Activating Effectual Prayers
You are Highly Valued.
Kids are entertaining. I’m sure some of the repetitive things they do at various ages frazzle their parents, but not me — Grandmas get to give them back at the end of the day. Anyway, one of my little ones has reached that stage where he assertively rivals his older siblings for my attention.
“Grandma! Grandma! . . . ” they all cry together, continuously, until I acknowledge the one I think was the first to call my name.
“Yes, Jack?” I say. (not their real name)
“Oh. I umm. Well, last night. No, I mean, you know what? I fell, but I’m okay, and — wait!”
Nothing but a jumble of ineffectual phrases. Clearly, he senses the value behind the concept of being the first to share exciting news with Grandma; and in my heart, he is indeed a child of great value. While I enjoy every stage of development, I await the day Jack ceases to merely go through the motions and actually conveys his heart.
photo by Pixabay
Little kids aren’t the only ones.
Have you ever observed the grown-up version of this conversation?
“How can I pray for you?”
“Oh, just pray, I guess. I don’t know how this situation is going to work out. Pretty hopeless. But, you know, praise God, anyway.”
If you’ve ever participated in the above interaction, were you the pray-er or the one asking for prayer?
Do we really have faith in God? Or do we merely like the concept of praying to God while our words and actions prove prayer has no tangible influence on us personally? What is your belief-meter telling you?
Photo by Unsplash
How to make Jesus stop.
Mark 10:46-52 (abridged)
Jesus and His disciples are walking down the road.
Blind BarTimai: Starts making a ruckus, repeatedly calling after Him despite the crowd shushing him. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Jesus stops. “Call him here.”
Timai: Throws off his beggar’s cloak, jumps up, and goes!
Jesus: “What do you want me to do for you?” (Why did Jesus want this blind beggar to verbalize his request, an obvious need to see?)
Timai: “Let me see again.”
Jesus: “Your faith heals you. Go in peace with your sight restored.”
Timai is immediately healed. He can see!
God arranges this meeting, and Timai responds by loudly professing his belief that Jesus is the Messiah (Son of David)! As a show of faith, Timai immediately throws off his ‘old garment’ that flags him as a beggar; his soon-to-be-gone identity is no longer acceptable. No room for doubt. And without laying a finger on Timai, the Lord of lords & King of kings merely speaks, and Timai’s miracle is complete.
Helpful questions to ask before you pray…
For yourself or others:
- What do you want Jesus, the Anointed One, to do for you? (John 14:13-14)
- What do you want the Father in Heaven to be for you right now? (Matthew 19:26; Jeremiah 32:17)
- What area of your heart do you need the Holy Spirit to bring renewal to right now? Romans 12:2
“I don’t know, I guess just…” is not a faith-driven petition. It carries an undercurrent of resignation, or a hopeless-but-oh-well hesitation toward Jehovah God’s power and authority.
God wants intimate relationship with you. Before asking for prayer, try this:
- Search your heart and ask Holy Spirit, with Whom you are one, to show you what’s really stirring inside.
- Just as blind Timai did, acknowledge Who you’re approaching—the Anointed One, who has all authority and power.
- ‘Throw off your cloak’ (Ditch your old identity for the new one in Christ)
- Finally, ask another faith-filled Believer to come into agreement with what the Holy Spirit has already revealed to you.
- If the above four points feel foreign, then perhaps begin by asking Jesus to be Lord over your whole life and then pray to receive the Holy Spirit of God.
Friend, you are already valued in God’s heart, and the Lord already knows your needs (and holds the answers & solutions). Don’t be afraid to articulate your specific needs/desires. There are always exceptions, but if you don’t state specifically what’s on your heart, how will you recognize when you’ve received God’s specific solution?
Sowing Seeds of Bravery to Pray Effectually
