Who was praying for me?

Two Mondays ago we did what the disciples did.... we gathered and prayed and waited on the Holy Spirit. The rain kept us out of Fairview Park but it didn't keep us from praying!

Last Monday we discussed my favorite chapter of the book -- Chapter 4!

Cymbala tells the story of his own daughter who rebelled against God and ran away into the streets of NYC. Jim was called to believe and obey what he was preaching every Sunday-- the power of prayer.

I wish every one of you the opportunity to experience a "Tuesday night Prayer Meeting" at the Brooklyn Tabernacle. How can I even explain it!?!? Picture a line around the block, an hour before the meeting started!! There were so many people there desperate for God. And they were approaching the throne of grace with confidence! They believed that God was able! So they prayed and asked expectantly! This is defnitely modeled by their preacher who continues to lead them in praying and calling upon the Lord.

Let me share the story from the book:

After 2.5 years of a wayward daughter, Cymbala was desperate for God to come to the rescue. He believed God was able despite the hopeless situation, and he even thanked God in advance for answering his prayers!! During one of the prayer meetings, a spirit-let woman shared the impression that God was wanting them to stop the meeting to pray for Jim's daughter, Chrissy. The entire congregation joined hands, prayed and groaned in desperation of Chrissy's return.

Thirty-two hours later Chrissy came home weeping and begging for forgiveness. She shared how God had woken her up in the middle of the night and given her a vision of the path she was on and where it was leading--to death. She realized she had been wrong and rebellious. At the same time she experienced God's loving arms being wrapped around her, holding her, rescuing her.

Chrissy began to continually ask her father who had been praying for her. "Who was praying for me? Who was praying for me Tuesday night?"

Jim and Carol learned as never before that persistent calling upon the Lord breaks through every stronghold of the devil, for nothing is impossible with God.

God desperately wants us to believe Him. He says, "I'll help you, I really will. When you don't know where to turn, then turn to me. When you're ready to throw up your hands--throw them up to me. Put your voice behind them, too, and I'll come and help you."

Pastor Cymbala writes, "Satan's main strategy with God's people has always been to whisper, 'Don't call, don't ask, don't depend on God to do great things. You'll get along fine if you just rely on your own cleverness and energy.' The truth of the matter is that the devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we lift up our hearts to God."

 

Why is it so tempting for us to rely on our own cleverness and energy instead of humbling ourselves, calling on God's name with all our hearts, and depending on him to do great things?

 

I have had a huge revelation this week about this very thing.

 

You see, our fight is not against flesh and blood, we are in a spirtual war. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6 tells us this:

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.  

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. --2 Corinthians 10:3-5

 

There is a constant spirtual battle going on in all of our lives. We have an enemy!!! He is an accuser, deceiver, and thief that only comes to steal and kill and destroy. In the other corner we have a Helper, Comforter, Counselor, a Good Shepherd that comes to give life, and life to the full. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in this world. (1 John 4:4)

Satan loves to attack us in our weak moments, or when we are doing great things for God! He hates it when his kingdom is attacked! He hates it when we pray and call on the Lord! He hates it when we believe God. But we have the power!!! All authority has been given to Jesus and He is living in us! May the eyes of your heart be enlightened to the great power that we have in Jesus.

"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself." Ephesians 1: 19-23

 

 Favorite quotes from Chapter 4:

"Cain and his posterity had gone their own way, independent of God. By contrast, these people affirmed their dependence on God by calling out to Him."

 

"A God-placed instinct in human hearts came alive. People sensed that if you are in trouble and you call out to God, He will answer you! He will intervene in your situation."

 

"Have you heard about the God who answers when you call on him? He's more than just the Creator; He cares and responds to our needs. He actually understands what we're feeling. He listens! He responds! He acts!"

  

"But let some trouble come, and how quickly we sense our inadequacy. Trouble is one of God's great servants because it reminds us how much we continually need the Lord."

 

"The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of prayer. Only when we are full of the Spirit do we feel the need for God everywhere we turn."

 "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you."
(Gal 4:19)