Prayer
should be a lethal weapon in the hands of a believer; tearing down strongholds,
breathing life into dead bones. But too often we plead for our prayers to be answered. That’s the stance of a beggar
child rather than a daughter.
What if
we truly believed God would never leave us alone and forsaken?
That
would be a game changer, wouldn’t it? Instead of shooting prayer toward a
distant God in heaven, we turn and have a conversation with the One who adores
us. The Friend who is closer than a brother.
Wouldn’t
prayer be easier if we knew God’s heart for our challenges? The outcome He
wants to achieve? Perhaps instead of going straight to prayer when difficulty
arises, we practice declaring His goodness with thanksgiving and praise.
Out
loud.
Where
the enemy can hear us making a stand. Where we can hear ourselves speaking
truth into a difficult circumstance. Where we give our emotions a chance to
align themselves with Truth.
Where
prayer becomes a relationship instead of a plea.
Where
prayer becomes a hunger for more. A hunger for intimacy and connection that
leads us to a place of stillness...where we can start listening.
Listening
to the One who holds the answers to our every situation.
Or does
fear tell us that in the stillness we will hear nothing but our own hearts beating?
Matthew
7:7 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.”
Perhaps
we don’t hear God respond because fear blocks our ears. Fear that we are
speaking into a vacuum where our voice echoes back to us.
God
waits for us to be still and come to a place of peace. It is in that secret
place that He speaks. That understanding comes. Even if it is just: I Am
With You.
His
voice comes quietly. It may be a word, a thought or a picture that gently
floats to mind. Don’t discount what may seem inconsequential. Often he speaks
as softly as butterfly wings.
Teaching
our hearts to praise him in the midst of difficulty will transform our internal
atmosphere into a place of hope and peace, rest and joy. Praise and thankfulness
push back the enemy’s lies. It opens up a place for us to listen. To hear God’s
voice.
It is
from the secret place we pray lethal and effective prayers.
Sherri Sand is an author and speaker. Her unique perspective
unlocks truths and biblical mysteries to bring hope to the hurting and peace to
the stressed. She desires to lead people into a deeper relationship with God,
where living as victorious overcomers becomes the norm rather than an elusive
desire. To read her blog and
discover more about living in spiritual wholeness and about Sherri’s novel, Leave it to Chance, visit her web site.
Butterfly pic: http://pixabay.com/en/butterfly-insect-nature-green-199911
