words of Jesus and adapted them to our own situation. May they be a blessing to you as you regularly pray back to the Father a similar prayer to the one He heard 2,000 years ago from His only begotten Son. Holy Father, I lift before You today the scattered followers of Jesus Christ. In the same way that Jesus prayed, not just for the disciples who stood in front of Him as He prayed, but for all who would believe in Him through their message, so I too, do not limit my prayers just to the Christians around me. Lord, there are millions of us now…divided by language, creed, and customs. Our divisions have brought us shame and have hindered the advance of the Gospel. Father…make us one. In the same way that You and Your Son are one, would You make us one? I don’t understand Your unity….how two can be one, and how the Holy Spirit added to that makes the three still one. But in some ways that is reassuring, because I also don’t understand how You can make all of us one. It’s obvious though, Lord, that our unity is somehow rooted in Your very unity as God. That gives me hope. Father, in a way that is beyond our comprehension, You dwell in Jesus and Jesus dwells in You. That astonishing unity is what You desire for us by inviting us as believers in Jesus to come to dwell in You. We confess our desire for that as well. We want to live in You. We want to continually experience Your presence…Your oneness. We are beginning to see that dwelling in You in unity is so amazing that it literally declares to a watching world that You truly did send Jesus into the world. We need a supernatural work of Your Holy Spirit to break down our divisions and to bring us together into Your presence. We long to see the day when the world wakes up to the realization of Your awesome love that prompted You to send Jesus into the world. Father, make us one that this day might come soon. Father, as You and Your Son are one, Your presence in Him and His presence in You, we pray the presence of Your Spirit in us will make us one with You and Your Son. And if we are one with You and Your Son, then we certainly become one with each other. You are not divided, Lord. Forgive us for our actions and attitudes that have appeared to divide the Body of Christ. Would You give us the passion for unity that You and Your Son have? Help us to see how important this issue is to the proclamation of the Gospel. You have loved us as You love Your Son. Please teach us to love each other in that way…people who are different from us in so many ways…yet who are still a part of Your Body. Bring us to complete unity that the world may know of Your astounding love. We ask in Jesus’ name.

Prayer is the most powerful form of evangelism, and everyone can do it!  It is my personal belief that no one comes to Christ apart from prayer.  Many of us had parents, grandparents or friends who prayed that we would know Jesus personally.  Some of us may not know who prayed for the eyes of our hearts to be opened, and may never know until we arrive in heaven.  What we do know, through Scripture, is that no one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).  And, no one can come to Jesus Christ unless the Father who sent Jesus draws him (John 6:44).  God draws us to Himself through the prayers of His people. Be constantly aware of the people whom God places on your heart to pray for – they may be your prayer assignments.  Your prayers may ultimately result in their eternal destiny being changed from darkness to light.  The Lord wants everyone to pray for, care about and share his or her faith in Christ with others because He  “wants all men  [and women and children]  to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth”  (1 Tim. 2:4).  His way of accomplishing this is for His people to pray for those who are still in darkness. Perhaps the greatest mission field that most families will ever have is the neighborhood.  There are many families and individuals living within a short walking distance of your home who have never known Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Whether you live in a subdivision, an apartment building, a college dorm, or even out in the country, you can pray effectively and powerfully for your neighbors. Praying the Word of God As we pray for our neighbors, we should always remember that His Word will bring life and light into the lives of others, as it has for us.   “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”  (Psa. 119:105).  Praying the Word of God into the lives and situations of those around us blesses them, and fulfills God’s desire to see us apply His Word to our actions.  For example, try praying the blessing from Numbers 6:24-26, “Lord, bless them and keep them.  Make Your face shine upon them and be gracious to them.  Father, turn Your face toward them and give them peace.”  Isn’t that a much more powerful prayer than, “Lord, bless our neighbors”? When we pray the Word of God into the lives and situations of others, God can do some amazing things.   “The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple”  (Psa. 119:130).  Those who could not understand before are able to grasp the things of God.  When we pray, their hearts and minds can be opened to receive from the Lord. The Light of Christ in You Matthew 5:14-16 says,  “You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”   Your neighbors need to see the light of Jesus Christ in you.  When they begin to see that there is a difference in you, they will want to know what it is and they may even want it for themselves .   We need to allow God’s plans and purposes to shine through us. When you pray for your neighbors, ask God to give you opportunities to care for them as well.  Perhaps an elderly woman needs someone to mow the lawn, or a mother with a new baby would appreciate someone going to the grocery store for her.  Maybe a new couple in the neighborhood would appreciate being invited over for dinner to get to know your family.  God will open up opportunities to care about people if you will simply ask Him.  Then, He can allow your light to shine into the lives of others.  Praying for neighbors will lead to caring about them, which will eventually open a door for you to share Jesus with them . The Light of Life “…[Jesus] said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’”  (John 8:12).  God’s plan is for lost people to seek and know Christ.  As we walk in obedience to the Lord, and begin to pray for them, their eyes can be opened so that the truth of Jesus can be made known to their hearts. As we pray for our neighbors, we will find an amazing thing happening.  We will begin to care for them more deeply, and even to love them as Jesus does. The Five Blessings One way to pray for our neighbors (and others) is to pray the Five Blessings based on the acronym BLESS: B  – BODY – pray for their physical bodies; for health and safety L  – LABOR – pray for their work, school, finances E  – EMOTIONAL – pray for their emotional needs S  – SOCIAL – pray for their relationships with family and friends S  – SPIRITUAL – pray for their relationship with Jesus Christ The most effective way to pray the Five Blessings for your neighbors, as we have already established, is to pray the Word of God into their lives.  Here are some examples: Body – “Lord, help my neighbors to lie down and sleep in peace because You make them dwell in safety” (Psa. 4:8). Labor – “May Your favor rest upon my neighbors, Lord.  Establish the work of their hands” (Psa. 90:17). Emotional – “Father, help our neighbors to live in peaceful, secure homes and to have undisturbed places of rest” (Isa. 32:18).  “Help them to know that the joy that comes from You is their strength” (Neh. 8:10). Social – “Lord, give my neighbors the ability to live in harmony with one another, and to be sympathetic, loving, compassionate and humble in their families and relationships” (1 Pet. 3:8). Spiritual – “Gracious God, let my neighbors see that You are the Way and the Truth and the Life.  May they realize that no one can come to You except through Jesus Christ” (John 14:6). Powerful Results Using this simple plan to pray for your neighbors as a family will yield powerful results – even though you may not see the results for some time.  As you begin to pray for your neighbors, you will be amazed at how much love God pours into your hearts for them.  Look for ways to show the love of Jesus to them through acts of caring.  Then, as you feel led by the Holy Spirit, begin to share the Gospel with them.  Let them know what Jesus has done in your lives.  Because you have prepared the ground in advance through prayer, and because you have shown them love through acts of caring, they will be more prepared and ready to hear what you have to say. Children love to pray for neighbors, and will readily join in. You will have an opportunity to grow as a family together in prayer and in the process of becoming more like Christ.

