(Nehemiah 1:2-6, Romans 1:9, 1Timothy 2:1-3, Isaiah 59:16)
There are times when we feel burdened to pray. Such time, it is always so pronounced that it does not leave us easily or quickly. It does not come like suggestion but instead comes like a burden. It can be so specific that it is directed at a particular issue or about a particular person. Even if we do not really know the prayer point, what the Lord wants from us at that time is faithfulness. And that faithfulness is more attached to the urgency of how we respond to such burden than the length of the prayer session.
First of all, if we are not too sure of what we are receiving the prayer burden for, let us pray for ourselves and our loved ones. At times like this, if at all we do not know what to do, we can plead the blood of Jesus on everyone as the Holy Spirit leads.
However, at times like this, we should be more careful of not entering into thoughts which can lead us into confusion. Confusion is always a platform the devil enjoys riding on. Even, if it is God speaking to you, it will not be with confusion. So, it is more profitable to go into prayer session than to go into trying to pinpoint what might be wrong. So as not to be led astray by the deceiver (the devil). If there is confusion, we must rebuke it and rebuke the spirit of confusion using the name of Jesus. Then, we must quickly reclaim the platform of our mind for Christ Jesus.
This prayer burden can be coming at the time we seem to be busy. We can be so busy that we seem not to be able to spare time for prayers. Maybe, it is coming while we are at work or coming when we have been held down with sleep. Yes, it is natural that we would want to fight off the burden. Sometimes we do this thinking the Lord understands. Really, it is the same Lord that put this burden on us. Before He does that, He saw and understands how busy we are. In fact, He is aware of all we do not even know will come up in our schedule. So, if He knows and have full fore-knowledge about our busy schedule but still gives us the burden then there is greater need for us to be faithful to this calling. If our Lord is not aware of any possibility of carrying out this task He will not bring it on us. So, anytime he brings this on us, the same time we are using to push it away might be good enough to say the prayers of faith. Even if we must do it better later, there is always an urgency involved. In fact, the urgency in these tasks is always more important that a procrastinated lengthy prayer session.
We might also experience this burden when we are so strict about thrashing out a particular prayer point before the Lord. For this reason we might be tempted to push it to the corner of our minds. We might be of the opinion of touching it much later when we think we are done with our pre-planned prayer point. By the time we decide to tackle the issue we receive the burden for, the Lord might have given the assignment to one of His children that is more faithful.
Why must we respond promptly?
1) The burden of prayer (even if it is not about us) might be a prerequisite to His answering our pre-planned prayer points.
2) It can be a help in a critical time of need for someone else. It may be someone we know or a (total) stranger.
3) It can be a test of how selfish we are as Christians, that is, it may not be made known to us who is involved (while we or our loved ones are actually the one involved). It might not be revealed to us that the burden is about us while waiting for us to learn a new lesson about generosity and selfishness.
4) It might be just a test for us. Our response might determine maybe the Lord will assign our issue to a faithful or unfaithful child of His. May the Lord not assign our issues to an unfaithful servant of His in Jesus name.
5) When it is clearly about us or our loved ones, it might be a timely prayer that needs to be settled at that place and at that time. A timely response might save us years or months of fervent prayer sessions. If such chance is lost another chance for that kind of mercy and grace might be in the farthest future, if at all there will be another.
6) If it is purely intercession, whatever our response is, will be among our heavenly treasures in the Father’s kingdom.
Many have been saved in time like this by prayers of people they do not know or people who do not even know them. Faithful responses to prayer burdens like these have saved many of God children from known and unknown enemies’ attack. It has helped some at certain point of critical decision making. Some brethren also receive there timely blessing because they prayed a timely prayer point given to then at a particular place and at a particular time in their lives.
Ultimately, it is not just about you and not just about the person your are moved to pray for but it is about our King and our Lord, who has impressed the burden on our minds. It is about filling our Lord’s with joy of having yet another faithful child.
In all these, the urgency, fervency and sincerity we employed in our response to such burden determines the speed and potency of the answer and also forms our level of faithfulness.
When we are really busy and cannot observe a prayer session, let observe a short one. Where we cannot observe a short one, we must say certain words of prayer of faith. When we are so “choked up” that we cannot say a word of prayer, let us do it with our thought (praying in our minds). When our effort and response is good enough we would feel released from the burden.
When such burden comes on us, I pray it does with sufficient grace of execution in Jesus name. Amen.
Prayer Points
1) Father, open my ears and hearts to be able to hear You clearly, in Jesus name.
2) Holy Spirit, quicken me, when such prayer burdens come on me, in Jesus name.
3) In Jesus name, Holy Spirit sanctify my desires and thoughts, so that they will not become a platform for the devil to manipulate me.
4) In Jesus name, Father, release into me abundant grace, to be faithful everytime You entrust a responsibility to me.
5) Thank You Lord Jesus for being faithful in working out faithfulness in us, before You (Daniel 10:11).
