[If you did not read my previous blog post, please read before you read this post. This is part II]
The same week that God gave me peace about this previous prayer loss, God brought another prayer burden to me. How ironic, and yet, it seems this is the way God often works. When one mountain peak has been successfully reached, He brings greater mountains to climb.
This time another friend called, and she was calling on behalf of her father who was facing a life threatening health emergency, and the salvation of other non-believers in the family hung in the balance. I had been notified of the situation the week before, and I had been praying, but I hadn't fully taken on the "prayer burden." Many people were already praying and through a very serious surgery, God had already been working and sustaining. But now she notified me that things were getting worse. The situation was urgent. They needed God to intervene.
After hanging up the phone with Julia, I was convicted that God was calling me to pray through the night for her father and her family and to continue to intercede until God delivered. As I thought about all that I needed to get done, at first my heart balked against the thought of taking on an additional prayer burden. But then God spoke to me, “What if this was your father standing outside the kingdom? What if this was your son? Would you fight for his salvation?” “Yes! Of course!” my heart replied. “Well, you may not know him, but he’s my son!” God whispered. “And I need you to fight for him!”
Humbled by my apathy and lack of love for the lost, I began to pray.
However, that first night of prayer didn’t go as I hoped. Although I was sincere in my prayers and prayed earnestly, I felt something holding me back. It was a small “sin of compromise” that I’d allowed into my life. It wasn't anything big, in fact, if I shared it here, most people would laugh and say, "What's wrong with that?" Truthfully, I don’t think there is anything wrong with "that." But the point is, God had told me “no” at least for this time, and I had disobeyed. As He brought this to my mind, I kept arguing with Him. "This is ridiculous God, this can't be a big deal to you right now!" But His finger stayed upon this specific issue in my heart. Finally, unwilling to surrender completely, I actually stopped praying and went to sleep.
It was another full day before I heard from Julia again. This time it was just a short text-message: "The doctors said that the prognosis for my dad is not good. He is probably going to die soon. Please pray for God's will and the salvation of all involved."
As I read the text-message, my heart pricked me as God spoke again, "What is the value of a single soul worth to you Melody? Are you going to allow your love of pleasure, are you going to allow this little area of compromise to keep you from fighting for the salvation of this soul and the family? Don't you realize that in eternity you are going to find that there's NOTHING sooooo valuable and precious as the life of a single soul?"
Finally with tears of repentance, I submitted my "sin of compromise" to God, and asked for His forgiveness. Peace flooded my heart, and then the prayers flowed freely again. And all that day and through that night, and for several days after, I joined Julia in fasting and prayer for the salvation of her father.
To make a long story short, God granted our request. He did not work the miracle we prayed for in saving his physical life, but He gave us the assurance of his salvation before he died. He also showed us that while He did not spare this man’s life, He was fully capable of saving his unbelieving family without the miraculous healing we’d prayed for.
Just a few days later, one of his children (for whom we had been praying) decided that they wanted to give their heart to God, and we know it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the family will follow suit.
Part of the key to effective intercession is identification with the one for whom we pray. This is clearly seen in the life and intercession of Christ on our behalf. He literally poured out His life unto death. He bore our sins so that He could more effectively intercede for our transgressions. He tasted death for every man. Christ, our intercessor, could plead effectively because He gave His life for those He pleaded for. His self-interest were submerged in the needs of our humanity.[i]
This time another friend called, and she was calling on behalf of her father who was facing a life threatening health emergency, and the salvation of other non-believers in the family hung in the balance. I had been notified of the situation the week before, and I had been praying, but I hadn't fully taken on the "prayer burden." Many people were already praying and through a very serious surgery, God had already been working and sustaining. But now she notified me that things were getting worse. The situation was urgent. They needed God to intervene.
After hanging up the phone with Julia, I was convicted that God was calling me to pray through the night for her father and her family and to continue to intercede until God delivered. As I thought about all that I needed to get done, at first my heart balked against the thought of taking on an additional prayer burden. But then God spoke to me, “What if this was your father standing outside the kingdom? What if this was your son? Would you fight for his salvation?” “Yes! Of course!” my heart replied. “Well, you may not know him, but he’s my son!” God whispered. “And I need you to fight for him!”
