Fervent Prayer

I was told not too long ago that I had the spiritual gift of prayer. I’m not sure that prayer is a spiritual gift in the sense of how I think of spiritual gifts (ie. Certain people are gifted with certain things in order to all work together as a body…perhaps not everyone has the same gift). I believe every believer has the privilege to pray, is commanded to pray, and is blessed by prayer. Lately it seems more and more like a gift to me though. Still not in the sense of a “spiritual gift”, but in the sense that the Lord has placed upon my heart a sense of urgency and importance when it comes to prayer.

I don’t understand how a Sovereign God who knows all, has decided all, and is not surprised by anything can value such a thing as me praying, but if He didn’t, He would not speak about it in His word the way He does. And when I look to the examples left for me in the books of the bible, I see men and women of prayer: Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Esther, David, Paul and best of all, my beloved Jesus. Jesus did not have a victory recorded that did not accompany the recording of his prayer and time devoted to quiet conversation with the Father.

Lately, I’ve become acutely aware of the severity of the battle being waged against me, my family, my marriage and my home. I have not thought much about being a warrior in the heat of battle, but the veil has definitely lifted. I’m in the middle of a serious war. The war has already been won, yes, but I have not experienced that end result yet, so I’m still called to battle. I think because I knew this war had already been won, I have been complacent about fighting the good fight. I have been lazy about putting on my armor every day. I have been less than diligent in bending my knee in fervent prayer. And certainly I have been apathetic to the sense of urgency that the days demand. But no longer can I sit idly by and watch my house be carried away by the Thief one small bit at a time.

My sense of urgency renewed, my passion stirred, my laziness discarded for donning of battle gear, I have come to the front lines once again to wage war against the enemy. My weapon: prayer and the sword of the spirit…the Word of God. Like no other time, I am committing to pray God’s word over my own life, my marriage, the lives of each and every one of my family members and my home itself.

I can’t wait until the battle is over and I have eternal rest, but however long my life is, how can I not be serious about this war? Complacency and laziness abound in a culture like ours (American), but coming to terms with Psalm 90 brings me back to a sense of reality. Verse twelve says, “Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” I long to be a wise woman, a woman who fears the Lord, a woman who stands firm on solidly based convictions, executes relationships with compassion, kindness, gentleness, grace and mercy, and lives in the abundant freedom Christ died so that I could have. If I had to come up with one on the spot, this would be my life’s mission statement. Might need a little work…a few minor changes, but I think it sums up my plan to reach the one goal I have for this life…to hear in the end, from my precious Lord, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And I don’t see doing well in living a faithful life serving the Lord if I fail to have a sense of urgency about my Father’s business!

So here I am….awakened to a new sense of what is at stake, how valuable it is, and that my part, however small, is important to my Lord. Fervent prayer…a must. Fervent prayer…a weapon. Fervent prayer…a path to victory!