A Prayer Warrior’s Heart
Do you remember when the praying saints were called ‘prayer warriors’? You knew that when they prayed, God was listening. At our church, it was the women who carried that distinction. They were usually older and some were widows. What a special place they have in my heart. My burden was lighter because they prayed. Now, we call this group ‘intercessors’ for the most part.
The truth is that NO body of believers should be without this group that not only lifts up the spoken needs of the body but carries the needs of the church in their heart. They are the ones that battle against the enemy for the people. I still like the phrase ‘prayer warrior’. Warrior brings up vivid pictures in my mind. I think of Hebrews 11 – the list of people who stood by faith for God against the enemy. Take time to read this chapter. Think about the character that was formed in each of these as they walked with God and went to war for Him.
The plan of the enemy is to create misery, take away hope, and develop a climate of despair and helplessness. We overcome evil with good. We must of necessity position ourselves daily in Christ in order to reveal the nature of the Kingdom. Good soldiers fight the space around them to create a clearing where Christ can be seen. Graham Cooke Qualities of a Spiritual Warrior
I love this quote, particularly the part about clearing the space around us so Christ can be seen. As people see Him in truth and experience, their world will change. That is what we do in battle. We cause the enemy to retreat from lives and release the grip he has on them. Soldiers must be prepared and be on guard. They must be properly trained and fit for battle. God is calling us to this state of preparedness. He is calling us to a walk with Him that will form character and tenacity and the steadfastness to impact the enemy of our generation. As we live from this stance, we will change circumstances where we live, work and worship. We will begin to change the atmosphere around us. We will ‘clear the space’ so that the Good News of Jesus’ victory can be seen by those in need, and they will be transformed and live from His victory.
The Word is a picture of God’s character. Since we are his representatives, his ambassadors, his warriors, we must let the Holy Spirit form that character within us. We will then exhibit His love, His compassion and His mercy as we identify with those that are in need. We cannot come alongside them with an attitude that keeps us distant from their problems. The publican prayed a haughty prayer “I am so glad I am not like that sinner.” A prayer of identification in the Spirit reaches out to people right where they are and by your prayers, you lift them up to where they should be. We must allow our emotions to be touched by the pain of others (compassion) so we can identify with their needs more easily. Paul speaks of this in 2 Corinthians 1:4. His experiences allowed him to identify with those in need. The comfort we receive is to be given away.
Love – Prayer that touches the heart of God will come from a heart of love. This love goes beyond your natural feelings. It brings you to the place of being willing to lay down your agenda for what God wants for the one you are praying for. Ministry from your own mind will make you tired and burned out. Instead, you must respond from God’s instruction and a heart of love. This is not love as the world knows it. Jesus modeled a new kind of love – one that would cause a man to die for a sinner. He must place this kind of love in your spirit. Ask Him for a new heart – one that loves like He does. We must learn to love the “down and out”, the unlovely, the poor, the sick – “the people from the highways and byways.” In the parable about the feast, everyone was too busy to come to the King’s dinner. So he finally sent his servants out to the “highways and byways” and he said, “Compel them to come in that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23) Do you know who lived in the highways and byways? Remember the story of the Good Samaritan? There were thieves, robbers, and of course, the homeless. These are not the “lovelies”. But, God is calling them. I love a story about John Wimber’s church. This occurred during the hippie movement. On Sunday morning the church was full. A young man came into the church. He had wild hair, jeans with holes, and was barefooted. The church was full and there was nowhere to sit, so, he made his way to the front and sat down on the carpet. People noticed. An elderly deacon, dressed in a suit, tapped his way down the aisle with his cane. Most expected him to do something about this young man. The audacity!!! The old man, slowly lowered himself to the floor and sat with him on the carpet. The pastor rose and said, “I can never preach a sermon like the one you have seen today.” Let’s ask God to bring in the hurting community! Let’s go to the highways and byways to minister His Good News with love. The word used was a strong verb – compel. The day for allowing ourselves to remain silent is over. Examine your heart – does it love like His? Does is beat with compassion…
Compassion – is the outward expression of God’s love through outward acts. Jesus operated in compassion. When you minister with compassion, you come alongside the person, put an arm around them and feel their distress. It is close and connected. Ezekiel 11:19 says, “God will remove your heart of stone that can’t be touched and give you a heart of flesh.” This heart can be “moved” with compassion. It can look at a situation and “feel” what that person is feeling. Jesus was “moved with compassion” as he ministered and saw the needs of the people. It is important to stay alert to the people around us. You should notice those that cry, sit with their head down, or are fidgeting. Watch for those that God is working in and be alert to their needs. Watch for those that are in despair and depression. Compassion will help you minister in love. Compassion is outward love. It is what compels you to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, or hold the weeping. Compassion can be expressed in a hug or a smile. Let your words be encouraging. Let the person always know that God loves them.