Humbled by my apathy and lack of love for the lost, I began to pray.
However, that first night of prayer didn’t go as I hoped. Although I was sincere in my prayers and prayed earnestly, I felt something holding me back. It was a small “sin of compromise” that I’d allowed into my life. It wasn't anything big, in fact, if I shared it here, most people would laugh and say, "What's wrong with that?" Truthfully, I don’t think there is anything wrong with "that." But the point is, God had told me “no” at least for this time, and I had disobeyed. As He brought this to my mind, I kept arguing with Him. "This is ridiculous God, this can't be a big deal to you right now!" But His finger stayed upon this specific issue in my heart. Finally, unwilling to surrender completely, I actually stopped praying and went to sleep.
It was another full day before I heard from Julia again. This time it was just a short text-message: "The doctors said that the prognosis for my dad is not good. He is probably going to die soon. Please pray for God's will and the salvation of all involved."
As I read the text-message, my heart pricked me as God spoke again, "What is the value of a single soul worth to you Melody? Are you going to allow your love of pleasure, are you going to allow this little area of compromise to keep you from fighting for the salvation of this soul and the family? Don't you realize that in eternity you are going to find that there's NOTHING sooooo valuable and precious as the life of a single soul?"
Finally with tears of repentance, I submitted my "sin of compromise" to God, and asked for His forgiveness. Peace flooded my heart, and then the prayers flowed freely again. And all that day and through that night, and for several days after, I joined Julia in fasting and prayer for the salvation of her father.
To make a long story short, God granted our request. He did not work the miracle we prayed for in saving his physical life, but He gave us the assurance of his salvation before he died. He also showed us that while He did not spare this man’s life, He was fully capable of saving his unbelieving family without the miraculous healing we’d prayed for.
Just a few days later, one of his children (for whom we had been praying) decided that they wanted to give their heart to God, and we know it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the family will follow suit.
Part of the key to effective intercession is identification with the one for whom we pray. This is clearly seen in the life and intercession of Christ on our behalf. He literally poured out His life unto death. He bore our sins so that He could more effectively intercede for our transgressions. He tasted death for every man. Christ, our intercessor, could plead effectively because He gave His life for those He pleaded for. His self-interest were submerged in the needs of our humanity.[i]
The Bible tells us: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (Jn. 15:13)
I’ve often asked myself, “What does this actually mean? Does it mean jumping in front of the firing squad to take the bullet so my friend can go free?” If this is the case, how do we expect to have the strength and fortitude to do this, if we can't lay down our lives now…today? If we can't give up some sleep for a friend in need, if we can't give up some food or some luxury to see a soul saved, can we really give up our lives when the greater tests come in the future?
What if I'd allowed that "sin issue" in my heart to stay unresolved? (My heart breaks at the thought!) What if I'd allowed my own agenda and schedule to dominant and I'd told my friend, "I really don't have time for this. I care yes, and I want to see your family brought into the kingdom, but I really don't have time to go to battle with you in prayer.”
Of course, we would NEVER say such a thing to a friend! What we would do is say, "I'm praying for you!" Then we’d offer a 30 second prayer and go back to living life as normal, unless they brought the subject up again. That's what we usually do! And I’m not pointing any fingers, for I've done this far too many times myself. But is that really praying? Is that laying down our lives for our brethren? And if this is our habit in intercession, should we be surprised that God isn't answering our prayers when we pray and fight so superficially?
I'm ashamed that as much as I love God and as much as I believe in the power of prayer, I still find that I care first and foremost about me, mine and my own. I have my own long list of people I’m praying for, and I have a lot to do. I have deadlines to meet, a book to finish writing, prayer conferences to organize, people to call, letters to write. I really don’t have time to pray for everyone else’s problems. And yet God, in the midst of all this, was challenging me this past week that it's not just my own prayer burdens I am to carry. It's His! And only He can show me what these are.
