The Response

Talking, reading, thinking, studying, discussing, singing, serving, and even giving in a crisis are poor substitutes for praying your way through a crisis.

In Luke 24, Jesus asks a life-changing question to two of His disciples. He spoke two simple words, "What things?"

Jesus was not looking for information from them. He was inviting them to enter into a conversation with Him. He walked with them, and through the Scriptures until He made sense out of the senseless, and transformed the impossible into the HIMpossible.

NOTE TO SELF: He still does.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Waiting

"Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord."
Psalms 27:14

NOTE TO SELF: "Wait Loss" costs you more than you want to lose. Waiting on God leads to R.E.S.T. when you Release Every Single Thing to Him.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Practice

"He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25

Musicians practice music. Lawyers practice law. Doctors practice medicine. Christians practice what they see Christ do. Prayer is the evidence of a practicing Christian.

NOTE TO SELF: Intercession is not a way of life for you. It is a sign of Christ's life in you.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Cooperation

"I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord."
Philippians 4:2

Paul did not urge these two church ladies to sing the same note, but to sing off the same page and harmonize with one another. Harmony in the church doesn't come from always agreeing with one another. It comes from deferring to one another.

Paul called on these two worthy women to defer to one another. Praying for one another increases the capacity of two people to merge with one another. When opinions collide, Prayer Warriors prefer to defer.

NOTE TO SELF: There is a huge difference between “Die heretic!” and “You may be right.” The first leads to annihilation. The second leaves room for cooperation. When you find yourself caught between the crossfire of two different opinions, pray for people to have the urge to merge.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Silence

Today marks the date in 1962 when Astronaut John Glenn orbited the earth. I was a sixth grader listening to the live broadcast over the school intercom, at Mill Lane Jr. High School of Farmingdale, New York.

At the point of reentering the earth's atmosphere, Glenn went into radio silence. We all bowed our heads and prayed. Not a sound was heard or word spoken as we prayed for the shield on his capsule to resist the intense heat.

When radio contact was finally restored, we heard his voice, crackling with static over the intercom. It was all we needed. The school exploded with cheering. There is nothing more overrated than panic, and nothing more underrated than answered prayer.

NOTE TO SELF: Answered prayer always has a powerful impact on your life in the middle of your crisis.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Sheep

"My sheep hear My voice." Jesus -
John 10:27

The Father's obedient children are not only on speaking terms with His Son, they listen for the sound of His voice. The moment His children fall in love with the sound of their own voices, they become rebels in His Kingdom, and lose their First Love.

NOTE TO SELF: You may claim to have a family relationship with The Father and wear the name of His Son on your clothing and jewelry, but when you are prayerless your witness bears little resemblance to the character of Christ. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice." Don't act like one of the lost sheep. If Jesus has found you, seek Him.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Run

"I press on toward the goal..." Philippians 3:14

NOTE TO SELF: The race transforms your character on earth, by keeping your eyes on Jesus. Prayer keeps your focus on Him, and not on the crisis of the day. Focusing on the crisis is like looking over your shoulder while running a race. Prayer focuses your eyes on the leader of the race, the goal and the prize, all at the same time. Run to Jesus.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Worthy

"We came to your brother Esau, and…he is coming to meet you.’…Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. ”
Genesis 32:7

Fear is a great motivator. Jacob, the deceiver, expected to become the receiver of some rough justice from his brother, Esau. The worst part, Jacob knew he had it coming.

Jacob was at the end of his rope, but he was not through making rope. Prayerless people are master rope-makers.

“He divided the people who were with him…into two companies…” v. 7

Jacob was a shrewd man. Being shrewd is the world’s substitute for wisdom. A shrewd man tries to keep his options open even when they don't exist.

“If Esau comes to the one company and attacks it, then the company which is left will escape.” v. 8

Blind panic may be the lowest motivation for prayer, but it is still a highly effective one. Jacob was out of options, and God intended for him to face the consequences.

When Jacob finally came face to face with his crisis, he turned his face towards God. Prayer is always the wisest move that can be made when faced with a crisis, and overwhelmed by panic. No matter what the motivation may be for prayer, just start praying. God hears prayers forged in the furnace of panic.

“Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your relatives, and I will prosper you,’ ‘I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant…Deliver me, I pray.”
Genesis 32:9-11

Jacob’s obedience to God, not his rebellion, put him face to face with an encounter with his wronged brother. When he heard God say, “Return to your country,” Jacob must have known this day of reckoning was coming. He obeyed God anyway.

When he realized where his obedience had led him, Jacob prayed, "O God of my father."

Turning to God involves being right with God. Being right with God includes making things right with others. When Jacob remembered to get with God, God improved his memory about what Jacob had done to his brother.

“I am unworthy” – There comes a point in prayer when being right with God is all that matters.

“Deliver me, I pray.” - Deliverance is not an escape from conflict. It is a victory in the middle of a battle. Prayerful people trust God.

NOTE TO SELF: If God has brought you to it, then God will bring you through it. God intended for Jacob to meet his brother face to face. When he ran out of rope, he ran to God. Prayer is where the battle is won. When you come face to face with a crisis, get face to face with God. You aren’t worthy of God’s loving-kindness and faithfulness. Jesus Christ is The Champion over your crisis. Pray in His name.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Unceasing

"Pray without ceasing." I Thessalonians 5:17

NOTE TO SELF: Saul had a life-changing encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus. He experienced more than a name change. The Apostle Paul never got over hearing Jesus call his name. Praying without ceasing, Paul perpetuated what Jesus initiated. You can too.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Salutation

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice."
Philippians 4:4

More than an expression of mere happiness or temporary gladness, the word "rejoice" served as a salutation at the beginning of a letter, a greeting at the meeting of a friend, or a salute given to a master. Prayer warriors find unceasing joy when they pray and obey.

NOTE TO SELF: When you rejoice, in the face of real opposition, you salute the true Champion. It is a sign of disrespect to panic in His Presence, and it is an act of rebellion to disobey His orders.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!