Mercy – cries out “Don’t give them what they deserve.” Religion is concerned with judgment, not mercy. It is about keeping rules and paying back what is due. It is about punishing those that have disobeyed the rules. Jesus came so that the Spirit of Religion would be displaced and we would operate in the Kingdom. We would operate from relationship born out of love and compassion. That relationship will not waiver in the face of hard times, circumstances or disagreement. Mercy steps out of religion and operates in the grace and forgiveness of God. We must pray for a spirit of mercy. Mercy asks God to restore the person and not give them what they deserve. James 2:13 “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Ask God to remove every judgmental or critical area/attitude in your own heart. You cannot minister without this trait. The story of the woman caught in adultery is an example of how God wants us to administer mercy in the body. Jesus did not condemn her…He told her to “go and sin no more.”
As a prayer warrior, you step into the role of soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4 says, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” This role will require separation from those things that will distract us from the ‘war’. All should pray, but some carry a greater burden of prayer. It is time to be prepared for the day of battle. There are some that will sound the “cry” from the wall. There will be some called into a fierce battle for a season. Ask God where you should be positioned. Ask Him to search your heart and reveal the areas for change/upgrade. Ask him to lead you to the marketplace for ministry. Some battles will the won in your prayer closet, but some will require combat. Remember the Lord of Hosts is ALWAYS with you. Remember that soldiers do not fight alone. That is why our prayer network is critical to the Body of Christ at large. We join together for one goal and one purpose – to see the enemy’s defeat and the Kingdom of God advance.
Do you remember when the praying saints were called ‘prayer warriors’? You knew that when they prayed, God was listening. At our church, it was the women who carried that distinction. They were usually older and some were widows. What a special place they have in my heart. My burden was lighter because they prayed. Now, we call this group ‘intercessors’ for the most part.
The truth is that NO body of believers should be without this group that not only lifts up the spoken needs of the body but carries the needs of the church in their heart. They are the ones that battle against the enemy for the people. I still like the phrase ‘prayer warrior’. Warrior brings up vivid pictures in my mind. I think of Hebrews 11 – the list of people who stood by faith for God against the enemy. Take time to read this chapter. Think about the character that was formed in each of these as they walked with God and went to war for Him.
The plan of the enemy is to create misery, take away hope, and develop a climate of despair and helplessness. We overcome evil with good. We must of necessity position ourselves daily in Christ in order to reveal the nature of the Kingdom. Good soldiers fight the space around them to create a clearing where Christ can be seen. Graham Cooke Qualities of a Spiritual Warrior
I love this quote, particularly the part about clearing the space around us so Christ can be seen. As people see Him in truth and experience, their world will change. That is what we do in battle. We cause the enemy to retreat from lives and release the grip he has on them. Soldiers must be prepared and be on guard. They must be properly trained and fit for battle. God is calling us to this state of preparedness. He is calling us to a walk with Him that will form character and tenacity and the steadfastness to impact the enemy of our generation. As we live from this stance, we will change circumstances where we live, work and worship. We will begin to change the atmosphere around us. We will ‘clear the space’ so that the Good News of Jesus’ victory can be seen by those in need, and they will be transformed and live from His victory.
The Word is a picture of God’s character. Since we are his representatives, his ambassadors, his warriors, we must let the Holy Spirit form that character within us. We will then exhibit His love, His compassion and His mercy as we identify with those that are in need. We cannot come alongside them with an attitude that keeps us distant from their problems. The publican prayed a haughty prayer “I am so glad I am not like that sinner.” A prayer of identification in the Spirit reaches out to people right where they are and by your prayers, you lift them up to where they should be. We must allow our emotions to be touched by the pain of others (compassion) so we can identify with their needs more easily. Paul speaks of this in 2 Corinthians 1:4. His experiences allowed him to identify with those in need. The comfort we receive is to be given away.
