15 Jun LOVE = REACH Day 4

If we LOVE people we should REACH them through our prayers! I think too often we just say we will pray for people, but rarely do.

READ (1 Timothy 2:1)

“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.”

The word first is the Greek word proton. It means “foremost in time, place, and importance.” So, this signifies importance and that it should come before anything else. It’s first in time.

God can do what He wants, is what we like to say. If God wants to touch them, He’ll touch them. If God wants to change their heart, He’ll change their heart. If God wants to move in their life, He’ll move in their life. That’s all true. That’s all wonderful. But Mark chapter 2:5, is very clear that there was a man who was lame, away from God, caught up in sin – he had friends that brought him to Christ, and made a huge difference in his life. It wasn’t that Jesus was not able. It was not that Jesus was unwilling. It was that he needed some people to be willing to grab a hold of him, and carry him to where Jesus could touch his life. It is no different for you and I. We have to see ourselves as people that, even if it’s just simply in prayer, we are carrying people.

I have watched people throughout America, throughout Central Florida, and in Orlando desiring to do something to make a difference in the wake of tragedy. If we/they only realized the impact our prayers can have we would stop feeling powerless and start embracing the tool that Christ gave us. The most loving thing we can do for someone is to really pray for him or her – with sincerity pray for them – with compassion pray for them! LOVE = PRAY

First Peter 2:5 says, “We are a royal priesthood.” A priesthood is a group who stand between the people and Christ. If you know a person who cannot talk to God because of where they are in life, then God puts you and I in what’s called “the gap.” We stand in the gap, and we talk to God on behalf of them. We pray for them. We go to God, and we say, “Move in their heart.” That’s who we are.

Prayer is one of those things that’s so hard to maintain and be consistent with, so here are four things that I think are important that you understand in praying for people.

1. Brokenness. We can’t have harvest, without heartbreak. Leonard Ravenhill said, “Until we get broken for souls, our prayers remain unanswered.” Remember Jesus? He wept over Jerusalem. They were like sheep, scattered, without a shepherd.

The Salvation Army came to General Booth, and they were complaining about how they were not growing, or reaching people. He responded with two words: “Try tears.” “Try tears.” You’ve heard it said before, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Right? They want to know if you care.

2. Persistence. One of Satan’s tactics is to frustrate us and discourage us from praying.

I remember this old story . . . A guy running a circus sees this huge elephant, you know, several tons, and it’s got this little stake in the ground, this little rope tied to its leg. And everybody asks the question, “How is that little stake in the ground holding this huge, powerful elephant?” And the response is, “When the elephants are really small, we chain them, and we anchor that stake deep into the ground. And that elephant will try to run off, and every time it tries to run off, it’ll cut into its leg. It’ll make its leg bleed. And finally, at some point, it realizes, no matter how hard it tries, it’s never going to get away, and it gives up in its mind. And the second that it gives up in its mind,” they said, “at that point on, you never have to do anything. Just put a little rope, and a little wooden stake in the ground . . .” Even though it has the ability to break free, and to run, and there’s nothing holding it back from breaking free, because in its mind, it’s broken, it’s never going to continue to try anymore.

And we have the same thing happen to us. Our prayer didn’t work here; our prayer didn’t work over there. We tried here; we tried there. But we did this, and we did that, and it wasn’t effective. Understand persistence is important in prayer.

3. Sacrificial Spirit. Again, Mark 9:29 says, “This kind comes out through prayer and fasting.” Moses fasted for 40-days, believing God for people. Esther, when it came to her people, her statement was, “If I perish, I perish, but I’m not going to quit. I’m not going to give up. If I die, I die. If they kill me, they kill me, but I’m not going to stop trying to reach out to provide protection for my people.” Moses, Esther, and countless others….have had a sacrificial spirit – they fasted and prayed and watched as God turned hopeless situations around.

4. Unity. Matthew 18 :19 says, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” The Church just being together, being in unity, is often a difficult thing. However, unity with other believers is crucial. Unity when we pray brings answers and breakthroughs.

ACT:

Continue reading the Book “Love Does,” by Bob Goff.

REACH:

Pick a name of a victim’s family and begin praying for them. Ask God to keep their heart soft towards Him, to bring peace, and to supply their every need.

If you have someone in your life that is facing a difficult situation commit the next week to pray for them every day. Share your story of how God answers your prayer on our Facebook page or what God is speaking to you through this devotional so far.