Day 28 - Quit Praying

Boaz Ministries

“Well done thou good and faithful servant.”  Matthew 25:25

Yes, the title of this chapter shocked us, too. But the fact of the matter is, there are prayer requests that are within our power to answer.  For example, there may be an immediate need that someone we know has asked us to lift before the Lord in prayer; and we agree to pray about it. However, we may actually have the resource or solution to meet their need.  

We’ve been experiencing a very cold winter, with power outages and dangerous conditions. A dear family we know reached out for prayer via text message because their power was out.  And, of course we agreed to pray that their lights and heat would return, “Lord, in the name of Jesus – right away!” But there was something incredibly wrong with that picture. Number 1, we had power, and were warm in our home. Number 2, this family lived nearby.  So we invited them over to stay with us until their power was restored.

Sometimes, we use prayer to procrastinate.  There are many cases when our blessings enable us to bless others.  God is honored when we ask Him to do what is humanly impossible. And we should remember that prayer always leads to action. A favorite text in James 2:14-16 speaks to this – showing our faith by our works; taking care of the needs of others. 

We still need to pray. But there are times when we have to get off our knees, roll up our sleeves, and take action!

Day 27 - Double Circle

Boaz Ministries

“ This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”  Matthew 17:21

Sometimes we need to “double circle” something with prayer and fasting. Combining these spiritual disciplines multiplies the effectiveness.

Before we fast, we should establish a time frame, an objective, and know why we are fasting. We may need to fast for deliverance from bondage, or for strength to dedicate something to the Lord. We can fast for a financial blessing, an emotional breakthrough – or to simply seek to know the heart of God.

While the most common form of fasting involves food, a fast from all media noise is just as powerful. We’re surrounded by distractions that keep us from hearing the voice of the Lord clearly. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is every believer’s goal – therefore we must empty ourselves of …ourselves. Fasting  purges our minds and spirits, as it purges our bodies. Batterson writes, “It [fasting] doesn’t just break down the challenges I’m facing; it also breaks down the calluses in my heart.”

If we want to break a sin habit, we must step up our prayer habit. And when we find ourselves pressing up against a stronghold or asking, seeking, knocking for God’s will to be made clear – more than likely it’s time to double circle that concern with a fast. Then sit back and watch the miracles unfold!

Day 26 – Game With Numbers

Boaz Ministries

“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Batterson tells about a 17th century monk named Brother Lawrence, whose sole purpose in life was to become more intimate with God. He wanted to live in the presence of God every moment; but that didn’t mean he secluded himself from the world. Working in the kitchen at a monastery, Brother Lawrence turned his chores into prayers. So even when he was surrounded by the noise and chatter of the kitchen, he had learned how to tune it out and become tranquil, praying to the Lord in his mind, a peaceful zone as if on his knees in the sanctuary.

Brother Lawrence’s devotion to God inspired another man, Frank Laubach, in the 1930s. The “game with minutes” was Laubach’s prayer experiment which was the practice of calling the Lord to mind at least one second of every minute. One of the ways Laubach would accomplish this was by “shooting” people with silent prayers. As people passed by, he would look at them and pray; sometimes they would do a double take and smile, sometimes their demeanor would change. The game with minutes, shooting prayers, turned the routine of life into an adventure.

Praying without ceasing can be accomplished by turning everything into a prayer. And it usually begins with the big issues in life. Gradually, the smaller things become matters we give to God in prayer. We can pray before we go into meetings; praying for the people in attendance. And we can pray a blessing upon the individuals as we leave. “And eventually, your entire life becomes a continuous prayer. Every thought. Every action. Every moment.”

Weekly church attendance alone cannot produce the powerful one-on-one relationship we need to be in touch with the Lord. Pastor Batterson asks the question, “Can you imagine talking with your spouse or child once a week? God wants a day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute relationship with you.” Let us develop a “daily prayer rhythm” – get creative; start a prayer journal, a prayer list.

A favorite “power quote” from this chapter goes like this: “God is only a prayer away…you don’t have to hit your knees or bow your head or fold your hands to be heard…in fact the best prayers don’t even involve words at all. The best prayer is a well-lived life, day in and day out.”

