I love Superhero shows… and lately i’ve been thinking alot about why they get so much attention. No one really cares if someone is super fast or super strong or telekinetic if they only use it for their own gain… its about using those powers for good. Heroes. I think it inspires something in all of us to want to be heroes. Even the side-characters that don’t have the central power, generally figure out a way to be a part of the heroism by contributing whatever special skills or knowledge they have. I’m especially thinking about DC Comics… (the Flash, the Arrow, DC Legends). Now, mind you, I’m not advocating those shows – there are a lot of themes i don’t necessarily agree with in the shows… but the idea that power should be used for good and that it inspires others is something worth considering.
As a Christian, i am fascinated and drawn to the incredible power available to us through prayer and the gifts of the Spirit. We have access to an incredible source of power… special gifts… to be used for good… so why don’t more of us “eagerly desire” these gifts?
I choose to focus on prayer and it’s incredible power in my life… I have seen some impossible things happen as a result of prayer. I’ve heard it more than once, “When we pray, ‘coincidences’ happen when we don’t, they don’t.” there’s a funny story here that i saw on facebook that perfectly exaggerates this point. Seriously – if you have a few minutes watch this snip it, it’ll make you laugh and think.
I digress – back to the topic at hand. Sometimes when I pray, I feel like Moses on the mountaintop, holding his arms out supporting the battle below. As he got tired and his arms lowered the Israelites began to lose, so Joshua and Aaron stood on both sides of him and supported his arms. Do you ever feel like you are standing in the gap for someone and exhausted as the battle rages on? I do. But I also know the power that is being wielded as I pray, fervently and unceasingly. We can change the world around us for good – with the power of prayer.
Spiritual Battle…
In Daniel, the angel says to him, the battle is raging and we have heard your prayers. Daniel 10. The angel tells Daniel, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. God has heard your prayers ever since the first day you decided to humble yourself in order to gain understanding” This is one of my favorite passages about spiritual battle. There is a battle raging behind the scenes between good and evil and when Christians pray, their prayers strengthen the fight
The prayer of a righteous man [human] avails much. James 5:16
It is important to note that God doesn’t ALWAYS answer with “yes”… sometimes he says “no”… or “wait”… and sometimes he answers our prayers by changing us rather than the circumstances- but he always hears and answers. Sometimes Jesus is looking at the “long game” and may not answer the way we expect or in the timeline we expect because he has a larger plan… but He promises that “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”. Rom 8:28. He also tells the story of the persistent widow, who continues to pester until she is heard… I think that encourages us to keeeeeep praying, even if we aren’t see results right away… there might be a spiritual battle raging in the background.
This is the superpower available to us – the power of prayer – of the listening ear of an almighty power. It’s important to recognize the ways God has answered our prayers – start tracking your answered prayers – start seeing how He is working in your life. It’s easy to forget the way he answered your small prayers over the course of your life – but when you write them down… you remember and it strengthens your faith – and your prayers.
How have you seen prayers being answered in your life and the lives of those around you? Id love to hear some of the ways God has answered both big and small prayers. Share your encouraging stories!