As Christian parents, it is not difficult to discern whom we wish our children to be like. We desire for them to be like Christ, and our greatest hope is that others will be able to see Him in them. However, it is not enough just to “wish” that our children will emulate Jesus. We must be godly examples of Christ to them. And, we must pray His character into their lives. It is a joyful task to discover the character of God in His Word. Whenever I see what God is like, I want to prayerfully ask Him to place that characteristic in me, and in my children. He is the standard by which all of my behavior and that of my children should be measured. Do people see Jesus in you, in your spouse, in your family? There is no greater act of worship than to be like Christ, for we were created in His image for fellowship with our Creator. To pray God’s character into the lives of our children is simply a matter of studying His Word and praying that specific characteristics will be manifest in us! Let’s look at one short passage that gives four distinct characteristics of God: “The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (Psalm 145:8). We know that God has many more characteristics; however these particular ones are repeated over and over in Scripture. Here are just a few examples: “But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (Nehemiah 9:17). “But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15). “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Psalm 103:8). “For he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (Joel 2:13). Now, take these four very important characteristics of the Sovereign Lord’s person, and pray that your children will be: Gracious Compassionate Slow to Anger Rich in Love I will give you many examples for each of these characteristics that you can pray for your children. Begin with these, and then begin to pray other characteristics into their lives (and into your own). If you begin with only one of these four character traits at a time, begin with “love.” There are more references to “love” in the New Testament than any other characteristic. Do you think the Lord wishes us to be loving? Absolutely! In the following examples, I have also allowed the first Scripture to reflect how Jesus either displayed the characteristic of His Father, or what He had to say about that particular characteristic. Since Christ lives in us, and since we desire to be Christlike–it is important to know that the characteristics of God also describe the characteristics of His Son. So, when we pray for our children to display the characteristics of God in their lives, we are praying that they will be like Christ, who showed us the very character of God as He walked on this earth. Pray for Your Child to Be Gracious (Filled With Grace) The Graciousness of Jesus: “All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ they asked” (Luke 4:22).Prayer: Father, Your Son spoke gracious words and people spoke well of Him. Would you help my child to speak gracious words that minister to others and point them to You? “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).Prayer: Lord, help all of my child’s conversations to be filled with grace and seasoned with salt, so that he/she may always know how to answer everyone. “He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34).Prayer: Help my child to walk in humility rather than in pride, so that You may fill him/her with Your grace. “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14).Prayer: Thank You, Father, that my child is under grace, and that sin will not be his/her master! “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work”(2 Corinthians 9:8).Prayer: Help my child to be filled with Your grace, so that in all things at all times, he/she will have all that he/she needs and will abound in every good work. “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1). Prayer: May my child be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus! “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).Prayer: May my child use the gifts you have given to him/her so that he/she may administer Your grace to others. “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2).Prayer: May my child have full knowledge of You, Father, and of Jesus Christ our Lord so that grace and peace might belong to him/her in abundance. Pray for Your Child to Have the Compassion of Jesus “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14).Prayer: Father, build compassion into the character of my child so that he/she sees every person just as Jesus would. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).Prayer: Holy Lord, show me how to demonstrate to my child how to be kind and compassionate to others. Help me to be a forgiving person so that he/she will forgive others just as Jesus has forgiven us. Place the compassionate heart of Christ in my child so that others will be drawn to You. “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8).Prayer: Father, help my child to get along with everyone he/she comes into contact with. May he/she be a compassionate, humble tool that you can use to bring unity into the body of Christ. Pray for Your Child to Be Slow to Anger “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment” (Matthew 5:22).Prayer: Lord, Jesus taught that we should not be angry with anyone. May my child have the strength to be the kind of person Jesus was when He walked this earth–with a heart of forgiveness rather than a heart that desires to harbor anger. “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:25-26).Prayer: Father, when my child is angry, help him/her to keep his/her anger in check so that he/she is not drawn into sin by the schemes of the enemy. May he/she never allow the sun to go down on his/her anger. Show him/her how to become a peacemaker. Help him/her to be determined not to give the devil a foothold in this area. “I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing” (1 Timothy 2:8).Prayer: May my child continually lift up holy hands to You, Father, because You have delivered him/her from having an angry heart towards others. “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20).Prayer: Father, help my child to be quick to listen and slow to become angry so that he/she can live the righteous life that You desire. Pray for Your Child to be Rich in the Love of Jesus “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:9-12).Prayer: Lord, Jesus loved us as You loved Him. That’s a powerful love! Help my child to remain in Christ’s love all of his/her life. Give him/her the strength to obey Your commands so that he/she can remain in Your love just as Jesus did, because remaining in Your love brings complete joy. Help my child to love others just as You love him/her. “‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these’” (Mark 12:29-31).Prayer: Father, You have given us two commandments that You consider to be the greatest of all of Your commandments. Give my child a burning desire to love You with all of his/her heart and soul and mind and strength. May he/she always love his/her neighbor as much as he/she loves him/herself. “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked”(Luke 6:35).Prayer: Lord, it’s hard for kids to love their enemies. Give my child Your supernatural love so that he/she can “do good” to those who are unkind or hurtful to him/her, and so that he/she can become a son/daughter of Yours, Most High God! “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:9-10).Prayer: Most High God, help my child to love out of a sincere heart that clings only to what is good. May he/she be continually devoted to others in brotherly love, honoring others above him/herself. “But the man who loves God is known by God” (1 Corinthians 8:3).Prayer: Lord, may my child be known by You because he/she truly loves You all the days of his/her life! “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18).Prayer: Loving God, I pray that my child will never learn to love this world or to love the material possessions it has to offer. May he/she instead take pity on those in need and respond. May he/she love with actions and in truth rather than with just words. Help him/her to have Your love within him/her. Bless Your Children Using Scripture The two following prayers lend themselves to wonderful blessing prayer! You can lay hands on your child and pray these prayers over him/her. Actually, you can do this with any of these prayers. Let your children know that you are praying specifically for them to develop the character traits of God. Prayer (based on Philippians 1:9-11): Lord, this is my prayer for my child: that his/her love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that he/she may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to Your glory and praise! Prayer (based on Ephesians 3:16-19): I pray that out of God’s glorious riches, He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your heart(s) through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Perhaps there are other specific character traits of God that your child needs at this time. Ask God to reveal these to you, if you are not already aware of them. One good additional example is to pray that your child will demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit in his or her life: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). Pray them one at a time, as you feel led, keeping in mind those things your child needs in his or her life most right now. Praying the Word of God is powerful, and because it is His Word, such prayers are ALWAYS in His perfect will! And, as you begin to faithfully and expectantly pray for God’s character to be shown in your child, He will be faithful to answer.