Day 25 - A Prophetic Voice

Boaz Ministries

“I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets.” Numbers 11:29

Prayer helps us cultivate our own potential, and it helps us recognize the potential in others. Just as Paul saw Timothy’s gifts that Timothy himself couldn’t see, we, through prayer, are enabled to see with prophetic eyes. This gives us the ability to speak into the lives God has placed in our paths with prophetic boldness.

Speaking prophetic words into someone’s life gives them a new lease on life – because through prayer, the future is written and is the difference between letting things happen and making things happen. 1 Corinthians 14:3 says that a prophet speaks words of comfort and encouragement as prompted by the Holy Spirit. And prophets do come in all shapes and sizes; the common denominator is prophetic insight that is the by-product of intercessory prayer.

We may not see ourselves as prophets. But we can be to our friends. Parents are prophets to their children. We can be prophets at home and at work. Our words can change lives by helping others discover their identity and destiny in Jesus Christ.  We may only influence one person, sowing into their life so they can reap a harvest.

Many of us can think of times when someone spoke words that uplifted and encouraged us, a godly person who helped us make a change for the better. We can be used by God to pass along a good word, that will save a life, a soul – and add to the Kingdom.

Day 24 - Find Your Voice

 Boaz Ministries

“The word of the Lord came to me.” Jeremiah 1:4

There are those of us who felt the unction of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s call upon our lives, years ago. Jeremiah records the event in his life when God spoke to him, telling him he would be a prophet to the nations. Not only that, God told Jeremiah that he’d been chosen before Jeremiah was formed in his mother’s womb! (verse 5) Terrified, Jeremiah told almighty God that he wasn’t up to the task, because he couldn’t speak, and he was too young.

Sometimes when God calls us, it takes years to understand that we’ve even been called. There might be a glimpse of a path; a direction that our life seems to be moving in that gradually brings us into the full consciousness of God’s plan and purpose for us. I was called to music ministry, which at first glance seemed to be easy enough, I grew up surrounded by a musical family. But I was challenged because God took me in a direction I hadn’t wanted to go, nor did I expect. I enjoyed being a member of a music ministry, contributing by being dependable and knowing my part. However, the Lord was moving me to be the leader. A leader of a church music department, and a leader of a choral group of adults. It was truly a growth spurt, but God had already supplied the training from all the years before! And there is undoubtedly more that He is calling me to do...I'm still developing my voice!

“We all have a unique voiceprint, not just physically but spiritually as well,” Batterson writes. The Lord desires to speak through each of us differently, and it doesn’t matter what job we do, or what title we hold. The trick for us is, to clear our minds of all the distractions so we can hear what He is saying to us, how He wants to use us for His glory. The more we listen for Him, the more we’ll be able to recognize when He is speaking to us. If we can hear the voice of the Lord, we will find our voice!

Day 23 - Not Now

Boaz Ministries

“Wait for the gift My Father promised.” Acts 1:4

There are times when God's “no” is really “not yet.” Our request may be the right one, but at the wrong time.  Most of us don’t like to wait, and in this culture, we can point and click, key in a code, push a few buttons, and voilà!  Batterson writes, "Waiting is part of praying and praying is a form of waiting. Prayer will sanctify our waiting, so we wait with holy expectancy." We must remember that prayer doesn’t delay God’s plans and purposes – it’s more like the fast track to whatever God wants to do in our lives.

In this life, we are more and more busy, with less and less time. And we sometimes think we have too much to do to pray, when, really, the opposite is true. We actually have TOO much to do NOT to pray! After Jesus’ ascension, the disciples did not go out "into all the world" immediately. He gave them clear instructions to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift His Father promised. They didn’t try to get ahead of God; they waited for the Holy Spirit, praying and preparing for ten days. Two thousand years later, those prayers have been answered countless times. Lives have been transformed, souls are being saved, and the Gospel is still being preached to all the world!

One of Pastor Batterson's favorite quotes throughout this book,"Pray like it depends on God, and work like it depends on us," had to grow on me. And it is mostly because of the "work ethic" that I believe, by obedience, can only come FROM God. God desires to fill us with His Holy Spirit, and when we empty ourselves, every crevice can be inhabited – and new areas will be created within us. But we have to wait. How long are we willing to wait? Are we willing to hole up in a room and pray as the disciples did – and bring on another Pentecost experience? Let’s be willing to use God’s "not yet" as a period of strengthening our faith through constant communication with Him in prayer, trusting and believing that He is preparing us for the next level.

