The Power of Prayer

​I love reading the Bible. The Old Testament, while it can seem daunting and feel harsh sometimes, is chalk FULL of stories of women and men who were spoken to by God and then HE moved through them to bring His will to the earth and allow a revelation to arrive full circle. As much as I love reading biblical testimonies, I also love reading of others. I love reading the conversations with God (prayer) and the fruit He bears through communion with Him.

​​The first I ever read on the power of prayer (just over ten years ago) and leading of the Holy Spirit was not by Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer or Priscilla Shirer. As good as their messages are, God didn’t lead me to them. No, it was a biography of Rees Howells by Norman Grubb. ​MIND BLOWN. 

If you have never read it, I suggest you do. I then read about John G. Lake and Smith Wigglesworth. Leonard Ravenhill’s Revival God’s Way struck my soul to pray, as did Eric Ludy’s Wrestling Prayer. This was meaty stuff! Couple these words with God’s word to study the subject of LOVE and pray as I was learning – I was all in. My life finally became Jesus Christ’s FULLY! I have no doubt this set the course of the past ten years, regardless of the “giants” and challenges, and led me to this place, a modern day testimony taking place over the past couple of years I would like to share.

I just wanted to say thank you for praying for him last night! It was so powerful! I went and sat with my friends for most of the day today, and I told her about our amazing prayer! She then proceeded to tell me that last night was the most he’s moved in almost 2 weeks! He was trying to lift his arm, and he kept wanting to move over to the right side of the bed! This is amazing!
I just know it was our prayers last night and all praise to God!

Here is a timeline:
 
April 7, 2017 – The Lord burdened me to pray while on spring break.
 
April 27, 2017 – Call to Pray in May 2017
 
August 2017 – Sensed a call to host a prayer day on Oct. 9th; same day as Lou Engle's the Call (women RISE UP)

• Prayed nearly every Sunday at the Courthouse from Sept 3rd thru the Oct 9th

 

September 12, 2017 – Sent an invitation to all pastors in Whitley Co.

• I receive a reply from President of Ministerial Association; pointed to National Day of Prayer (NDP) lead in our county
• I reply "I would love to see everyone come together in UNITY to pray..."

​October 9, 2017 – Prayer Event

• Check out posts HERE

 
October 19, 2017 – Shifted focus to developing Rise Up Commitment
 
October 27, 2017 – Received a reply to connect with someone from the Prayer Room, to which I placed in my "back pocket"

​November 3, 2017 – Dr. Ronnie Floyd President of the National Day of Prayer announced 2018 theme Pray for America – UNITY, based upon Ephesians 4:3

​February 2018 – Moved to reach out to a female pastor in our community 
 
April 28, 2018 – Meet a gal hungry for Holy Spirit and connected to NDP
 
May 3, 2018 – Attended 2018 NDP – I sat beside the gal I just met and learn she will soon to be lead for our county’s NDP chapter

June 7, 2018 – Current NDP lead called me as suggested by the female pastor I met with in February

I came in with pain and feeling bad, after prayer I felt like something had lifted. Thank you!

June 13, 2018 – Current NDP lead and I meet in the prayer room in our community and discuss NDP

• The “baton” was passed to a new lead; she and near instantly connect at the spirit level

 
February 2018 – Two gatherings, one heart: prayer and worship for the glory of God and discipled souls in our county

• I meet in person the president of Ministerial Association , 17 months after first email interaction.
• Theme for 2019 National Day of Prayer: Love One Another, based upon John 13:34

​PRAYER IS POWERFUL! And not just my prayers. This is not a rundown of what God is doing through me alone. No, it is a testament of prayers that have been prayed YEARS before I was probably even thought of. It is the testament of others who have prayed fervently for years since I was born. It is a testament of God’s desire to have His people humble themselves and pray. It is a testament God will unite the folks He has called to pray, and who are RESPONDING, in one accord for His purposes. It is a testament of hope for things to come. Revival. Freedom. Deliverance. Unity. An outpouring if His Spirit and Love! It is a testament that it is time to pray, and allow Him to transform our burdens to building as He leads for HIS Kingdom.
 
As we continue to focus on prayer in the Rise Up Community and Beyond experience for the last eight days of February, I want to encourage you to PRESS IN. I want to encourage you to lay everything else to the side and see what God has to say. Pray selfless prayers. Pray to know the heart and mind of God. Pray for Jesus to be seen and known through your life. Pray for Holy Spirit to intercede when you don’t know what to pray. Simply, pray.