Most church prayer ministry teams are predominantly female. There’s a reason for this. In most situations, women pray more than men. C. Peter Wagner notes that of those who have been identified as being primarily intercessors, about 80% are female. Consider why this is so, remembering that we are dealing in generalities here. Women are typically more compassionate than men, which naturally leads them into praying for others. Again, generally speaking, women are more spiritually sensitive than men. This awareness that something is happening spiritually brings about prayer. Certainly in many, if not most churches, they have had the model of praying women set before them. Women go to the prayer meeting while the men go work on the building. Stereotype? Yes…but all too often very close to the truth. What God has perhaps allowed in the past is no longer permitted today. God is calling men to step up to the plate and do their part in prayer. The Lord today is calling ALL of the Church to prayer….both men and women, young and old. Look just at the spiritual warfare aspect of prayer. John Piper writes, “Until we know that life is war, we won’t know what prayer is for.” Prayer involves battle against spiritual forces in the heavenlies. Men —how do you feel about sending your mother or wife out to do battle while you sit at home? Isn’t that what we’ve been doing when we have looked at prayer as women’s work? It’s time to take the place of the warrior, alongside the women, as we do battle together in the Lord’s strength and victory as a people of prayer. Consider also the issue of spiritual leadership in the home. It’s very apparent in Scripture that the Lord expects Christian men to be the spiritual leaders of their homes. Here is a truth though, that is not always understood: spiritual leaders pray! If a man is not praying, he is not a spiritual leader. Prayerless men have abdicated their place of spiritual authority and left their families open to attack. You see, this is not an abstract discussion, but a matter of very practical issues for you and your family. I believe the place for married men to begin is to develop the habit of praying with their wives. Most Christian men do not do this. Several years ago, Leadership Journal shared how most pastors don’t pray with their wives either. There are always excuses why we don’t, but they remain mere excuses. Couples that pray together are forging strong bonds that will not easily break. A survey was taken that noted just 1 in over a thousand couples who prayed together saw their marriage fall apart. Match that up against the close to 50% figure for all other couples, including Christians. When my wife, Kim, and I were first married, we made a commitment to pray together. We found that there never seemed to be just the right time of day to do this. We finally decided the only way it was going to work for us was to get up a half an hour earlier in the morning. Our prayer time is precious to us. I hear from Kim about the things that are important to her by just listening to her prayers. She hears me praying over her day and asking God to bless her, as I also hear her pray for me. It is a wonderful time of sharing together before the Lord, and strengthening one another. There are some days we don’t pray together. The schedule is out of the ordinary, or we’re on a trip, or one of us is especially tired. That’s ok. It’s not a legalistic requirement that we never miss a day of prayer together. Don’t put yourself under condemnation. Praying together is a great gift to give one another. Whether it is in the morning or evening, for 5 minutes, or for an hour, it is vital for Christian couples to learn to pray together. I believe that God is calling men to lead out in prayer as part of His strategy for retaking planet earth. As men begin to respond in prayer, God begins to move in amazing ways. Dr J. Edwin Orr said it this way, “When God gets ready to do something new with his people, He always sets them praying.” God is doing a new thing today. If you want to be “in” on what God is doing, you must begin praying with greater passion and intensity. If you want purpose and meaning to life, and if you want your life to really count for God and to make a difference in this world…PRAY! Prayer is what God is calling His people to do today as a part of His plan for this world. God is moving all things toward completion. I don’t pretend to know when. But I do know the key. It is evangelism. And the key to evangelism is prayer. Let me show this to you scripturally. Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). The gospel is going to be preached to all nations…Jesus said so. Do you want to be a part of the fulfillment of these words? Jesus ties together prayer and evangelism in Matthew 9:37-38: “The harvest is truly plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Then, in 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul urges prayers to be lifted up because God wants everyone saved. Again prayer and evangelism are brought together. There are two passages of Scripture in Revelation that you may not have noticed before that are exciting in their presentation of prayer and evangelism: “Each one has a harp and they are holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8). “Another angel, who had a golden censor, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand” (Revelation 8:3-4). After each of these incidents, in which the collected prayers of God’s people are poured out before God, angels are loosed upon the earth to cause events intended to bring people to repentance and salvation. God uses the prayers of His people to bring about the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom. The second passage in Revelation comes in the midst of a half an hour of silence. Author Walter Wink explains the connection well: “Heaven itself falls silent. The heavenly hosts and celestial spheres suspend their ceaseless singing so that the prayers of the saints on earth can be heard. The seven angels of destiny cannot blow the signal of the next times to be until an eighth angel gathers these prayers…and mingles them with incense upon the altar. Silently they rise to the nostrils of God. “Human beings have intervened in the heavenly liturgy. The uninterrupted flow of consequences is damned for a moment. New alternatives become feasible. The unexpected becomes suddenly possible, because God’s people on earth have invoked heaven, the home of the possibles, and have been heard. What happens next, happens because people prayed. The message is clear: history belongs to the intercessors.” Dick Eastman, of Every Home for Christ, said it this way: “God’s ultimate purpose for mankind, the completion of Christ’s bride and the establishing of His eternal Kingdom on earth will result only from the release of the prayers of God’s saints.” Graham Kendrick and Chris Robinson wrote the hymn, All Heaven Waits. See if their words call to your heart and stir within you a passion to be a man of prayer: “All heaven waits with bated breath for saints on earth to pray,Majestic angels ready stand with swords of fiery blade.Astounding power awaits a word from God’s resplendent throne.But God awaits our prayer of faith that cries, “Your will be done!”

