For those of you who are struggling with faith and understanding in what prayer does. Here is a perfect example of why we are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing,”
I am going to give you two examples of conversations that can occur in our minds. One is with ourselves, and the other is with God, through prayer.
You tell me which one is better for YOU?
“They are so selfish, I don’t understand how they can be like this. They are not the person I married. They don’t care about anyone but themselves. I don’t think they ever loved me. I deserved so much better than this. To be loved and treated with respect. My kids deserve to be loved and taken care of by someone that is not so selfish. I am done, I am not going to waste another moment on someone who doesn’t care about me, so I am not going to care about them.”
“Father,
I pray for You to encounter and reveal to them why they are choosing to allow the flesh to rule their hearts and minds. Help them to see why they have turned their backs on their true selves, You, their families and I, and allowed satan to snare and trap them. Heal their broken places and help me to have more compassion and mercy. Bring them back to who they are meant to be and uncover the roots of why they got carried away. I thank you for teaching them their identity and helping them see life without You is an eternal death sentence.
I ask You to continue to help my heart stay strong as I mimic and lean on You and endure this trial. As I continue to stand in the gap in humility and pray without ceasing for their heart to turn to You. Help me to become better and not bitter. Selfless and selfish. Always choosing Your will above my own. I thank You for making my heart more like Yours and giving me the wisdom to keep going and not give up. Thank You for transforming me into Your image. In Jesus name, Amen”
Do you see how one set of uncontrolled thoughts can harm and bring you pain, while another set, of thoughts on purpose, turned toward God in prayer, can and WILL bring you to a better place?
Now fill in the gaps with thanksgiving, praise, worship, reading and declaring the Word and you have the recipe for a totally transformed LIFE!!
We pray for OUR good. To help stop the uncontrolled thoughts from poisoning us and feeding our pain. These kinds of thoughts can bring damage and create very deep places of brokenness, soothed by pride.
We pray to teach ourselves how to control our minds and bring us to a higher and better place. We pray so we can control our emotions and feelings instead of letting them control us.
We pray so we can always be connected to our God and Savior Jesus Christ instead of being isolated in ourselves.
PRAY with the belief that it’s the best thing for your soul.
Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18
When we turn to prayer in times when our flesh just wants to have a pity party, be ugly, vent, call a friend and expose our spouse, call them out on social media, when we chose to do what is RIGHT above what we feel like doing to make our flesh feel better, we are choosing RIGHTEOUSNESS.
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:12
This is the kind of obedience, sacrifices and self-control God is looking for in us, why He is drawn to our prayers. Enjoy our video on this very subject!
Standing with you,
Sheila Hollinger
Thank you for this beautiful prayer. I am a stander and reading my Bible and fasting. Thank you.
I sooo needed this right now. God bless you!
You are so right. Whenever i just sit and ponder what my husband is doing to me it makes standing so much harder. But in turn when I say prayer like these I feel a sense of peace, loving ness and forgiveness towards him and the situation. It’s hard but I’m taking it one day at a time. Thanks for this beautiful prayer.