Power!

Sometimes I think we Christians throw out the word “pray” like we have no idea the great power that is behind it. And so we are quick to say, “Would you pray for my neighbor’s dog”, or “Would you pray I have a good day” or whatever. If we have prayer requests in church or small group, we feel like we have to come up with something even if it is absolutely inane and we ourselves don’t find it important enough to pray for it because it makes us appear spiritual. But the truth is, prayer is power. It is engaging the God of the universe to move on behalf of what we are asking for.

I have become very careful about what I ask people to pray for and if I am not fervently praying for something I don’t ask any one else to pray for that either. But if I do have a prayer need, then I go to people I am convinced understand that power and will approach the task as the “holy occupation” that it really is.

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And so in May 2004, I had a huge prayer request and I knew exactly who to approach. Julie Lord is probably the most dynamic prayer warrior I have ever known. Now in her seventies she has the mind and body of a thirty year old and a heart for God that seems ageless. She and her husband Bob have managed to raise five extraordinary children who are devoted to God and serving him greatly in various areas. Now her grandchildren are following the same path and great grandchildren, though still young, I feel certain will follow Christ with the same fervency as the previous generations.

Julie had been on my prayer teams since the beginning of our Big Dream. Every week she would show up to pray and she kept a journal of those prayers and the powerful way God had answered them. So now we needed that power to help us finish the filming for The Amazing Collection. We had twenty two books left to film and we had decided that it would be financially astute to do them all within a week’s time.

It was a huge undertaking for the teachers and placed a great amount of pressure on each one of us. All four of us were feeling like we were under constant attack as we were being hit in different areas (our weakest area!) and were reeling from the stress. Preparation for four or five teaching sessions demanded every waking hour. So I decided it was time to bring in the BIG GUN. I called Julie.

And so on filming day, Julie was by our side, encouraging, praying, and bringing our minds back to the truth of Scripture. Then as each one of us stepped on the platform to teach, Julie went into a nearby room all alone and came before the God of All and brought us to the Throne of Grace.

So then what happened? God answered. As each teacher took her place, the Lord began to speak through her. Eleanor. Linda. Margie. Me. Calm, mind sharp, words flowing, cameras running….and then before we knew it the week was over and the last teaching session was complete.

My journal records, “We have completed all of the filming and it has gone smoothly, the best we have ever done. God heard Julie’s cries for us! I am so grateful to God for her!”

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man

makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its working).

James 5:16

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