The Lord will send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.
Psalm 42:8 (NASB)
Series: Hands and Feet
Do desperate times call for desperate measures? No, desperate times call for faith-filled prayers. Prayers that radiate from head to toe. Prayers that are spoken, cried, bellowed, or silent. Prayers felt, heard, seen, and even tasted in the salt-filled tears of the weary. Prayers that bring goosebumps to your arms and piercing truth to your heart. Prayers allowing your tears to run down your cheeks and land wherever they land. Deeply coveted, precious words brought to the feet of our Savior. Not perfect, just honest.
Is your heart desperate for your Savior? Mine is. Created to worship and glorify our Father in Heaven. That is who we are. He offers us a direct connection to Him, and when we pray, we commune with Him in the most intimate way. We need Him, and He knows it. He provides every breath we take, and He knows every pain we experience. He is full of grace and mercy, and every precious friend, family member, or stranger, we lift up to Him, He sees. That is who He is.
As we look to God’s Word, desiring to be His hands and feet, we find that praying for one another is one of the most powerful gifts we possess. Have you been a recipient of prayer recently? Did the words given to the Lord on your behalf strengthen you, rescue you, even save you? Let’s look at some passages of scripture where prayer did just this.
In Acts 12:5-17 (NASB) we see Peter’s rescue from prison:
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church. On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near Peter, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Put on your belt and strap on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and continued to follow, and yet he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. Now when they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. When he knocked at the door of the gate, a slave woman named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.” But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.
The faithful prayers of others were heard and Peter was freed from prison. We too may feel imprisoned. Perhaps by our own past mistakes or failures. We do not need to live in a place of shame or guilt. Jesus sacrificed His life, so that you would have freedom from those chains. If you are struggling, ask for others to pray fervently for you. God hears and is able and willing to restore you!
In Ephesians 6 (NASB), we learn about the Armor of God and how prayer ignites when used in our battles:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. (vs. 10)
With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints, (vs 18)
In Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB) Paul teaches that praying for one another helps us in times of anxiety:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
James 1:5 (NASB) gives us encouragement to pray for wisdom for each other and ourselves:
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
Throughout scripture, we witness how others prayed for one another and the results were life-changing. Prayers for healing, restoration, redemption, forgiveness and freedom. Prayers for the lost, broken-hearted, the angry and the prideful. Prayers for unbelief, unity, provision and fear. The things prayed for in the scriptures are still very much being prayed for today. When we lift our voices to our Lord Almighty, He hears us. Not a single tear, not one prayer is wasted at the foot of the cross.
Romans 8:26-27 (NASB) fully reveals the power and beauty of prayer to us:
Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Sisters, may the grace of God wash over you. May you know how deeply He loves you, and believe you will never stand alone in prayer because His Holy Spirit stands with you. Let us be His hands and feet by pouring out our desperate prayers for one another each and every day.
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References: Psalm 42:8; Acts 12:5-17; Ephesians 6; Philippians 4:6-7; James 1:5; Romans 8:26-27