A pastor in California led his family to pray for yet-to-be-followers of Christ who lived in five neighboring homes. Within the first eight weeks of prayer, one of their neighbors began asking faith questions and ended up committing her life to Christ. Another neighbor wanted to give up drug dealing and asked for prayer help. A non-churched couple living next door asked the pastor to start a neighborhood Bible study. The family continued to pray. By the six-month mark the couple who asked for a Bible study had given their lives to Christ. A Buddhist family who lived across the street was coming to church regularly, and one member of the family had become a Christ-follower. The children of both families were involved in the church’s education classes. This pastor’s family discovered the power of prayer evangelism. What Is Prayer Evangelism? Prayer evangelism is a form of evangelism in which God moves in the hearts and lives of yet-to-be-followers of Christ in response to the earnest prayers of believers. Intercessors, with access to the throne of God, plead with the Father on behalf of those who lack that access. And then, believers with access to prayed-for persons who do not know Christ, now stand ready to share the good news with those who are prepared to hear. Why Pray for the Unsaved? God wants us to pray for unsaved persons. Christ modeled prayer for yet-to-be-believers. The day before He was crucified, He said to the Father, “. . . I pray also for those who will believe in me through [the disciples’] message” (John 17:20). Paul was moved to pray for his fellow countrymen: “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites, is that they may be saved” (Rom. 10:1). God’s Word urges us to make “requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving . . . for everyone,” with the awareness that, “God our Savior . . . wants all [persons] to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1–4). Prayer for unsaved persons is a high priority. Prayer is the way Christ chooses to work in the world today. When the disciples worried they would fail if Jesus left them, He assured them that they would do “even greater things” than He had done, “because” He said, “I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name. . .” (John 14:12-13). When Christ acts in response to our prayers, people get saved. Why Prayer Evangelism Works Not only is prayer evangelism biblical—it is also powerful! There are several reasons why combining prayer with evangelistic efforts produces great results. Praying for others changes the person praying. Praying for others changed me. To be effective for God I needed to become more deeply concerned for the spiritual well-being of others, more aware of God’s heart for them. What I found was that the more I prayed for yet-to-be-followers of Christ, the more I cared. The more I cared, the harder I prayed. The harder I prayed, the more I wanted God’s best for them and the more effective I was in reaching out to them. Prayer doesn’t just change things. It changes people—especially the people who pray. Prayer for others builds relationships. Most people who come to Christ come because they have a relationship with a bona fide Christian—a relationship in which the love of Christ is not only communicated but demonstrated. Intercession builds relational bridges—bridges of love that connect us to the persons we pray for and connect the persons we pray for to Christ. Prayer gains access where hearts are closed. People may refuse to open a Bible. They may turn a blind eye to what can clearly be seen in the things God has made. They may brush off the testimony of believers and spurn the church. They may close their hearts and minds to the gospel. But they can’t keep the Spirit from moving in their hearts—the Spirit who moves when God’s people pray. The unknown author of Kneeling Christian said it best, “Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.” Prayer evangelism is simple, flexible, and do-able. I can pray for yet-to-be-followers of Christ whether I am alone, with my family, with a small group, or with my whole church. My prayers can focus on friends, family members, neighbors, or coworkers. I can pray at home, in a restaurant, at my workplace, or on the move. Prayer evangelism is simply a matter of talking to God about the “lost sheep” who are all around us, lost sheep that Christ wants to bring home.     No one can honestly say, “I don’t know when, where, or how to pray.” Opportunities are everywhere. What Prayer Evangelism Requires Prayer evangelism requires a burdened heart. Burden is one of our strongest motivations to pray for unsaved persons. Jesus’ call to pray for harvesters arose out of His burden for “harassed and helpless” sheep. Paul’s fervent prayer for fellow Israelites sprang from his “heart’s desire . . . that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1). Prayers without burden are lifeless and perfunctory. When Salvation Army workers reported their failure to win souls, their leader William Booth proposed a two-word solution: “Try tears.” Burdened hearts love the lost. Burdened hearts weep. Burdened hearts pray fervently and powerfully. Prayer evangelism requires perseverance. Jesus applauded the shameless perseverance of the man who went to his neighbor to plead for bread to give his friend who had come at midnight. I am sure that he also applauded the persevering evangelistic prayers of George Mueller. Mueller began in 1844 to pray daily for five individuals who did not know the Lord. One by one they came to the Lord as Mueller persisted in prayer. The last of the five came to faith shortly after Mueller’s death, more than 63 years after he first began to pray. Mueller understood perseverance. He just didn’t quit. Our best evangelistic prayers are Scripture prayers. Since “no one can come to [Jesus] unless the Father . . . draws him,” Scripture prayer means praying that the Father will draw them (John 6:44). Since the evil one snatches away gospel seed sown in the hearts of people, Scripture prayer means praying that they will “hear the word and understand it” (Matt. 13:23). Since the “god of this age” blinds the minds of unbelievers, it also means praying that they will be unblinded and will “see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). God loves to hear us pray His purposes back to Him. Prayer evangelism is spiritual warfare. Satan—the strong man—is determined to keep his captives bound. Christ, who is able to bind the strong man, wants them set free. Warfare prayer, according to Wesley Duewel is, “joining Christ in driving out and defeating Satan and in setting his captives free” (Touch the World through Prayer, p. 208). We do the praying. Christ does the freeing. It’s not prayer that defeats Satan. It’s Christ who defeats Satan in response to our prayers. He binds the strong man and sets captives free. Prayer evangelism requires the Word of God. It’s not enough just to pray. If there is to be a spiritual harvest, people need to hear the Word of God. “Faith comes by hearing” said Paul, and “hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). People can’t “hear” the word unless the Holy Spirit opens their ears and their hearts. Our prayers move the Spirit to do just that. And that word, God decrees, “will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire” (Isa. 55:11). That’s a promise—God’s promise! Where Prayer Evangelism Works It works person to person . Norm began praying regularly for John, an annoying neighbor, who he didn’t like very much. The first thing God did as Norm prayed was to change his own heart. He began to feel genuine concern for John. In a “chance” meeting John reported that he had started going to church, and Norm responded, “Great! I want you to know that I have been praying for you.” Next, John asked Norm to suggest a Christian book for him to read. Norm gave him More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell. Then, to Norm’s surprise, John accepted the Lord, joined the church, and was reunited with his divorced wife who had also come to know the Lord. Norm’s reaction: “I am grateful that through prayer God not only changed John’s life for eternity, but He also changed me.” It works family to family.  