Prayer for the Soul-Winner

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As we go marching into Satan’s territory praying for and taking Jesus to those he has owned since the Garden of Eden, it is foolish to think Satan won’t retaliate.  And he does.

Since evangelism is rescuing captives from Satan’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13), he will do everything possible to keep unsaved people in that domain of darkness.  In his anger at us, he will hinder, intimidate, frighten, and tempt us in order to keep us from praying for and evangelizing those he still owns—so they will not be able to accept Jesus and be released from his evil domain.

It is Sunday afternoon.  I want to share with you what has been happening in my life. 

For the past 18 months I have been reading all of Evelyn Christenson’s books.  She has been my life mentor.  I have read all of her books once before many years ago, but when I heard that God had called her home to heaven, I knew it was time for me to read them again in honor of Evelyn.

It has been an incredible Journey.  I have learned so much about prayer.  It has been challenging at times, yet I have been so motivated to get out there in my work and try all the things I have learned.

Last week my heart was challenged to bring the Triplet Praying in my community.  Let me tell you what happened today.

It is a sunny day.  We have had so much rain, but the clouds had blown away and turned this day into a beautiful one.  I walked into church.  As I stood there looking around, a man came up to me.  I did not recognize him, but he acted like he knew me.  He said, “Hi Robin, I’m …..  You probably do not remember me, but we prayed together on National Prayer day.  Immediately I remembered him.  Then he proceeded to tell me that he was the head of Adult Ministries and he wondered if I would help them with Prayer in the Church/Community.  I told him that I had spent the last 18 months learning a lot about Prayer through Evelyn’s books.  Then I shared with him about the challenge in my heart for Triplet Praying.  I was so excited inside, but I quietly replied to him, “I’ll pray about it.”

As I walked out of church today I was so excited because God had not opened a door for me in ministry for the past 18 months as I have been going through Evelyn’s Books.  I have one chapter left.  Does God have a door of ministry ready to open for me?  I am not sure, but wherever he leads me he has been preparing me for it.  Please pray with me.

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I personally know the need—and the power –of intercessory prayer for ministry.  Since 1964 I have not even taught a Sunday school class without someone praying for me.  I am profoundly appreciative of those who have prayed for me all these years—and who are still praying for me.  I know the power of a ministry depends on the prayer support it has.  God truly does move in proportion to our praying.

I will not and cannot help with Prayer in our Church or Community without a Prayer Team in place.  I cannot, I cannot.

The past 18 months has been some of the hardest years of my life.     I did not have a prayer team praying for me as I was learning about prayer.  As I look at this now I realize this was a big mistake.  I wanted to have a Prayer Team, but I did not feel like I should ask people to pray for me as I learn about prayer. We live and learn as we go through life. 

Yes, I have learned something huge.  I cannot do anything without prayer support.  I do not know where God is leading me, but I do know I will not go anywhere without a prayer team.  Please pray for God to open the doors he wants me to go through and then raise up a Prayer Team to be the prayer power behind whatever God is doing in our world.

This brings us to the last chapter of Praying God’s Way for next week.  I am a little sad knowing this wonderful time with Evelyn’s books is complete.  I pray that if God wants me to get out there in my world and share all that I have learned, he will have to make it so…. clear to me.

Next week I will be reading the last chapter of the book Praying God’s Way and sharing my thoughts with you.  I will also wrap up my Incredible Journey with Evelyn.  I will be sharing a poem that I have written in honor of Evelyn.

 

Chapter 10: How to Pray for the Lost

Pre-evangelism Praying

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Are you puzzled about why so many Christians are witnessing, going out as missionaries, preaching, and faithfully inviting unbelievers to accept Jesus—yet with such little success?  Do you wonder why, even when people use very scriptural methods, there often are so few results in proportion to the amount of sincere honest effort put forth?

I believe one of the main reasons for this lack of fruit is that we have failed to sufficiently involve God—through prayer—in our soul-winning efforts.  In pre-evangelism praying, we ask the omnipotent God of the universe to reach down and work in people’s lives before we do.  And what a difference such praying makes!

