The Lord your God is with you . . . he is mighty to save.

The Lord your God is with you . . . he is mighty to save.  breakthrough prayer

Maybe the prayer that is answered more often than any other is just eight words—two words, repeated four times: “Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God!”  It is when we come to the end of ourselves, the end of what we are able to manage and control, and turn heavenward, realizing that only God can save, and that God is mighty to save!1  As long as self is in the way, there is not much room for God to come and do the miraculous, whether we pray or not.

When we cry out to God, knowing only that he is the answer, he hears and he comes.  He promises, ‘when you call upon me, and come and pray to me, I will listen.’2   It is in our deepest need, God will meet us; in fact, God uses deep human need as a springboard to accomplish his purposes.3  Have you ever noticed that God specializes in redeeming hopeless situations?

What seems hopeless in your life right now?  ‘That you will be able to conceive a child?  You might want to read Hannah’s story in 1 Samuel 1—but the Readers’ Digest version is: she cried out to God. God heard and answered.  ‘Lost hope that your wayward son will return home, return to God?  You might want to remember that it is the Father’s heart to turn your son’s heart toward home, draw him back to himself, and to you.  God specializes in bringing that which was lost home again.  Perhaps you should refresh yourself with Luke chapter 15—three things of value lost, three things found.  ‘Seem like all hope is gone that your marriage could be whole?  Cry out to God, ask him to breathe life into dry bones.  He specializes in that—Ezekiel 47.  Beware: in healing your marriage or another strained relationship, he might start with you; he might suggest as Paul did, that you have the same attitude of Jesus Christ: humility.  

“Christine, ‘you know how long I’ been prayin’ that God would…?”  No, but he does.  Don’t grow weary in praying, don’t be afraid to cry out to him, “Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God!! I am desperate for a touch from you!”  He will lovingly say, ‘Do not grow weary in doing good for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.’4   When the man after God’s own heart, David, was overwhelmed by his circumstances, he found relief in God when he prayed.  Consider his words, “Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me.  You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.”5   Prayer assures us that God is on the job, and employs our faith that HE is at work.

And then, when we pray, God promises peace.  ‘Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. And the God of peace will keep your hearts and minds quiet and at rest as you trust in him.’6

Friends, we live in a world filled with problems, filled with pain, but God promises peace when we pray.  You and I are invited to cast all our cares on him, because he loves us!7 

God’s peace is better than any anti-depressant drug because God’s peace doesn’t just calm us down, and make us better able to cope . . . God’s peace works on our hearts, minds, spirits, and circumstances. 

When I pray aloud for someone, I often ask him, “What would you like God to do for you?”  The question crystallizes what is wanted, what is needed . . . so, Friend, what would you like God to do for you?  What do you NEED God to do for you?  Perhaps, you aren’t even sure how to answer, you just know you need a touch from God … it is then that you might cry out, “Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God!  In your wisdom, in your love, come and do what only you can do.”  He is big enough . . . he is good enough.  The Lord your God is with you.  He is mighty to save . . . so take him your needs, ask him to heal, lead, comfort, restore, and save you.  Experience breakthrough prayer.

Grace and Peace to you,

Christine

PastorWoman.com

1 Zephaniah 3.17

2 Jeremiah 29.12

3 Jim Cymbala, Breakthrough Prayer, p. 145

4 Galatians 6.9 5 Psalm 40.17

6 Philippians 4.6,7 7

1 Peter 5.7