Love – Prayer that touches the heart of God will come from a heart of love. This love goes beyond your natural feelings. It brings you to the place of being willing to lay down your agenda for what God wants for the one you are praying for. Ministry from your own mind will make you tired and burned out. Instead, you must respond from God’s instruction and a heart of love. This is not love as the world knows it. Jesus modeled a new kind of love – one that would cause a man to die for a sinner. He must place this kind of love in your spirit. Ask Him for a new heart – one that loves like He does. We must learn to love the “down and out”, the unlovely, the poor, the sick – “the people from the highways and byways.” In the parable about the feast, everyone was too busy to come to the King’s dinner. So he finally sent his servants out to the “highways and byways” and he said, “Compel them to come in that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23) Do you know who lived in the highways and byways? Remember the story of the Good Samaritan? There were thieves, robbers, and of course, the homeless. These are not the “lovelies”. But, God is calling them. I love a story about John Wimber’s church. This occurred during the hippie movement. On Sunday morning the church was full. A young man came into the church. He had wild hair, jeans with holes, and was barefooted. The church was full and there was nowhere to sit, so, he made his way to the front and sat down on the carpet. People noticed. An elderly deacon, dressed in a suit, tapped his way down the aisle with his cane. Most expected him to do something about this young man. The audacity!!! The old man, slowly lowered himself to the floor and sat with him on the carpet. The pastor rose and said, “I can never preach a sermon like the one you have seen today.” Let’s ask God to bring in the hurting community! Let’s go to the highways and byways to minister His Good News with love. The word used was a strong verb – compel. The day for allowing ourselves to remain silent is over. Examine your heart – does it love like His? Does is beat with compassion…
Compassion – is the outward expression of God’s love through outward acts. Jesus operated in compassion. When you minister with compassion, you come alongside the person, put an arm around them and feel their distress. It is close and connected. Ezekiel 11:19 says, “God will remove your heart of stone that can’t be touched and give you a heart of flesh.” This heart can be “moved” with compassion. It can look at a situation and “feel” what that person is feeling. Jesus was “moved with compassion” as he ministered and saw the needs of the people. It is important to stay alert to the people around us. You should notice those that cry, sit with their head down, or are fidgeting. Watch for those that God is working in and be alert to their needs. Watch for those that are in despair and depression. Compassion will help you minister in love. Compassion is outward love. It is what compels you to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, or hold the weeping. Compassion can be expressed in a hug or a smile. Let your words be encouraging. Let the person always know that God loves them.
Mercy – cries out “Don’t give them what they deserve.” Religion is concerned with judgment, not mercy. It is about keeping rules and paying back what is due. It is about punishing those that have disobeyed the rules. Jesus came so that the Spirit of Religion would be displaced and we would operate in the Kingdom. We would operate from relationship born out of love and compassion. That relationship will not waiver in the face of hard times, circumstances or disagreement. Mercy steps out of religion and operates in the grace and forgiveness of God. We must pray for a spirit of mercy. Mercy asks God to restore the person and not give them what they deserve. James 2:13 “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Ask God to remove every judgmental or critical area/attitude in your own heart. You cannot minister without this trait. The story of the woman caught in adultery is an example of how God wants us to administer mercy in the body. Jesus did not condemn her…He told her to “go and sin no more.”
As a prayer warrior, you step into the role of soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4 says, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” This role will require separation from those things that will distract us from the ‘war’. All should pray, but some carry a greater burden of prayer. It is time to be prepared for the day of battle. There are some that will sound the “cry” from the wall. There will be some called into a fierce battle for a season. Ask God where you should be positioned. Ask Him to search your heart and reveal the areas for change/upgrade. Ask him to lead you to the marketplace for ministry. Some battles will the won in your prayer closet, but some will require combat. Remember the Lord of Hosts is ALWAYS with you. Remember that soldiers do not fight alone. That is why our prayer network is critical to the Body of Christ at large. We join together for one goal and one purpose – to see the enemy’s defeat and the Kingdom of God advance.