A family placed the names of each of their neighbors in a jar. Each day at dinner they pulled out a name and prayed as a family for that neighbor. One week they pulled out the same neighbor’s name three days in a row. Wondering if God was sending them a message, they visited this home and found that the father had abandoned the family three days earlier. With this new awareness they prayed fervently for the needs of the abandoned family. Not long afterward the father returned home and reunited with his family. Prayer can change families. It works in small groups.  A prayer triplet is a small group in which each person presents the names of three persons he or she knows who have yet to follow Christ. The triplet members pray daily on their own for the nine persons named and come together once a week for mutual prayer. Any existing small group can choose to use prayer triplets. Group members agree to pray faithfully for those named, to report progress to each other, and to plan activities that might appeal to those being prayed for. God is pleased to hear our “agreeing” prayers. It works in neighborhoods.  A church in Bakersfield, CA, planted eight prayer cells in high-need apartment complexes near the church. As prayers mounted up, things began to change.  Residents of the complexes began helping each other. An out-of-control boy got turned around. Drug dealers moved out. A prostitute was converted and gave up her lifestyle. Several of the residents started going to church. Eighteen young people became involved in the church’s youth ministries. A couple of new Bible studies started in the complexes. Ten persons made commitments to Christ. Crime rates came down so dramatically that the police asked the church to consider planting prayer cells in other neighborhoods. It works in whole churches.  A 1,200-member church in southern California challenged its members to pray for family members, friends, neighbors, and coworkers who were not yet followers of Christ. The church provided prayer guides and regularly encouraged outreach prayer in their worship services. As a result the church began to see a steady stream of new converts. At the end of one full year of outreach prayer they had recorded 430 new commitments to Christ. Most of them had been prayed for by name by church members. Their prayers were the key to effective evangelism. It works in whole denominations . Some years ago the Evangelical Covenant Church, a fellowship of about 110,000 members, initiated a denomination-wide emphasis to pray by name for yet-to-be-followers of Christ. At the denomination’s annual conference, members submitted the names of 394,000 persons who were being prayed for. One year later the denomination reported 11,600 decisions for Christ, which represents 11 new faith commitments for every 100 members. That is a conversion rate approximately seven times greater than the average in America. Prayer paved the way. Rapid and Fearless Pace Something happens when people pray for unsaved persons in their spheres of influence—something that wouldn’t have happened if they hadn’t prayed. I think E. M. Bounds had it right when he said, “The gospel moves at slow and timid pace when the saints are not at their prayers early, long, and late.” If that is true, then wouldn’t it also be true to say that the gospel will move at rapid and fearless pace when God’s people are at their prayers early, long, and late? I think so! NOTE:  This article was written for issue 7 (Nov/Dec 2012) of  Prayer Connect  magazine.

It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of activity as we push hard to advance the Kingdom of God on earth and manage our work lives, family lives, church responsibilities, etc. If we use Jesus Christ as our example, as well we should, we see that His approach to advancing God’s agenda was first – to retreat. Retreating, not in the sense of acceptance of defeat; but rather, withdrawing from normal activity for a period in order to prepare for intense activity. Jesus began His ministry by withdrawing into the wilderness for 40 days of prayer and fasting. He continued that practice throughout His years of ministry. One verse that continually challenges us is found in Mark 1:35: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place to pray.” Let me ask you a very serious question. If Jesus, the Lord of the Universe, needed to get away to a solitary place, away from distractions, to be able to pray, who are we to think that we don’t need it, or that our busy schedules don’t allow that “luxury”? It is precisely because we have busy schedules that we need that time of withdrawal. Why retreat? Why not just a little extra prayer time at home? Is it necessary to go away to pray? Certainly we all pray in our homes, and that will remain the site of most of our praying. But Jesus saw the need to get out of the house (see Mark 1:35) and away from potential distractions. When I want to move into a time of extended prayer, I almost always need to get away – away from technology, day to day responsibilities, and especially from the clutter that pulls me away from prayer. For some, retreat may simply mean an extended walk where prayer becomes the main focus. For most, however, retreat means finding a place, usually near nature, where current cares and worries can be laid aside and serious prayer taken up. Whether for a day or a week, a carefully planned out retreat can revitalize your spiritual, emotional, and even physical well-being. Some may think of a retreat as only for crisis situations; a potential change in work or ministry…overload or burnout…marital and family problems…and the list could go on. A retreat can be heaven-sent during those times of crisis and decision-making, but that’s not its basic intent. A prayer retreat ought to be a regular part of the Christian’s spiritual walk. The reason is the amazing opportunities it provides for drawing near to God. Drawing near is not just a command for the believer. It needs to be the overwhelming desire of our hearts. Yet, though we may desire to be close to our heavenly Father and to walk in greater intimacy with Him, often the pressure of daily activities prevents us from spending the time necessary to quiet ourselves before the Lord. Going away from distractions and to a place of peace is often the needed element to restore and refresh us in our Christian lives. There are many possibilities when you look for a place to get away with the Lord for an extended time of fellowship with Him and for prayer. You could choose a place prepared just for that purpose. God seems to be leading many people to prepare places to minister to those who are ready to retreat and experience God’s refreshing presence. Look around the area where you live, and you may just discover one of these special places for retreat. However, not everyone can just drop everything and head to a beautiful piece of paradise somewhere out in the middle of nowhere. There are other possibilities. Several times I have gone to state parks and looked for secluded areas to spend time alone with God. Even tucking yourself away in a quiet corner of a hotel lobby is a good option if you can’t take a lot of time to travel somewhere. I have a friend who regularly goes to an abandoned farmhouse that he has received permission to stay at for his time alone. One day my wife and I went to the basement of a church to spend some extended time in prayer. It wasn’t a place of natural beauty, but it was quiet and private. Weather often dictates your location. How to Evaluate Your Need for a Prayer Retreat If you are feeling close to spiritual burn-out, you definitely need to spend some significant time seeking the Lord’s plan and purpose. If you are in the throes of a major decision, you will need time to seek God instead of trying to decide within the context of the busyness of your work or ministry. If you are beginning to feel stress in your work, and feel your schedule getting away from you, it is probably time to withdraw for some time alone in prayer before the situation gets worse. If you have a deep need/desire to draw closer to God and the cares of life continually get in the way. Many people, especially those in ministry, wait until they are badly damaged or extremely frustrated before taking a retreat. It is our hope that you will consider putting time for prayer retreat into your schedule and honoring it on a regular basis. This appointment should become more important than any other!

