Why Your Prayer Matters

“God intends for us to fight sin as an army, not as a soldier.”

— Gary Thomas in Thirsting For God

“Satan does not fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.”

— Deitrich Bonhoeffer in Temptation

“pray without ceasing,”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Although I have followed Jesus for many years, God has taken the last couple of weeks to remind me of the necessity of prayer.  Not only the importance, or the priority of prayer, but the essential role of prayer that is foundational for a healthy spirituality, a healthy marriage, and a healthy church.  So often, prayer is something that is done "if we have time" and this leaves us spiritually dry.  In a spiritual catch-22, we become spiritually destitite because we do not have an active prayer life, then in our destitution, we pray.

Last month, I visited a young dynamic church (www. red4christministries.com)  that was holding an outdoor worship and community picnic.  During the worship service, a couple performed a powerful liturgical dance.  It was God's creative way of reminding me that prayer must be foundational in everything we do.

Abraham Caraballo is the leader of a ministry called warriors for Christ and it is a marital arts ministry.  Abraham looks the part, athletic, wearing traditional martial arts gear, but being able to turn his normally pleasant demenor into a "war face" instantly.  HIs wife, eileen, is one of the leaders of the praise dance team at the church and can be seen every Sunday, singing, dancing, and exhorting others to worship.  They performed a piece together where Abraham was seen fighting off multiple attackers dressed in black using perfected Tae Kwon do techniques while Eileen worshiped and danced in the center of the platform. The attackers attempted to attack Eileen, but were unable to reach her because they were confronted aggressively by Abraham first.  Through this first act, Eileen continued to worship God, almost oblivious to the warfare that existed around her.

This is a tremendous metaphor for intercessory prayer.  In the spiritual realm, Abraham's activity represents our ability to intercede on behalf of those we love to ward off multiple varieties of spiritual attacks by contending and prevailing in prayer.  These attacks are not simply manifested as increased temptation, but often in discouragement, fear, and seasons of confusion. Yet, as Abraham's defense symbolized, we are often able to thwart the effectiveness of those atacks by standing guard and continually praying for our loved ones.

The Abraham and Elieen's performance takes an unexpected turn.  One of the attackers in Black, turns to Abraham and despite Abraham's skill in self-defense, he is knocked down.  At this point, he becomes the center of attack, while Eileen is seen continually worshiping and dancing on the side of theplatform.  Again, she initally seems oblivious to the increasingly hostile attack that her husband is now enduring.  This would not be the case for long as Eileen's worship and dancing picked up to a feverish pace and she moved to dance around her fallen husband.  She does not engage the attackers but simply surrounded him in worship.  The attackers seem befuddled that they are unable to get to Abraham while he is down but are not being confronted by Eileen either.  There is a presence; a power that Eileen's worship brings on the spiritual realm that is powerfully defending her wounded husband.

This is the reality of the interdependence of the spiritual lives of husband and wives that is clear in Scripture.  What we often do not recognize is how often your spouse, being grounded in his/her continual conversation and openness to God is interceding and protecting you.  

Now, I have been in Christian traditions that "over-spiritualize" everything. In those traditions, you rebuke everything, including inanimate objects because there lurks a possible "demon".  I have also participated in traditions where nothing is spiritual and there is a material explanation for even the most mysterious supernatural phenomena.  The truth is spiritual forces are manifest or revealed in tangible ways continually (Read II Kings 6:15ff for a great story of that revelation).

What God was telling me and I am sharing with you is that it is vital for the health of your love ones that you to have a healthy prayer life.  You will never know when the connection you have with God is literally interceding and guarding your family, friends, and church family.  It is not because of your spiritual boldness and authority that brings this to bear.  It is simply the presence of God within you that brings a power that can demolish even the greatest "stronghold" (II Cor 10:4ff).

In my life, I am thankful for my wife and ministry partner Amelia!  I was literally brought to tear watching Eileen and Abraham, but thinking of how many times I have been wounded (both by life and self-inflicted) but yet it was Amelia who prayed, worshiped, and loved me into health.  That is why a spouse who loves God more than they love anything is essential for my health, not just their salvation.  And I thank God everyday for the gift of who Amelia is and the effect of her love of God.

If you have been blessed with a believing spouse, take time to thank them for their faith, and thank God for them.  If you are a believer, please understand that you connection to God is literally interceding for your family. Be encouraged as in the presence of God comes the "fullness of joy" and you serve a God is that is continually redeeming, restoring, and reforming everything.  His word tells us that he makes everything beautiful in His own time (Ecc 3).  So no matter what the state of your relationship, family, health, etc, God is still in control.

Thankful and encouraged this morning!  God bless you