The power of prayer is the key to anything we try and do for God, yet it is so easy to run around trying to do things the way I want them to be done.  I have an evangelistic heart, but often with the busy lifestyle that I live I forget and try and do things in my own strength.  This never works.

The past year and a half, as I have read Evelyn’s books, I have been so challenged to ALWAYS go to God first, and then try to do what God lays on my heart.

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I believe we waste much effort, time, finances, and Gospel seed if we do not pray sufficiently before we sow the Word to the unsaved.

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Billy Graham has reached the major part of the world simultaneously through satellite television broadcasts from Costa Rica.  Yet he says the three most important things in his crusades are prayer, prayer, and prayer.

PRAYER

Dictionary Definition

An earnest or humble request, act of praying.

I can know what prayer is, I can believe in it, but unless I take actions and pray, the power of prayer that is available to me is wasted.  I need to make prayer an absolute priority in my life in everything that I do.

Recently I had a friend call me who had been waiting on God for a long time.  She had so many plans for her life, but nothing was happening.  Then one day she decided to put everything else aside and JUST Pray.  Pray, Pray and still more Praying.

The prayer had made such a difference in her life and she said, “Robin, It’s all about prayer.  Stop your busy lifestyles and find time for God and then Pray, Pray and Pray.” 

This is what I want for my life.  I want prayer to be the focal part of every day.  Evelyn under stood what the power of pray does and she practiced it, I want to live my life like Evelyn did. The power of prayer is the key to life.

Dear God,

Forgive me that I do not take the time to pray and do so many things in my own strength.  You are my power source, but I need to take the time to STOP and JUST pray and then JUST LISTEN for you to speak to me.

 

 

Chapter 9: Empowerment for Us, Too

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you… (Acts 1:8a)

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What did that power include?  Why did Jesus provide His people with other kinds of supernatural empowerment?  Because Jesus knew they would need many different kinds of power for their assignment of evangelizing the whole world.  Then Jesus added that assignment:

You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. 

(Acts 1:8b) 

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Here are a few of the other kinds of power the disciples of Jesus, after being filled with the Holy Spirit, had when they started evangelizing:

         1.   Power that produced much evangelism fruit

2.       Empowered with boldness

3.       Courage in persecution

4.       Holy Spirit Recalls

5.       Guidance

6.       Power over Satan

7.       Power working in us

He is able to do those great things only according to the power that works in us Christians which is the power of the Holy Spirit.   So, trying to evangelize in our own power instead of letting God work through the power of His Holy Spirit in us, we limit what God is able to do through us.

God’s power is available to anyone who is willing to follow him with obedience in their lives. 

Obedience is so important, but my actions can often hinder God from working through me.  Why, because when I do things that are not pleasing to God, I quench the Holy Spirit from working in my life.

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“Quench” means literally, “to put out a fire.”  When the Holy Spirit desires to burn in us like fire, Christians often quench that fire by substituting human plans, programs, and projects for the Spirit’s divine power, substituting forms of godliness without the activity of the Holy Spirit.

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Unconfessed and thus unforgiven sins grieve the Holy Spirit because they hinder His filling us, working in us, and flowing out of us.  Anxious to produce fruit for Jesus through us, the Holy Spirit longs to fill us with all we need—when we first empty ourselves of all that is grieving and hindering Him.

I wonder how many times I have tried to do something for God without his power.  Oh yes, sin in my life has quenched the Holy Spirit from working through me many times.  I want to be filled with God’s wonderful Holy Spirit.  I think it is time for me to pray.

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Don’t go without power!

O Lord, protect us from ever trying to reach the lost in our human ability.  Fill us—and keep on filling us—with Your precious Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I will be posting this week on Wednesday.

Dear friend,

Due to situations beyond my control, I was not able to post today.  I will be posting to this blog tomorrow!  Thanks!

Robin