I will always remember November 11, 1997. It was a holiday, so my family and I went to Indianapolis to relax and to do some shopping. After a full day, we went to the airport to pick up some relatives and drive them back to Terre Haute. My mother’s brother was waiting there for us. He had driven to the airport to give us the news that my mother had suffered a major stroke earlier that day. Suddenly, getting back home was an urgent matter. We drove quickly home and went straight to the hospital. Certain things in life can bring a sense of urgency. It may be as mundane as hunger or thirst, or a crisis such as a medical emergency. When circumstances move together to create that urgency, suddenly everything changes. The normal things we do are laid aside and we focus all our attention on fulfilling that which has created the tension or crisis in our life. Urgency causes shifts in priorities and activities. Previously important activities fade into the background. The Time Is Short I believe God is calling the Church to a new sense of urgency. It is time to lay aside the normal routine. In one sense, this is the way the Church has been called to live at all times. In another way, this sense of urgency is for God’s people today. The Bible teaches much about time and the Christian’s wise use of it. One of the clearest teachings in Scripture regarding time is that it is limited for humans. We only have a relatively short time to live on this planet. Therefore, it is important that we “make the most of every opportunity.” Consider these passages: “We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all our forefathers. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope”  (1 Chronicles 29:15). “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath”  (Psalm 39:5). “ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom”  (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Time is considered a gift from God and is intended to be used in a way that brings glory to Him. Ponder these texts: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom”  (Psalm 90:12). “Be very careful, then, how you live  –  not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil”  (Ephesians 5:15-16). “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity”  (Colossians 4:5). Sometimes this shortness of time is expressed in relationship to the coming of the Lord to bring all time to an end:  “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn as if they did not; those who are happy as if they were not; those who buy something as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away”  (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). Urgency in the Bible is sometimes connected to both the completion of a task and a passion that connects one to God. I believe the following passage speaks strongly to us today of that situation:  “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch”  (Isaiah 62:1). Isaiah had begun to sense God’s heart for his people. Through drawing near in prayer, the prophet’s heart was lining up with God’s heart. Many times the Lord had revealed His unfailing love for Israel and His desire for His people to return to Him. Isaiah began to pray the Lord’s agenda…and it was a prayer of passion and urgency. Making God’s Passion Our Own It is time today for the people of God to begin to hear God’s heart…so that we may pray with passion about that which God is passionate about. As we draw near to Him in prayer and in His Word, it becomes apparent that there are two things today that ought to bring a strong sense of urgency to the Church: 1) the revival of the Church, and 2) the completion of the task of world evangelization. God earnestly desires a Bride for His Son who is pure and spotless, and without blemish. This certainly will require a massive change on the part of the Church that could only happen through Heaven-sent revival. This Bride is to be comprised of people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. The revival of the Church and resulting completion of the task of world evangelization come from the very passions of God and require us to take up this task with urgency. It is time for the Church to begin to pray with the urgency and passion of Isaiah. This time, we pray for the new Zion, the new Jerusalem…the people of God. Like the prophet of old, we too say, “I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch”   (Isaiah 62:1). We must lay aside lesser things. The call is for today. It is a call for the people of God to urgently pray the heart of God for our generation. “Rise up, O Church of God! Have done with lesser things; Give heart and mind and soul and strength To serve the King of Kings.” –William P. Merrill

Recently I met with a pastor who shared that he had missed his customary morning prayer time with the Lord due to an unforeseen schedule conflict. He went on to tell me that this occurrence led him to question what it might be like for the people in his church when they, too, miss regular times of prayer. Would they struggle with feeling out of sync and slightly “off” for the day? As we mulled this over, we explored what the Lord might have to say. Must we experience a “disconnect” with ourselves or a sense of things not being quite right just because we occasionally miss our usual prayer appointment with the Lord? How can we remain connected all the time? One Formula that Works Whether or not we miss a set appointment with the Lord on any given day does not change the fact that Jesus came to live among us and to form a unique relationship with us. John 1:14 tells us, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” God did not simply send us a manual to live by. He sent us the living text in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ. By the very nature of His relationship with us, He has set the stage so that you and I can remain vitally connected to Him. Relying on formulas can sometimes get us in trouble, but here is a promise from God’s Word that is simple, straightforward, and works without fail:  If we abide in Christ, He abides in us (John 15:4, NASB). The Greek meaning for the word “abide” is to remain, to continue, to stay. Abiding has to do with the concept of  being  rather than  doing,  which is not an easy accomplishment for overscheduled Americans or task-driven Type-A personalities. Let’s look a little more closely at what it means to abide: Definitions of “abide”: To wait for,  await To endure without yielding,  withstand To bear patiently,  endure To remain in one place Synonyms (strict and slang) for “abide”: To stay, dwell, remain To hang around, stick around Tarry In Silicon Valley where I live, “hanging out,” “sticking around,” or “tarrying” without an agenda is almost unheard of. If one wants to survive and get ahead, multi-tasking is the name of the game in most sectors of the population. In fact, “tarrying without an agenda” is another name for “loitering,” and violators may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law! A Relationship Renewed in Maui Abiding is about being in relationship with Christ, and the relationship is more important than the things we do or don’t do. This truth was driven home to me earlier in my Christian life when the Lord took my family to live in Maui for 19 months. We had just come off an intensive time of ministry where our lives had been filled with doing many good things for the Lord, but I was on the verge of serious burnout from the