Linda's Prayer

I believe that praying definitely changes things. Jesus said, "Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." The prophet Elijah was one man and yet he prayed that it would not rain on the earth... and for 3½ years it did not rain. Then he prayed again that it would rain, and it did. The children of Israel had turned their backs on God and began to worship idols. Elijah was trying to get their attention. This is an example to the strength of prayer and a testimony to the omnipotence of the Almighty in hearing our earnest prayers... even if its just one person praying.

The apostle James said that the effective, fervent prayers of the righteous can bring about great opportunities. So, what makes a prayer effective? Faith. Without it, it's impossible to please God. The one that comes to God must believe that He exists and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Sometimes, we may have to pray more than once. Elijah prayed seven times before his servant saw the small cloud the size of a man's hand. But then, the rain came in abundance.

Sometimes the hope of relief tries to sink us while we wait for the answers through long and lengthy delays. The prophet Isaiah said when we wait on the Lord we shall have renewed strength. We shall mount up and fly high, like an eagle and we shall run and not get tired and we shall walk and not fall down. Even when the young gets tired, the Lord will give us incredible strength to accomplish incredible things.

• I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14

What was the belief that kept the psalmist David from totally giving up? Belief in God's goodness, which at the time seemed at a distance. Nevertheless, he believed that before he passed on from the land of the living, he would eventually outlive his troubles and not perish under them.

Waiting on the Lord does not entail shrugging our shoulders and sitting idly by, till God finally decides to move. Waiting on the Lord is constancy. Seeking His wisdom. Confessing His word. Talking to Him. Listening for Him. Obeying Him. While waiting on God we don't stew over the problem. True, this is easier said, than done. We don't focus on the problem, we focus on the Problem Solver.

Pastor David Yonggi Cho was asked by a group of pastors how he was able to build the world's largest church. His reply, "I pray and I obey." Prayer does not equip us for greater works. Prayer is the greater work and the responsibility God gives us to affect change here on earth.

Waiting does have its rightful place though. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the promise of Isaac to manifest. But I wonder what would've happened had they prayed, instead of birthing Ishmael on their own. God would have caused the situation to turn out completely different, I'm pretty sure.

There was this gentile Syrophoenician woman that heard Jesus of Nazareth was in the region of Tyre and Sidon. Her daughter was severely demon-possessed. She cried out to Jesus to have mercy on them but He ignored her and answered her not a word. The disciples begged Jesus to send her away because she was becoming terribly annoying. Finally, Jesus said to her that He was sent to shepherd the lost sheep of the house of Israel and that it was not good to give the children's bread to dogs. This lady refused to be offended by Jesus comparing her to a dog. She cried after Him again, "Yes Lord, even the little dogs get crumbs that fall from their master's table." Jesus replied to her, "O woman, you have great faith. Let it be to you as you desired." And her daughter was delivered at that very moment.

Another story is told of a man that came to his friend's house at midnight to borrow bread because he had a house guest show up and did not have sufficient groceries to feed him. The friend would not, at first, get out of bed but told the friend to go away since it was not convenient. But the persistent man would not go away but instead continued to knock at the friend's door. Finally, he got out of bed and gave the man as much as he wanted, not out of love for a friend, but because of the friend's persistence.

This is not an encouragement to get you to manipulate God into doing what you want, when you want it and how you want it. But what I am encouraging is this, that we not be misled by the delayed answers. God is a right now God... a very present help in trouble. He has the power to do the impossible and nothing, absolutely nothing is too hard for Him. If you have to pray more than once... do it. But don't be defeated... and don't become the victim... by giving up on God too soon.

• Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

• Ps. 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

A story is told by Pastor Tony Evans of an evangelic crusade that he participated in at Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC.  The ministers and planning committee gathered to pray about an hour before the service started. It was reported that a major thunder storm was heading toward the stadium and would hit at precisely the time the service was to begin.

All the ministers prayed "if it was His will" that God would allow the service to go on and not be hindered by the storm.  Then a little 5'1" woman named Linda asked if she could pray...

Linda's prayer:

"Father, we are here doing what You have asked us to do. You asked us to win souls to Christ. You asked us to proclaim Your word. We've spent time, money and energy putting this crusade together, doing what You commanded us to do. So You would embarrass Yourself if You let it rain tonight, because You control the weather. So therefore Lord I command You to stop the rain!"

About 10 to 15 minutes into the service, the storm was moving toward the stadium and the crowd was beginning to stir because you could hear thunder and see lightning in the distance. Linda was sitting on the front row next to a gentleman when it begins to drizzle. The gentleman then opens an umbrella and puts it over Linda. She pushes the man's hand back, refusing the umbrella. Then, it happened. The rain came all the way up to the stadium and split in half - half of the rain went to the left around the stadium and half went to the right around the other side and came back together at the other end of the stadium. Linda had prayed a powerful, effectual and fervent prayer - and seen the results of it in a miraculous way.

• James 5:16b The effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much.

Go in peace.