“Don’t Stop Praying!”

Have you heard the song by Matthew West, “Don’t Stop Praying?” I actually hadn’t known about it until a few Sunday ago.  We were at Haven church in Zeeland, Michigan, and the outreach committee played a video of the song which included a challenge  to get God’s children to keep on praying, particularly  during this stormy season our world is in.

So to help promote this, the outreach committee purchased a bunch of signs and encouraged the congregation to place them in their yards to remind people that the only answer to life’s most difficult challenges is on our knees before a powerful and loving Father God. It was such a blessing to drive around the following week seeing these signs posted in neighborhoods reminding me and others of the gift of prayer we have been given.

One of these signs found its way back to South Africa and was placed on the front lawn of Oceans Retreat Center and School for all the students, neighbors, and thousands of others who pass by to see.

Recently, I heard a story from a professing witch who become a follower of Christ talk about the power of prayer. She shared how she and other witches were called to put curses on Christians. However, their curses were powerless when they encountered a believer who lived in continual prayer.  She verified that a blue shield could be seen around them and nothing they did could get through. That is a powerful testimony to the power of prayer!!

We as followers of Christ have been given direct access to the Father and can bring every spiritual battle we face, every sin we struggle with, every sickness, addiction, broken relationship, injustice in our world, the demonic strongholds which plague our culture, yes we can bring any of these and so much before to the throne of The Lamb. We can trust our All-Powerful Father will act for our good and His glory.

The Apostle Paul tells the young church in the city of Thessalonica that the key to thriving in a pagan culture is to “Be joyful always; pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. 5:16-17). A life of joy will flow out of a life saturated with prayer and praise.  This is how we will flood the world with the glory of God. The first century church was built on a lifestyle of prayer and praise, their lives of joy showed a desperate world a true hope and home they were searching for.

So beloved children of the Father, “Don’t Stop Praying!” Our world needs to encounter joy-filled followers of Christ who live before the Father through continual prayer and praise!