A new friend recently asked me to join her and a few others to pray with a woman in difficult circumstances. I didn’t know the woman we would be praying for at all. I hardly knew any of the others I was joining in prayer. Let me tell you a bit about the experience.
Compassion overwhelmed me as the woman shared her situation. If you have read previous blogs, you know that compassion is new to me. Compassion, I’m learning, is feeling the hurt as if it is happening to me – not exactly an emotion I enjoy.
It is not a sense of "let me help you up out of your circumstances." It is more like "I'm right here with you in this smelly mud pit until we can both be lifted out by a power greater than either of our abilities." Why would God create that emotion? Because "though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12
After several minutes of her painfully sharing, we began to pray. Keep in mind, I had not prayed with this group before and I hardly knew them. I will admit, I was a little bit stressed thinking they were looking to me as the “Director of Women’s Ministry” to be the prayer leader. That pressure was quickly relieved. As soon as another person began to vocalize our prayers, we were united. The Holy Spirit brought us together as one. It was amazing.
The prayers of the individuals flowed as if we were continuing the previously spoken prayer – we were praying in one accord.
The situation was desperate. There was a battle in that room against the powers of this dark world. The victory was proclaimed and celebrated. We were not asking as timid children wanting our way but with the power of the Spirit within us. It was awesome.
I am convinced that just as science has determined that we use only a small percentage of our brain capacity, we also use a very small percentage of the power of prayer available to us through the Holy Spirit.
John 14:12 (NLV)
"The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
I do not believe that to be true – I know it is true because I have seen it and experienced it. How about you? If you only believe it, find someone to experience it with. Ask someone to sit quietly with you as you both wait on the power of the Holy Spirit within you. Spend more time listening than talking in your prayer time and see what happens. My experience tells me that you will end up vocalizing the will of God with boldness rather than whining for your wishes to come true.
Jude 1:20 (The Message)
“Dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit.”
Compassion overwhelmed me as the woman shared her situation. If you have read previous blogs, you know that compassion is new to me. Compassion, I’m learning, is feeling the hurt as if it is happening to me – not exactly an emotion I enjoy.
It is not a sense of "let me help you up out of your circumstances." It is more like "I'm right here with you in this smelly mud pit until we can both be lifted out by a power greater than either of our abilities." Why would God create that emotion? Because "though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12
After several minutes of her painfully sharing, we began to pray. Keep in mind, I had not prayed with this group before and I hardly knew them. I will admit, I was a little bit stressed thinking they were looking to me as the “Director of Women’s Ministry” to be the prayer leader. That pressure was quickly relieved. As soon as another person began to vocalize our prayers, we were united. The Holy Spirit brought us together as one. It was amazing.
The prayers of the individuals flowed as if we were continuing the previously spoken prayer – we were praying in one accord.
The situation was desperate. There was a battle in that room against the powers of this dark world. The victory was proclaimed and celebrated. We were not asking as timid children wanting our way but with the power of the Spirit within us. It was awesome.
I am convinced that just as science has determined that we use only a small percentage of our brain capacity, we also use a very small percentage of the power of prayer available to us through the Holy Spirit.
John 14:12 (NLV)
"The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”
I do not believe that to be true – I know it is true because I have seen it and experienced it. How about you? If you only believe it, find someone to experience it with. Ask someone to sit quietly with you as you both wait on the power of the Holy Spirit within you. Spend more time listening than talking in your prayer time and see what happens. My experience tells me that you will end up vocalizing the will of God with boldness rather than whining for your wishes to come true.
Jude 1:20 (The Message)
“Dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit.”
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