June Letter From the Editor: Answered Prayers
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. - Mark 11:24
My friend and I have prayed for years together. At midnight on the phone, we interceded for others - several times a week. While living together, we spent many hours in the middle of our hallway praying. There were times we would stand at the front of a church - holding hands and interceding. We led prayer walks across a city. Our prayers are legendary.
This month we started asking why we didn’t receive more answers to our prayers. Then, God issued a challenge - are we ready to RECEIVE the answers to our prayers. It’s funny how that works. As Christians, we talk about prayer and the mighty work God can do. However, we forget the second half of the verse…believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. All of these years of prayer - and we forgot the second half of the verse!
I asked you to prepare for our July Tirzah in the Word topic of prayer by joining us in prayer this month. God came through in mighty ways. For years I’ve prayed for people to be aware of the needs of moms, dads, and babies. I’ve prayed for a just nation as well. Dobbs was passed and Roe v. Wade was overturned (We’ll do a more in-depth article on this at a different time:))
“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” - Psa. 34:8
On Sunday, my friend and I attended an event where a church we used to attend was reaching out to our city. The city I previously lived in is known as one of the most segregated cities in America. This suburban church set up a camp in the Hispanic neighborhood this month and will be in the African - American community next month. We prayed what felt like daily for this church to come out from its walls and join us in exploring the city. Sunday - we watched prayers get answered.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart. - Psa. 32:11
At the end of that event, another friend and I were talking to some of the pastors. Do you know what they said? Those pastors said they KNEW that our prayers got answered. Imagine hearing from pastors that they knew God INTERCEDED on your behalf! The thing is - they wouldn’t have known these things if we remained silent. There were injustices that others weren’t speaking up about - national laws, city-wide race issues, and even internal church issues. We refused to remain silent and chose to pray for God to intervene on our behalf.
“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” - Est. 4:14
Pray without ceasing and know that God is interceding ON YOUR BEHALF. Pray for the nations, the United States, your local city, your family, your friends, and more. If God calls you, be vocal in your prayers. Due to our vocal prayers, many saw that God will intercede on your behalf. For me, God has told me this is a season of answered prayers. If I can believe God will intervene on a nation’s behalf, who am I to doubt that He will intervene on my own behalf? On the behalf of your life or my friends? Don’t grow weary in prayer and be ready to receive the good God has in store for you.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” - Gal. 6:9