intensity and non-stop ministry commitments. When I first arrived in Maui, I immediately put into motion plans for getting involved in the work of the Lord. But something was very wrong. I began to enter a season of spiritual dryness such as I had never known before. It was as if I’d arrived in the wilderness instead of the place of peace and rest I associated with Maui. Accompanying this was a complete lack of energy that soon forced me to withdraw from everything I had signed up for. This was a harsh adjustment for me, and only when the swirl of activity ceased did I begin to understand that this dry season had its particular purpose and that  where I was  would be vital to  where I was going. A shocking first revelation was that God, in removing me from ministry for a season, was removing  from  me a false sense of security—one based on ministry accomplishments. He hadn’t at all minded that I drew great satisfaction from my teaching, writing, and various other gifts and abilities, but He drew the line at seeing the shift to my trusting in these things as the source of my self-worth. He wanted to be the focal point, the centerpiece of my life. Thus He began to firmly root my security in Him. I settled into life on Maui which, by most peoples’ standards, was enviable. I managed a small resort with the ocean right outside our door, and spending my days caring for the lovely grounds provided a much-needed tonic for my weary body, soul, and spirit. Long, leisurely walks on the beach and meeting people from around the world worked miracles of rejuvenation. Without the external demands of ministry, I fell into a new rhythm with the Lord that was filled with a joyful flow of continuous communication. As long as I  abided  with Jesus and kept my eyes fixed on Him, my life on Maui was nurturing and healing. A new level of intimacy was developing with my Lord. Even so, something happened regularly that was perplexing to me. At some point in my daily communications with the Lord, He would ask, “Am I enough?” Without hesitation I would reply, “Yes, Lord, You are enough.” This exchange became a daily ritual for us. Needless to say, I was puzzled. One day, many months into my stay on Maui and when I was feeling stronger and more spiritually revived, I asked the Lord, “Why do You continue to ask, ‘Am I enough?’ Haven’t I answered that question to your satisfaction?” Surprisingly, He answered with yet another set of questions that revealed His longing for me to understand what it actually means that He is with me at every turn, in every situation in life. “Ginny,” I heard, “am I enough for you if I do not return to you any of your former gifts, talents, and abilities?  Am I enough for you if I do not return you home?” “Am I enough,” He continued, “if I do not restore your friendships or your ministry—or your marriage?” This time there was only silence on my part. I had no quick answer, but I finally understood the depth and meaning of His questions. I was to look deep within and ask myself, “Do I really believe He is sufficient for all my needs? He calls Himself the “I AM.” What does that mean to me?” I knew He hoped my answer would be, “Lord, You are whatever I need at any point in my life, and I long to know and stay connected to You at a deep heart level. I want to experience more and more of how  enough  You are.” And that would eventually be how I answered Him. Do-Able Prayers for Abiding During my times of meditation and contemplation on Maui, I learned to offer up very simple d o-able  prayers that helped keep me in the place of a biding . Frequent reading of His Word restored a “moisture” to my life, keeping me refreshed and encouraged. We are not to be peddlers of God’s Word, but people of sincerity who are commissioned by Him. And when we have found our place of  abiding  with Christ, the fragrance of Christ is spread by us, for we are to God the aroma of Christ and we carry the fragrance of life (2 Cor. 2:14–17). Here are some do-able prayers that I offered up frequently during my stay on Maui. Lord, have mercy on me (Ps. 86:3). Lord, impart Your thoughts to me (1 Cor. 2:10, Isa. 55:8). Lord, help me to take every thought captive to You (2 Cor. 10:5). Lord, test and examine my ways (Lam. 3:40, Jer. 17:10). Lord, make my desires Your desires (Ps. 37:4). Lord, help me to be faithful in small things (Luke 16:10). Lord, show me which way I should turn today (Isa. 30:21). Lord, keep me in Your dwelling place (Ps. 84:1). Lord, keep me on track today (Phil. 3:12–16). Lord, give me Your mind (1 Cor. 2:16). Lord, help me to set my mind on things above (Col. 3:2). Lord, help my speech to be gracious (Col. 4:6). Lord, keep me in Your shelter and give me Your rest (Ps. 91:1). Lord, more of You and less of me (John 3:30). Jesus, Our Ultimate Model Jesus is our ultimate model for  abiding.  He was always in the place of abiding with His Father when He was on earth. At one point, when His anxious parents were looking for Him, He asked, “Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49)? Truly, one can only be about God’s business if they are in a place of  abiding . At a recent Pastors’ Prayer Breakfast we broke into small groups to pray for one another. As I was praying for one of the pastors, the Lord brought to my mind’s eye an image of the Pool of Bethesda. You may recall this pool from John 5 and how it was renowned for its curative powers. As I continued to gaze into this mental image in prayer, I could see the pool located right next to the left arm of this pastor. In fact, the pastor was as close to the pool as he could possibly be without jumping right in. As I allowed the Lord to increase my understanding of this image, I could see the Holy Spirit busily stirring the waters and welcoming the pastor in. I saw that the pastor’s right side was conducting his ministry work uninterrupted while at the same time his left side, which was barely touching the water, was receiving all the refreshment and benefit needed. There was no need for him to stop what he was doing for this to happen. We can see in this vision a great present day application for ourselves because of the intercession of Jesus. Did you know that He is interceding for us all the time? Yesterday, today and tomorrow? The prophet Isaiah referred to the Messiah’s intercession in Isaiah 53:12 and He continues in intercession for each of us individually stirring up the waters of our faith. He is speaking into the Father’s ear on our behalf around the clock. Yes, even now (Heb. 7:24–25, Rom. 8:34)! Step into the Stirring Waters Just as the Holy Spirit was engaged in rousing the curative powers in Bethesda’s waters, Jesus is busy stirring up the waters of faith and life for us with His continuous intercession. And even as we go about our day-to-day responsibilities, we can enter into that miraculous place of  abiding  and receive the full benefits of the water of life He is moving for us right where we are! Abiding in Christ is not about performance or what we can do for Him; it is about a relationship that we engage in on an ongoing basis. We can be in relationship with Jesus at all times, even in the hectic pace of a given day.  Jesus is interceding for us 24/7, stirring up the waters of life and faith for us to step into in any given moment. When we a bide  in Christ, His fragrance emanates from our life to those around us. –This article is adapted from  Do-Able Prayer  © 2012 Ginny Kisling. Used with permission.