Day 22 - Prayer Fleece

Boaz Ministries

“I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor.” Judges 6:37

Many of us know the story of Gideon, and how the angel of the Lord told him he would overthrow the Midianites and deliver the Israelites from their oppression. He couldn’t believe his ears! According to Gideon, his family was the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and he was the least in his father’s house! (Judges 6:11-15) So he tested God – to make certain that God truly meant that he was the one. The story is amazing, and one of our favorites – because Gideon laid out a woolen fleece (verses 36-40) and asked God to perform two miracles that would remove all doubt that it was God’s plan, and that Gideon was the man. God provided confirmation and the incredible plan of action! (Judges, chapters 6 - 8)

Having the Biblical precedence set for “fleece testing” gives believers another prayer tool. But just as Pastor Batterson says, "We have to be careful when it comes to putting fleeces before the Lord. Generally speaking, signs don’t precede our steps of faith; signs follow.” There are times when it’s good to ask God for confirmation because of our uncertainty. Never should we approach it haphazardly, and the following are cautions:

1. Don’t seek revelation when God has already given it. (i.e. answers are found in Scripture)
2. Make sure our motives are unselfish. We utilize the fleece out of a genuine desire to honor God and do His will.
3. Be willing to accept whatever the answer without second-guessing it.

When the Lord impresses something upon our hearts, it may take us out of our comfort zone, so much so, we may not believe it’s from Him. Gideon asked the Lord out of genuine humility, “If You are truly going to help me do this, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me.” God had already assured Gideon that He would be with him and the victory was his (verse 16), yet He honored Gideon’s prayer fleece.

God knows our hearts, and He’s faithful to perform on our behalf. There may be times when we’ll need to put a prayer fleece before the Lord. Let us not forget that no matter what God has called us to do, we have the assurance that God is with us, and God is for us!

Day 21 - Set Your Foot

 

Boaz Ministries 

“I’m giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on.” Joshua 1:3 MSG

Physically circling something in prayer is not magical, but it is Biblical. Drawing prayer circles is a metaphor that means “praying until God answers”, and it starts with discerning what God wants, and what God wills. His sovereign will must become our sanctified wish – and when that happens, our prayer life will be super-charged with power! And the goal is to glorify God by drawing circles around the promises, miracles and dreams He wants for us – not merely getting want we want.

“Pray a perimeter” around the promises in Scripture, and the promises the Holy Spirit conceives in your spirit, and watch the Lord move on your behalf. Recently, I made a major life change, moving from the west coast to the east coast in mid-life. And I have come to view the various segments of my journey as “assignments”. Though I had wanted to leave California for years, I came to understand that God would let me know when the time was right, if it was His will. I prayed long and hard, asking the Lord to confirm His desire for me to leave all that was familiar to me. And I watched as doors literally closed in the west, and opened in the east. My assignment in California ended in 2012. And I can testify that the Lord is confirming and affirming that He has given me “every square inch” of what He has for me on my new assignment, in my new home. Amen!

Day 20 - Go. Set. Ready.

Boaz Ministries

“He [Abraham] did not know where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8

We’ll never be fully ready; to marry, have children, go back to school, start a business, move to the mission field.  And if we look for an excuse to delay, we can always find one.  Batterson says, “ I never have been, and I’m sure I never will be, ready for anything God has called me to do.” How many of us can say “amen” to that?  If we wait until we’re ready, we’ll be waiting; and waiting. Hebrews 11 says that Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed.  He went by faith even though he didn’t know where he was going. (verse 8)

We may not know the final destination when God calls us to “go” – but if we take that first step, He will reveal the next step. God gives us just enough revelation, grace, and strength so we will depend on Him every day.  The old adage: ready, set go, is backwards when we’re stepping out in faith. For we may never be ready or set; sometimes we just need to go for it. God prepares us. And we must ever engage in thoughtful, prayerful decision making. We do need to know that God is, in fact, calling us to devote our lives to specific missions, career moves, etc.  When the Holy Spirit is prompting us, let us not ignore His call; let us not miss the divine appointment. “Faith is not faith until it is acted on.” Pray about it. Then Go. Set. Ready! God’s got you!