Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." John 14:6 WEB.Years ago, when people around me started praying for someone, I would shy away or stand quietly by. If they really had their eyes closed and were praying the way they should have, they shouldn't have noticed me anyway. I always felt inside, like, "If they really knew me, they wouldn't have asked for prayer."
I never felt good enough to pray for others. When I was asked to pray, it seemed like everything I'd ever done wrong in my life would come to remembrance at that moment. It was a distraction and a real faith killer.
Once while I was contemplating this and still struggling when praying for others, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. He said: "You will never be good enough to pray on your own, but I have made you worthy." It's through Jesus Christ that we are made worthy to come into the Lord's presence at all. We know these things and hear them, yet many times it's only in our heads and not in our hearts. We must remember that Jesus is the One who makes us worthy, not ourselves.
We come to the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ only. If we walked into His presence without being washed in the blood of Jesus, we would disintegrate on the spot. We aren't the way to the Father. Jesus Christ is. So when you feel you aren't good enough to pray, you are right in a sense, but God has made you worthy through His Son, Jesus. Your past no longer matters. Paul was a former Christian hunter and imprisoned many, but later his prayers raised the dead to life (Acts 20:9).
When you believe that you aren't good enough to pray, you are thinking that you will talk to God using your own righteousness. Which, in my case, wouldn't get me very far. Without Jesus, we are nothing, and all of our righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Yet, with the Lord Jesus Christ, we are washed as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18) and can pray boldly in His presence (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus is the way to the Father, not us. Your forgiven past has nothing to do with your power in prayer today.
The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:16-18 WEB).
So when given the opportunity, pray for others boldly. Speak out in faith, thanking God for what He is going to do in their life. Lift them up, encourage them, and speak blessings over their life, knowing your prayers are heard. We are His hands and feet on this earth, and He will use us to reach those around us. No one can help everyone, but everyone can help someone.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for letting me pray for others. Please give my spirit boldness and help me stand strong for You when the opportunity comes. Speak to me and through me, Lord. Give me the words to encourage others today. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!Note: For those following the Creation Photography weekly challenges, group leader, Dianna Wyles: Hebrews 13:2 "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." ~ Our next fun theme choices will be 'Unexpected Guests" or 'Entertaining Angels" and is always open wide for your creative interpretations, so get creative and take some pictures. I get a lot of unexpected guests at our house and they are just not all human :). Mostly we see deer, squirrels, and birds visiting our yard. Always be kind to unexpected guests, just be careful as well! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the photos and I'm eager to see your posts too! Enjoy your week, everyone, and God bless! Here is the link:
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Amen
Amen
Amen. Thank You Jesus
Amen!
Yes, amen Lord.
Amen!!
Amen Good Morning Everyone
Calling now Father please help me let me know what I am to do you know the situation
Thank You, Jesus, for making me worthy! Help me to pray boldly for others needs. Amen!
Heavenly Father I thank You for allowing me to pray for others through Jesus Name. Please give my spirit boldness and help me to stand strong. Thank You Lord Jesus, Amen
A timely encouragement, Pastor Dion! Lord, give me the words to encourage others today. Amen
Amen!
Thank you for this devotion once again today! I too have struggle to feel worthy and still do. I know that Jesus's blood is the only thing that makes me worthy but I still do not feel worth. I feel like everyone around me is judging me while I am praying outloud. I am pretty sure this is from Satan but it does make it difficult to pray outloud for other. Thank you for this reasurance that we are holy through Jesus Christ!!
Amen and Amen!!! AMEN = so be it, so it is when we pray according to God's, our Lord's will, and it will be done according to His plan however long it may take!!! WE are here, I'm here, because of someone having prayed for us, because of God's goodness prompting someone to pray for us!!! Prayer is a powerful tool the Lord gave us, it should come straight from our hearts, no eloquent words or vain repetitions, all it takes is a quick prayer on the spur of the moment as the Lord lays it on our heart. I've been waking up, especially now in my later years, with someone on my mind that needed prayer, and I know it is of the Lord!!! (h5)
Amen!
Amen
Amen!
Amen!