Here are ten ways to pray for your pastor(s) so they will see their churches become houses of prayer for all nations! Pray for your pastors to be: people who seek intimacy with God and who have discipline and passion regarding fasting and prayer in family life and ministry. models of prayer, demonstrating prayer as the basis from which all other ministries develop and grow. diligent in planning dynamic and creative prayer experiences. preachers and teachers on the subject of prayer. receptive to prayer partners/intercessors as ministry partners. prayer allies with other local pastors. seen as giving priority to prayer in church board, business and staff meetings. people of vision who will mobilize and organize people to pray toward specific kingdom goals. involved in community-wide, national and global prayer initiatives. encouragers and equippers of church people whose ministries are prayer and/or prayer mobilization. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind other ways He wants to guide you in prayer for your pastor(s)!

How does prayer actually work?   The best and simplest answer we have ever heard to this question involves a wonderful graphic developed by Dr. Alvin VanderGriend. Follow the directions below to get a good visual as we walk through the amazing miracle called prayer! Do this quick exercise with a paper and a pencil or pen: 1. Draw a circle on your paper. 2. At the top of the circle write GOD. 3. Going clockwise, to the right of the circle write HOLY SPIRIT. 4. Continuing clockwise, at the bottom of the circle write BELIEVER. 5. Continuing clockwise, to the left of the circle write JESUS Next, we will work our way around the circle beginning at the top : 1. God – All prayer originates in the mind and heart GOD, for He is the Creator. His word says that God desires for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). He created us, and created prayer as the way for us to have intimacy with Him and to communicate with Him. God wants us to seek His kingdom and righteousness first and then all of the rest will be added (Matthew 6:33). God cares about what we need, and hears the desires of our hearts. However, He wants us to focus our prayers on seeking His kingdom first…and then He will add the rest as it lines up with His kingdom plans and purposes. So, if prayer is about what God wants to have happen in His kingdom FIRST, how do we learn to pray the kingdom way rather than to focus on ourselves first? Here is where the Holy Spirit comes into the process of prayer as we move around our circle. 2. Holy Spirit – In our humanity, we cannot know the mind of God. But the Holy Spirit knows the mind of the Father.1 Corinthians 2:11 says: “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.” The Holy Spirit brings what is on the heart of God to the believers, so that we can pray the will of God. If we will pay attention to the Spirit, we will be able to pray effectively for the things God wants to accomplish on earth as it is in heaven. We have an important role in prayer! 3. Believers – The Holy Spirit, having heard and knowing what is on the heart of God, brings the desires of the Father to God’s people – the Believers. This can come through the word of God, the prompting of the Spirit moving in our hearts, and through others who have heard from the Spirit. Always test anything you think you hear from the Spirit by making sure it aligns with and agrees with God’s word. Just because another person tells you he or she has heard from God, doesn’t mean they have heard correctly. It is the same with our own prayers. Be sure that what you think you hear doesn’t go against what God teaches. Sometimes we need to be submissive to the things we do not know, and recognize that we may be praying selfishly (“My will be done on earth” instead of “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”) God’s best outcome is often outside of our knowing, which is why the Holy Spirit comes alongside of us to help. To punctuate this point, Romans 8:26-27 (TLB) says, “And in the same way—by our faith—the Holy Spirit helps us with our daily problems and in our praying. For we don’t even know what we should pray for nor how to pray as we should, but the Holy Spirit prays for us with such feeling that it cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows, of course, what the Spirit is saying as he pleads for us in harmony with God’s own will.” Isn’t it good to know that the Holy Spirit will help us pray what is on the heart of God when we don’t have the words, or when we aren’t sure how to pray in certain situations? Jesus Himself tells us, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14-15). This passage compels us to believe that those things which we know are on the heart of God are things He wants us to pray. He states clearly that He will answer these kinds of prayers. Here are a few that prayers we can pray with full confidence that God wants to answer: • Father, we ask that all people will have an opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ: “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it, and then, finally, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). • Lord God, I pray that Your people would be one, just as Jesus prayed: “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me” (John 17:22-23). • Father, please help me to love others as You have loved me: “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you (John 15:12). Our prayer ascends to the Father through Jesus Christ: 4. Jesus – When we have aligned our prayers with the will of God, and have put our hearts in a posture of submission to the Holy Spirit, we can confidently take our prayers to God through the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we now have direct access to God the Father. This compels us to trust what God’s word says: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16). Praying “in the name of Jesus” isn’t a magic formula and doesn’t mean tacking on five words at the end of every prayer. It doesn’t mean that if we don’t say these words, God won’t hear our prayer. It does mean that we are taking our prayers directly to God our Father through the power of the Risen Christ because we are His followers and believe the words of Jesus. When we pray, we stand before our Father’s throne of grace and He hears us because we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We believe that Jesus and the Father are One. Here are two scriptures to help us understand what Jesus means: • “Then you will present your petitions over my signature! And I won’t need to ask the Father to grant you these requests, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from the Father “(John 16:26-27). • “Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you” (John 16:23). Where is the weak link in prayer? What’s so amazing for us to realize is that prayer is three-fourths GOD, interacting with the one-fourth that is…us! The Trinity is actively involved in prayer, and we, as the believers, have been invited into the process by our Creator, who made us in His image to commune and to communicate with Him. So, if prayer breaks down on some level, where is the weak link in the cycle? If you said, “Me!” or “Us!” you are correct! Many times we try to do everything on our own – to be the answer to our prayers apart from God, but “we do not have if we do not ask” (James 4:2). Sometimes our last resort instead of our first response to needs or situations is prayer…we try everything else first. This should compel us to spend more time praying! Prayer is not simply something we are supposed to do because we are Christians. It is something God has told us we MUST do, and that He desires us to do. Sometimes prayer is our worship (loving on God). Other times, it is just sitting in His presence enjoying His company. It can also be listening to discern what the Holy Spirit is telling us about the heart of God, and what He wants us to pray about. Once we align ourselves with His will (plans and purposes), we can feel confident approaching God at this point to intercede (praying for others and situations) and petition Him (praying for our own needs). Seek first the kingdom of God a Understanding this cycle of prayer will help you as you gain confidence in praying! Soon, connecting with God in prayer will be second-nature and you will be able to come to His throne of grace with boldness!