A friend of mine recommended I pick up a copy of Secrets of a Prayer Warrior by Derek Prince. Right about now, I need all the help I can get on the prayer front. I don’t know about you, but it seems like the number of serious things to pray about at this time are greater than they’ve ever been.
As I type these words, however, I’m mindful of generations past who have had to deal with wars, famine, great disasters, etc. But, in my life right now, there are just so many people/issues that I want to life up to God. I hope this book helps 🙂
I think it will. In the initial chapter, the author raises an important consideration, and he does it well. When we’re praying for something, we need to ask ourselves whether we’re praying because we want something or is it because God wants something?
If we are praying because we want it, our prayers may not get answered in the way we want; but if we are praying because God wants it, then we can rest assured that it will work out exactly like its supposed to.
Here’s where it gets tough. In prayer, Prince suggests that we renounce our will and embrace the will of God. By ending our prayer intentions with, “let Your will be done,” we submit ourselves and our prayers to God, allowing Him to do want He wants.
An example I can give to you just happened over the weekend. I have a friend who has a criminal background which has made it very difficult to find employment. I met him about twelve years ago when I was leading a Bible Study in our local jail.
Due to Divine Providence, David, then 19, ended up in my group. Over several weeks, we began talking and we struck up a friendship. At the time, my main focus at work was high school youth ministry, and my heart went out to him because of his situation. I knew that David could have easily been a teen in our program, but sadly, youth ministry, or any ministry for that matter, had never been a part of his life.
To make a long story short, I worked will David for the next ten years, visiting and praying with him several times a year at the various institutions he was sent to. There was great joy on my heart two years ago when he was finally released back into society. In many ways, it’s been a struggle ever since.
People like David have a hard time finding people willing to give them a chance at employment. They struggle with finding someone willing to rent them an apartment. I dare to say that they might be uncomfortable in some churches where they would be looked down upon for their past.
Two weeks ago, I was talking with a group at my church about all the prayer needs people have brought to me recently. Unemployment, underemployment, health issues, broken marriages, addictions. The list was long. I talked about intercessory prayer, and how I have come to see God working through the difficult times to make something new of people’s lives, if they let Him.
As it turns out, someone in the group I was speaking to went home and told her husband what I had said. They approached me the next day, telling me that he owned a small company and was looking to hire some folks later that week. I told them about David and was overjoyed that they were willing to overlook his past if he was willing to work hard and stay out of trouble. That night, I prayed and prayed and prayed, begging God to bring this about.
Maybe I’m a prayer warrior at heart, but those who pray with me know that I always end my prayer with “I pray that you hear and answer these prayers, according to your will.”
My friend from church had David work a few days last week on a trial basis, and he liked what he saw. He offered him a full-time job yesterday, and David starts today. There is much joy on my heart as I type these words.
Since his release, I’ve tried to help David with finding a job, but nothing ever happened. Until now. God had a plan all along, but we had to accept His will.
If it seems like your prayers are going unanswered, ask yourself this question: “Am I praying for this because I want it, or because God wants it?” Try ending your prayers with “let Your will be done,” and see what happens.
Sorry for the long, post, but I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to share a bit of David’s story, and I hope it can be a source of inspiration for you. You just may see a guest post from him soon 🙂
