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!

The Navigation

NOTE TO SELF: Rearranging deck chairs on "The Titanic" is not your mission in life. Changing the name of the boat or increasing the sound of the music won't save a sinking ship. Don't be committed to hitting icebergs. Surrender yourself to following Jesus Christ. Ministry to people can be an aggravation. Save as many people as you can. Keep building ships, and keep sailing into the wind. When you pray for contrary people you sail into the wind of opposition. Turn your aggravation into navigation. Don't go down with a ship. Change course.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Lift

NOTE TO SELF: When God says it, that settles it, whether you believe it or not. When you pray, abandon your will to God. Making deals with God deludes you into thinking you are an equal partner with Him. You are not. Talking about God is not the same thing as praying to Him. Praying to God leads you to total abandonment to Him. When God answers your prayer, show some humility. He did the heavy lifting.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Immediate

"Do not fear for I am with you."
Isaiah 41:10

The fear of man is no match for The Presence of God. His words of encouragement are still true. The Father is with His children.

NOTE TO SELF: Prayer makes God's Word come alive, taking them out of the past tense and applying them in the present tense. The immediacy of God's Presence is more than a match for the intimidation of the immediate.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Teachable

NOTE TO SELF: In The School of Prayer, it never hurts to ask. You aren’t learning if you are talking, but you begin to learn if you start asking the right questions. Humbly bringing an inquiry to The Father in prayer is not a sign of a rebellious child. It reveals a teachable spirit. Don't be late for school.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Warriors

WARRIORS WANTED:

"I searched for a man...who would...stand in the gap."
Ezekiel 22:30

Prayer warriors stand in the gap. They intercede, by praying for ALL the saints and against the real enemy. These warriors are the Special Ops of God's army. Utilizing prayer as night vision goggles, in the battle against evil, they attack the enemy. The darker the night, the better they fight.

NOTE TO SELF: In a world filled with darkness, utilize prayer as your night vision goggles. Don't take flight. Take up the fight. You own the night.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Authority

"First of all, then, I urge that entreaties & prayers & thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men...& for those who are in authority."
I Timothy 2:1-2

Preachers aren't called to be players, but PRAY-ers. They aren't cheerleaders for a political party. They are the referees called to watch over the soul of God's people. When they fail to pray, they blow the call.

NOTE TO SELF: Put away your pom poms & get out your knee pads. Intercede and plead for a nation in crisis in need of leaders who must hear from the same God who will send the next Great Awakening. Looking for revival in the White House, the court house, the statehouse or the church house, only postpones the one God wants to bring to your house. Revival is only a prayer away.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!

The Busy

The Fruit of The Spirit turns a church into a Farmer's Market, by displaying His produce in the lives of believers. A Spirit filled church is not a man-made attraction. It is a living body, filling the air, with the attractive aroma of Christ's character. The Spirit's labor protects Christ's church from evolving into a machine shop. The church should never be tricked into settling for turning out a cheap imitation of real fruit.

Filling the air with the odor of the sweat of the flesh and the sound of man-made machines may give an appearance of busyness, but it is not God's business. Taking a closer look at imitation fruit in the church reveals only barrenness. It never passes the taste test or the smell test needed to honor God. Nor will it satisfy people who are hungering for Jesus.

NOTE TO SELF: Filling the air with the odor of your sweat of the flesh and the sound of your self-made machines may give you an appearance of busyness, but it only leads to barrenness. Your ministry will never pass the taste test or the smell test of Christ's character, without being filled with His Spirit.

TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!