God cares for the unborn, He cares for strangers we’ve never met, He cares for the least of these, and He’s asking us to care too. Will we keep our eyes on Him? Will we be open to His prayer agenda, even if it means giving up our own? How much is the price of a single soul worth to us anyway?
Inspiration soberly reminds us, “Only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul.”[ii]
I’ve often asked myself, “What does this actually mean? Does it mean jumping in front of the firing squad to take the bullet so my friend can go free?” If this is the case, how do we expect to have the strength and fortitude to do this, if we can't lay down our lives now…today? If we can't give up some sleep for a friend in need, if we can't give up some food or some luxury to see a soul saved, can we really give up our lives when the greater tests come in the future?
What if I'd allowed that "sin issue" in my heart to stay unresolved? (My heart breaks at the thought!) What if I'd allowed my own agenda and schedule to dominant and I'd told my friend, "I really don't have time for this. I care yes, and I want to see your family brought into the kingdom, but I really don't have time to go to battle with you in prayer.”
Of course, we would NEVER say such a thing to a friend! What we would do is say, "I'm praying for you!" Then we’d offer a 30 second prayer and go back to living life as normal, unless they brought the subject up again. That's what we usually do! And I’m not pointing any fingers, for I've done this far too many times myself. But is that really praying? Is that laying down our lives for our brethren? And if this is our habit in intercession, should we be surprised that God isn't answering our prayers when we pray and fight so superficially?
I'm ashamed that as much as I love God and as much as I believe in the power of prayer, I still find that I care first and foremost about me, mine and my own. I have my own long list of people I’m praying for, and I have a lot to do. I have deadlines to meet, a book to finish writing, prayer conferences to organize, people to call, letters to write. I really don’t have time to pray for everyone else’s problems. And yet God, in the midst of all this, was challenging me this past week that it's not just my own prayer burdens I am to carry. It's His! And only He can show me what these are.
God cares for the unborn, He cares for strangers we’ve never met, He cares for the least of these, and He’s asking us to care too. Will we keep our eyes on Him? Will we be open to His prayer agenda, even if it means giving up our own? How much is the price of a single soul worth to us anyway?
Inspiration soberly reminds us, “Only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul.”[ii]
Crying out to God, I sought to rebuke the power of the enemy. "It doesn't matter who I am! I am no one! What matters is who Christ He!!! He is everything, and I believe through His power we can gain the victory on behalf of these unborn who do not have strength to pray for themselves."
Ultimately God has a prayer agenda and He must show us what that is! I didn't ask to pray for that unborn child three months ago! I didn't ask to pray for a stranger that I've never met this past week! And yet, these are the kinds of things that are so important to God. It's not that He doesn't care about my needs to. It's not that He doesn't care about the unborn loved ones in my own family, or my friends that I'm pleading will come back to Him. He cares, yes. But He has many unborn that I may have never known, and He's asking me and you to care too - unselfishly, even when these prayers will not benefit or bring us any glory!
Of course, that doesn't mean we can pray for every unborn child….nor can we pray every night. Only He alone came to save the world, and only He alone can intercede for everyone! (Heb. 7:25)
But will we keep our eyes on Him? Will we be open to His agenda, even if it means giving up our own? Even if it means losing sleep or food, or some little pleasure that we want to indulge?? How much is the price of a single soul worth anyway? Will we ask to carry the burdens He wants us to bear?? If so, He will show us the specific ones we are to battle for! And wherever we are called to battle, He intends to answer. It doesn't mean it will be immediate…sometimes we can accept the victory only by faith, for "faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." But if He asks us to prayer, He will answer, and eventually His glory will be made known. "The honor of His throne is stacked for the fulfillment of His Word."
Although I'm still a child of prayer, I've seen God work in powerful ways. I've seen many answers, and daily He continues to show me that He's working and answering prayer. And by the way, praying through the night is not scary anymore… God's given me strength to pray multiple nights now… I've already lost count. And each time He responds by some amazing blessing or answered prayer!
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