03/31/2020
Last night a message popped up on my phone, and the husband of a couple that Ann and I hold very dear was asking for prayer. He had just taken his wife to the hospital with the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. I read the text message aloud to Ann, and then we began to pray together for her, and them. Have you ever been tested by such events in your life, and how did you react to them? Did your trial cause you to dig deep into your faith, or was your faith and prayer just a side note, or perhaps an afterthought?
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
James 1:2-3 ESV
When my children were younger I would watch them as they made their way through life, and sometimes I would see that they were struggling with something. By way of example, a common issue was getting behind in a school assignment. There are many such trials in the lives of our children, and although a school assignment might seem rather trivial to us as parents, it is a stressful event to our children. So I would see their struggle, but instead of jumping in and taking charge I would watch from a safe distance, and wait for them to either figure it out, or come to me for help. If they did neither, then I would step in unannounced, and take charge. This is very similar to what the Lord does with us. In most instances He waits to see if we will come to Him, exactly how we will do so, and then step in accordingly, but He always has a plan for us as His children.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14 ESV
In the situation last night, our friends reached out immediately to the Lord in prayer, and then solicited the prayers of their friends, others of faith, to join them in their prayers, as they asked for God’s help in the midst of their personal trial.
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."”
Matthew 18:20 ESV
Sometimes we pray the same way that we suffer... alone... but we were never really intended to be that way. God gave Adam a wife in Eve, not just as a helpmate, but because He realized that it wasn’t good for him to be alone. Then He increased them, and made families, and brought them together as people, and to worship Him together as churches. There are so many ways we have been brought together so that we are not alone, but the most important is in our relationship with God, as experienced through prayer, faith, and worship... together. We are not meant to be physically alone, and we have never been spiritually alone.
“Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."”
Genesis 2:18 ESV
Physically God gave us one another, but spiritually we are not meant to be alone either. God tells us repeatedly that we are not alone, and that He is with us.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."”
Joshua 1:9 ESV
He sent Jesus to not only redeem us, but to remind us that God is with us always, and when Jesus ascended into heaven to sit at His right hand, we received the Holy Spirit to comfort us. We have never been spiritually alone... not even close. We often say that Jesus began His ministry alone in the desert, but That's not true... He was led there by the Holy Spirit. likewise, we are never spiritually alone either.
“And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38 ESV
So our trials are meant to increase us in our faith, and make us steadfast in it, but they also bring us together. We are brought together spiritually with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and physically we are brought together with one another to pray, praise, and worship our Heavenly Father. Our spirits and souls mingle, and our physical lives support one another as well.
Last night I received a text message that brought me together in prayer with a close friend, as we prayed for the healing of his wife, and in that effort my wife, Ann, joined with us, which increased that togetherness. Then, as we prayed I asked Jesus to intercede with us before God... do you ever do that in your prayers? This is our promise, and it brings two or more of us together spiritually, just as praying with one another does physically.
“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:24-25 KJV
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
1 Timothy 2:5-6 KJV
Here is our testimony...
After arriving at the hospital, my friend was not allowed to be with his wife in the Emergency Room due to the Coronavirus epidemic, and the fear of its spread. So as he stood outside the hospital praying, and after receiving his message we joined him in prayer, along with others, God then began the work we have seen Him do so often.
First we received word that her blood pressure was very high, then that she hadn’t had a stroke, then that her heart was looking good, and finally that her blood pressure was dropping, and that if this continued they would send her home. All of this within an hour and a half of prayer.
Trial produces steadfast faith, faith leads us to pray immediately, then to reach out and pray with others, and to not only pray in the name of Jesus, but to call upon Him to intercede personally for us before God.
When we do this our faith is certainly increased, and we become steadfast in it. On this night our prayers were answered quickly, but at other times we must wait, persevere, pray in the spirit, pray repeatedly, pray without ceasing, or learn other lessons of faith... like understanding God’s will, and seeing His goodness, especially when we don’t get the answer we want.
Are you facing trials today? Are you trying to handle them yourself by leaning on your own ability and understanding? Well stop whatever it is that you are doing, go to a quiet place, and pray that God reveal His will to you, and for the Holy Spirit to instruct you in how you should pray. Then ask others to join you in your prayers, and call on Jesus to intercede. As you do this expect God’s answer, and remain steadfast in not only your faith, but your prayers, and your expectations.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for hearing our prayers, and answering us as we pray within your will, and to your glory. Thank you Lord for your Son Jesus who not only died to save us from sin and death, but who now intercedes for us before you. Help us Holy Father to know how best to pray, and to find your will as we face our circumstances, and trials. Be merciful Father as you consider us, and hear us calling on the name of Jesus. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you who increases us in faith as we are confronted by hardships, and trials. Wonderful is your name as you heal us and answer our prayers in so many ways. Great are you, as you respond to the name of your Son Jesus, knowing that through Him we have found you, and your will for us. We thank you Father for the miracles we receive in our lives, and the spiritual wonders we receive in our spirit and soul. Praised be your name Lord for all glory is yours, now, and forevermore! Every answered prayer testifies to your grace, goodness, and ultimately to your glory! Our testament is your story, and truth.
Rich Forbes