Adjustments...changes...whatever one wants to call it they are hard to get through without the strength of the Lord. In fact, I don't know how people manage without Him in the midst of their lives. He is the glue that keeps me together when I feel like I'm falling apart. During the night I prayed several times for different ones who I know are being challenged right now. One of them I started to pray for the situation to be taken care of and the Lord checked me and said, "What if that is not My will?" Ooopppsss....sorry, Lord! What we may think is the answer, may not be. We may pray for a healing in someone when the Lord is using their illness to bring another one to Christ. Or we may pray for a financial situation to be taken care of when the Lord is trying to make one realize they need to depend upon Him. The list goes on and on. But the important thing to remember is to pray for not only ourselves but for others. God calls us to stand in the gap for others. Some of the ones He had me praying for during the night were family. Some were people who I know are believers but need prayer for strength. Some were people who are not believers and need someone to do or say something to them who will point them in God's direction. I was standing in the gap for each one I prayed for.
This morning I was thinking about intercessory prayer. The importance of it is overwhelming at times. The Lord uses each one who is willing to stand in the gap for people. This can be hard to do in a physical sense when He wakes you up in the middle of a sound sleep. It can be hard in an emotional sense when He reveals things to you that are unknown to others. It can be hard in a spiritual sense when you pray and pray and pray and you don't see prayers being answered. Yet one must remember that seeds are being planted and we will not always see the fruit from those seeds.
I came upon a word picture today..."pour out your hearts like water to the Lord"...These words are found in Lamentations 2:19 where we are instructed to pray for our children. I started praying for my children when I was a little girl. I love how the Lord answered these prayers. I prayed for three boys and three girls. We have three boys and their ladies are my girls!
"Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer. Plead for your children as they faint with hunger in the streets" (Lamentations 2:19 NLT).
We are called to stand in the gap for others in our prayers. Unfortunately, there are not many who take on the task. Ezekiel 22:30 reads, "I searched for someone to stand in the gap int he wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one." Jeremiah 9:1 reads, "Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people." Jeremiah understood the task of intercessory prayer. He not only did it but he became emotional while doing it. To me, when I cry while standing in the gap for someone, I feel like I am a step closer to the Lord.
There were two great prayer warriors that have passed from this earth that I know stood in the gap for me. I know there are people who pray for me but I don't know they are as diligent as Lenore and my Daddy were. I loved getting phone calls from Lenore to talk but the ones that I miss the most were the ones where she would call and say, "The Lord told me to pray for you...what do you need?" Those warmed my heart. What encouragement I received through that dear lady. And then her 'go-to' verse as she prayed was Mark 11:24...
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
This is one of those verses that bring up questions in my mind. We pray for things all the time that we don't receive so how can this be true? I asked Lenore that one time and was amazed at her answer. She said something along the lines that when we pray for God's will then we will receive what we pray for. She said we have to pray for what He wants and not necessarily what we want. She also told me we are not being selfish in our prayers when we pray this way. I am so grateful for the time I had with her and I would never wish her back on this earth. But I sure would like to have another 'Lenore' in my life. I also would like to have another encourager in my life as my Daddy. I know he can't be replaced but his encouragement was a great inspiration to me. The goal of my life is to be like these two dear ones. I pray people know I stand in the gap for them. I also pray my words are words of encouragement to people. I know some have kind of been 'put off' so to speak when they ask me to pray for a certain thing and then I tell them the Lord directed my prayers differently. But in the long run, hopefully, they will see His will in everything.
Dear Jesus,
For those I stood in the gap for during the night, bless them in knowing someone is praying for them. For those who are going through a season of adjustment or change, bless them with an enlightenment from You. For those who need encouragement, bless them with someone who says or does something in You for them today. Lord, fill me to overflowing with more of You and less of me so I can be the servant You so desire of me. I pray for a physical touch upon my husband. I pray You will be the One to cleanse his body of anything that does not belong in it. Lord, I also pray for a 'Lenore' in my life. I pray You will rise up someone who will stand in the gap for me. I also pray for someone to take the place of my Daddy in the sense of encouragement. Lord, some may say I am being selfish in my prayers but I know I am not. I know I need these two in my life in a mighty way. Dealing with MS and in being in the trenches of ministry are two difficult things. But thankfully You are my strength through anything that comes my way. I will stand upon Mark 11:24 as I ask for these two people because I know they are in Your will. Thank You Jesus for being My Will. Amen.
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