Today my heart wants to linger on the topic of prayer. I’ll begin with the questions put forth yesterday: Are you in real need? Do you admit that you are helpless to handle that need?
In yesterday’s Victory Call I quoted Catherine Marshall: “Whatever I have learned about prayer has come as the result of times when I could answer a resounding YES to both questions. Looking back over my life, those times of need stand out like mountain peaks rather than, as one might suppose, valleys of despond. Peaks – because each time I learned something important about God-how real He is and how gloriously able to answer prayer.”
Acknowledging our need and admitting we are helpless to handle that need are two powerful motivations for the believer to fall down before the Lord and ask for help.
Are there moments in your life right now that you know you are in real need? Are you going to God and talking to Hi,; giving Him the need, and trusting it to Him? If not, may I encourage you to pause now, lift your heart and soul to heaven and ask Him to come and hear you?
Beloved, the need doesn’t have to be a personal one; it could easily be for loved ones or any situations you are aware of in the crazed, lopsided, sin-sick world we live in. The bottom line is: great need and insufficient resources.
Remember, we worship a listening God!
“Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more. I said to the Lord: “You are my God; hear the voice of my supplications, O Lord. O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle. Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further his wicked scheme, lest they be exalted.” Selah Psalms 116:2; 10:17-18; 140:6-8
“Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord! Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.” Selah – Psalms 61:1-4; 119:145a; 27:7-91
Stephanie Paul
Stephanie serves as part of the Addiction Recovery Team at America’s Keswick as Director of Women’s Addiction Ministry. She has been married for almost 30 years to Sesky Paul who is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy. Stephanie serves alongside him as Care Group leaders in their church. They have two grown children.
Her single focus in ministry at Keswick is to image Christ in grace and truth to wounded and hurting women, encouraging them to make Jesus the truest Lover of their soul and the One in whom all hope lies.
Victory Call 