ESTHER’S WARRIORS MINISTRY
Blessings! Did you remember to set your clocks ahead last night? The term ‘spring forward’ always amused me as we actually lose an hour of sleep. I don’t know about you but losing that hour can take the spring out of your step until your body adjusts! The good news is that spring is well on the way and brings a season of new growth and renewed hope. Life seems just a little bit better when flowers begin to bloom and the earth comes alive with the smells and sounds of nature. God’s palate of color far exceeds what any man could have produced. We do in fact serve an awesome God!
I started an intercession class at a local church yesterday. It is one that I was blessed to participate in a few years ago and have been most excited to get started this time as both I and the Pastor teaching are not who we were then. Both of us have changed and I believe God has new things for all in attendance. Spring is the perfect time to begin this as it is the season of new things. The Lord always has fresh manna for us if we remain open.
In the Book of Revelation 5:8, we read of: “…golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints [that’s us as believers in and followers of Jesus Christ].” One of the things that the Pastor presented last night was a picture (I love visuals don’t you?) of a bowl which held the prayers of all of us. Some pray long prayers, some pray short prayers but each is effective when added to the bowl. You never know if your prayer for a given situation is the one that brings the bowl to overflow and just like incense all then rise to the throne room of heaven.
As intercessors we can sometimes get discouraged when praying for a given situation if we do not see instant results. We live in a microwave society and have come to expect nano-second results. That is not how God works. Of course, there are times when He moves ‘suddenly’ or ‘immediately’ as we see many times in Scripture. However, we also read about issues long prayed for resolving over time.
The woman with the issue of blood for twelve years, the woman in the synagogue bent over eighteen years, the man at the pool seeking healing thirty eight years, the man blind from birth are just a few of the Scriptures related to healing that show time passage between the onset of the infirmity and the move of God bringing restoration. The key is not to get discouraged and most importantly not to give up but to know that your prayers are vital. God hears each and every one of them and in His time and in His perfect will He will respond.
In Esther’s we pray for very crucial issues that affect our Nation, Israel, the body of Christ, our youth and each other. We stand in agreement with other intercessors across this country and our joined prayers fill that prayer incense bowl and overflow to the throne of God. Never underestimate the power of your individual prayers! We are all in this together ‘for such a time as this.’ It is no accident that you are here on earth right now. It is no accident that you are reading this right now. Only God knows the fullness of the destiny He has created for you and it is unfolding right now as you read this.
Jesus tells us, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to the Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:6) Sometimes it appears as if our prayers go unheard but Jesus clearly tells us that the Father is well aware of what we pray. We are covering some very heavy issues in Esther’s and must stay diligent to storm the gates of heaven. Know that your individual prayers are crucial ‘for such a time as this’ to shift the direction in which our country is headed. This is our time. This is our season to arise in prayer.
Please join us this week as we ‘pray the states’ toward the 2012 Presidential election. Each state is important in forming our United States of America. We commit to pray for a different state each week so we not only provide prayer cover but also to make us aware that our country is bigger than the space we personally occupy in it.
This week please cover New Hampshire admitted to the Union June 21, 1788, in prayer. We are praying for each state in the order of admission to the Union. Pray for wisdom and discernment for the political leaders, pastors and church leaders, the people residing in New Hampshire and for all in our Nation. These are our United States. Let us pray that we will arise united ‘for such a time as this!’ Please repost and share.
Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray. Each and every prayer is most important. Keep our servicemen and women and their families in prayer for salvation and safety. They are our front line in the natural. Let us be their front line of defense in the spirit. May God richly bless you this week and may your prayers be empowered by His Spirit.