Prayer: October 2011

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October 2011

How many times have you wished you could do something or become a witness for God, or able to bless others more? How many times have you wanted more in life than you currently enjoy? God is so great, so marvelous, so deep, so wise, so mighty. He is everywhere - omnipresent, He is all-powerful - omnipotent, and He knows everything - He is omniscient!

Tap into what God has for you. The key is to realize that His will is in His Word. Look at this scripture and pray for God’s will to be produced in you! When you don’t know how, where, when or with whom, pray for God to have His plan with an true and sincere heart.

Daniel 9:20-23 (AMP)

20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God--

21 Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the former vision, being caused to fly swiftly, came near to me and touched me about the time of the evening sacrifice.

22 He instructed me and made me understand; he talked with me and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give you skill and wisdom and understanding.

23 At the beginning of your prayers, the word [giving an answer] went forth, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved. Therefore consider the matter and understand the vision.

HOW COOL IS THAT! When we draw near to God, and throw off our old thinking and choose to yield to Him, we begin to see through the mist of confusion and begin to see the will that has been documented for our lives. (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Ezekiel 11:19 (AMP)

And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God].

As Pastor Robb reminds us, we have to take something out before we can put something new in. Out with the stinking thinking, in with the wise Godly thoughts!

When I was in high school; I studied every day, I paid attention in class and did pretty well in my senior year. But when my Dad encouraged me to do my best in college as I studied Personnel Management, I excelled and made one of the top 15 students of the school. Had I changed my thoughts about myself to line up with God’s thoughts, “We have the mind of Christ”, I could have done even better in high school by believing God’s Word about myself.

So when you contemplate the future, PRAY, PRAY, PRAY for God to exercise His plan in your life and that of your family. Wives, pray for your husbands - for wisdom and that they will be doers of God’s Word! Yield to His Word, change the way you think to line up with what He says - bottom line .... BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD!

It is by our intimacy with God that we begin to know and understand His ways. Please set time aside - a “quiet time” where you can bask in the presence of the KING OF KINGS, and enjoy sweet, satisfying companionship that is so fulfilling and directing.

Pray with someone - Mark and I pray together so much - join forces and do something powerful with Jehovah our God!

Written by Colleen Aitkenhead. Colleen is the wife of Mark Aitkenhead, pastor of Christian Family Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee

YOU NEVER KNOW

Every year on September 11 I am reminded about the importance of prayer and responding to the Holy Spirit when He nudges us to pray. On September 11, 2001 me and a group of our leaders were headed to a meeting. I really felt we were all supposed to pray in the Holy Spirit as we drove, but I kept putting it off since we were enjoying each others company. I reasoned that it was important for us to build relationships as a team and that praying could wait. While en route we received a call that told us Tower 1 of the World Trade Center had just been hit by an airplane. Of course, we were all stunned and then we began to pray. When we reached our destination televisions were on showing what happened. As we watched, the second plane hit the other tower. Needless to say we left the meeting and went back to the office because we were unable to concentrate and wanted to pray and check on loved ones. I will never know what may have been prevented had I been obedient to the Holy Spirit. How many lives might have been saved, if I would have prayed?

On the other hand, I know a pastor’s wife who was instructed by the Holy Spirit to pray. At first she did not know what for, but then He revealed to her what she was praying about. He told her she was praying for a soldier in Iraq and gave her his name. She did not know him, but prayed. A week or so later she saw the young man’s name in the newspaper. It told the story of how his bravery and how he was kept safe. The incident occurred on the day she was praying. What if she had not been obedient? Perhaps this young man and many others might have died, but because she prayed he was protected.

Often when Holy Spirit asks us to pray, we do not know why or what for, but He does. Our job is to pray. Our prayers have great power, are effective and have wonderful results (James 5:16).

My advise….. Just pray. You never know whose life you may save.