The first question in this chapter is important for you to fill in -- and if you do it spontaneously and honestly, you'll have an idea of what you REALLY feel about public or group or partner praying.
The stories I tell in this chapter (or at events) are even more spectacular if you one of the people involved! I am excited to say that the longer I pray and ask and believe, the more hungry and expectant I am for God to answer "agreeing" prayer.
So many of the prayers I've prayed have come to pass as others have prayed WITH me and held onto my hands and heart while I waited. In fact, I recall a specific prayer request that I asked my husband to daily pray with me over an entire summer. Near the end, he was so fatigued with the same request, he let me know it. But I was adamant...and so he joined me joined in with me until we saw the answer. I look back now and think HOW important it was for me to have someone hang in there with me...
Agreeing prayer has SO many benefits:
1. You do not carry the load alone.
2. Additional or new perspective from God becomes available.
3. Hope can be fanned.
4. Disappointment can be softened.
5. Endurance can be sustained.
6. A depth of soul can be shared.
7. Miracles can be believed together.
Of course, consistency is required. E.M. Bounds wrote, "Much prayer, much power. Little prayer, little power. No prayer, no power."
You, in essence, hold the release of prayer's power in your hands.
Be encouraged,
Becky
I just wanted to agree with Laura about "HOW hard it is to find a church with people who will commit to pray...." too impersonal doing the e-mail bit.
ReplyDeleteI will commit to pray that each one of our group will find at least one other person to pray with.
will keep you updated....thanks Becky
I remember prayer meetings our women's ministry had, probably ten or more years ago at the church I was attending. You could feel the Holy Spirit's presence. The prayers were both specific and spontaneous but very real.
ReplyDeleteSince then, that church and the churches I have been in since, do not have these kind of meetings. The only time they implement them is when they have a church crisis, or problem or are involved in a pastoral search.
I was at least glad to see the new (and much smaller) church puts out this weekly list and spends time during the service bringing out some of the needs. I havent been there long enough to see what else they may do.
Like I said, at least it brings a focus to things and hopefully involves one body praying for specific needs.
I also want to say, Becky your sharing all these amazing answers to prayer can only come because you do spend concentrated time, you record them in writing or by computer and therefore you are able to share and remember them.
This convicts me to spend more time writing things out, not just jotting them down. I think sometimes I am too quick and not careful to record the details.
Obviously if we have a record to go by, we having something to share with others and to remember.
I was in the car today listening to the call and I was just bubbling over in thankfulness. I was so excited to hear the sharing! I am having surgery tomorrow morning and yet it was very important to be on the call and to write yet tonight because where would I be without prayer!! I have so much to be thankful for in being able to spend time with others in prayer. Our church has a true foundation of prayer and we have trained "prayer ministers" who assist. The pastor calls for prayer after his sermon and the elders and prayer ministers place themselves around the church so that people can go to them to pray for about 5 minutes. That is just a precious time. When the service schedule gets full and they want to cut some prayer time - the congregation really "complains". I also am blessed to have a group of about 20 that pray every 1st Wed. of the month for our country, our community and the unchurched in our neighborhoods. I think that hearing answered prayers is the most encouraging and exciting part of our Christian lives - thanks to each of you for being so willing to share. blessings,
ReplyDeleteCyndie, thanks for letting us know of your surgery tomorrow, I will be praying for you. You are so right, when you see God's hand in answers or feel His presence while praying nothing else compares. I have been with others that someone is praying and God gave me the exact words. I know this is the Holy Spirit drawing us to be like minded. I was at a christian conference where they had a breakout for prayer and was asked how they could pray for me, I was in such a bad place I couldn't even say what my need was. But God knew and spoke through another individual the exact prayer I needed. Goosebumps ran through me as she prayed out loud. This stranger could not have known that my marriage was in trouble.
DeleteI was first introduced to agreeing prayer in college when a classmate invited me to a prayer circle. 5 women who came together for weekly prayer. I was a shallow believer then but saw something in those gals that I wanted. Skipped over moms-in-touch when my kids were in elementary school, but when my youngest hit high school, I signed up for weekly gatherings. The prayers were powerful: I was hooked. When my son graduated I started my own group, which is still going on. When my daughter went off to Africa, the Mom's of the team prayed together; that led to praying with my daughters fiancee's mom every friday night (by telephone) for their upcoming wedding. I had met her in the African Mom's group; my daughter wasn't engaged back then.
ReplyDeleteI love praying with others. This call, this week, gave me encouragement to reach out more. I came up with 2 more people to pray with for specific things.
When I get together with my daughter's in-laws they ask me for a God story and I give them one. I am going to write them down from now on. (Thanks Laura) People will ask me how do you have so many stories? God speaks to you not me. Becky, you nailed it, the stories come because you pray. Bounds got it right: Much prayer, much power. Little prayer little power. No prayer no power.
I agree with you all!! I have been praying in a Moms in Touch group for our children for 12 years now - ever since I became a believer, a few moms invited me to go. I had never prayed out loud with anyone before and it took a few visits before I ever opened my mouth to pray. I always feel the Lord's presence there and many times I could hardly pray but only weep. I am still involved with the group as my youngest will be starting 9th grade at the same school. I even led the group for 3 years - that was all the Holy Spirit because I had no idea what to do!
ReplyDeleteI will have 2 in college starting in 2 weeks...and my MIT friend wants to start a group for that age group. So, we will do that in Sept. Earlier this summer I attended a time for prayer for a group of women who did a Derek Prince study together on Deliverance/Blessings and Curses. So, as the Spirit leads, several groups are forming from that meeting. Groups are gathering to pray especially for the Dem Nat Convention that will be here in Charlotte Labor Day week. Our church members meet weekly to lift up the requests of the church and on Sundays we have a prayer team that will pray for you during communion time in a private area. Prayer has been the foundation of our church since its beginning 10 years ago. I am so thankful for all of this in my life. I have been working with a group from another church in town to learn Healing Prayer/Deliverance which has been life changing. Prayer is foundational to anything for the Kingdom so I am in agreement! And boy, can I relate to being in a place of not even being able to speak when seeking prayer from a prayer minister. Sometimes, all I can do is cry, and God's faithful Saints come through with bullseye target prayers that only the Holy Spirit can inspire. And, almost daily, I pray in the Spirit for renewal and refreshing. When I became a believer, I was given the opportunity to go forward for prayer to ask Jesus for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Hands were laid on me and I received the fullness of the Spirit - He gave me a prayer language, referred to in scripture as "speaking in tongues". It is meant to encourage and build up the believer - just as scripture reveals. I am so thankful for this gift and use it in my quiet time. I encourage all who do not have a prayer partner or a prayer group to attend to ask God to provide. He will, over and above provide more than you could ever imagine! And He may have you be the one to start the group.
"Much prayer, much power. Little prayer, little power. No prayer, no power" - Bounds Isn't that the truth!!!!!!
Well, another Sunday in my new church. Today the pastor said, "this is a house of prayer and always will be."
ReplyDeleteI felt a real confirmation that I am now in the church God wants me in.
We had a Bible study video today in the Sunday school class I selected. The video had a session discussing keeping your study/digging in the Bible time separate from devotional reading of the Bible. Reminded me of Becky's approach.
And then, the little Sunday school group had a prayer time!So, I can see God at work and I feel like He has really led me to a wonderful new church home. A praying church.....
I am convinced that keeping a prayer journal is the way to go. God has carried me through more than I ever realized and gave Him credit for. I know I want to go deeper and am learning from you Becky and reading all the posts. I have not been very consistent with posting, but I am here and growing.. Thank you all
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