Prayer Works

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

I'll start pondering, I'll start focusing on 'what has God done?' 'What have I seen God do?' And I'll let that joy bubble up.
Sarah Crockett

TRANSCRIPTION

You know, whatever we focus on grows. And the Bible says that the Lord is for us and not against us. And you know, it’s very interesting to hear people pray.  I serve on the prayer line at my church, and when people come up and they’re asking for prayer, I really don’t want them to share the whole entire story of what they need prayer for. It’s not because I don’t want to hear it and I don’t have compassion, but whatever you focus on grows.

And so if somebody broke their foot and they come up for prayer, and they tell me, “I was running and then this happened, and it was so terrible,” we’re about to pray for their foot to be healed, but we spent 10 minutes talking about how it’s broken and hurting and all these things, and those are facts, but whatever you focus on grows, and I want to encourage you, we can pray against something or we can pray for something. Even, you know, like the broken foot, I could pray against falling and pain and all this stuff, or I could pray for healing.

And so I want to encourage you. In the Kingdom, that as you’re praying, no matter what it is, if you’re pressing in for breakthrough, if you need financial provision, whatever it is in your life, that you’re needing a breakthrough, and that you’re wanting to see a promise fulfilled, or a desire fulfilled, or a dream that you’ve been going after that God put in your heart, I want to encourage you, as you pray into that, pray what you’re for.

I want to share another quick story. I was at a worship night and somebody asked, “Who needs prayer?” A couple of us came over and put a hand on this guy who’s hand was up. And I just had a yucky feeling. And that’s what I was sensing, is something yucky. And instead of praying, “I break the spirit of perversion, I pray against any temptations,” instead of focusing on all what I was sensing and picking up on, I released freedom, and health and wholeness. And I had started praying for what I was for, because if I spent the whole time praying for what I was against, it’s giving that thing attention. And it doesn’t mean that it’s not there, it just means that we can pray in the opposite spirit.

If I’m having a very frustrating day, I will move in the opposite spirit. I don’t want to be frustrated. That’s not where I want to live my life. I want to step into joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength. And so I’ll start pondering, I’ll start focusing on what has God done? What have I seen God do? And I’ll let that joy bubble up. And that’s how I shift. As I begin to pray, I’m not praying against frustration, because I’m so focused on it, but I start praying, “Lord, thank you that your joy is my strength. Thank you for this time that you did this. Thank you for speaking to me here. Thank you for breakthrough.” And as I focus on that, it grows.

So I want to pray for you right now that you would have a grace that you would be aware of the facts, but that you would be able to release the opposite spirit. You would be able to pray for what you are for and not for what you’re against. And I just bless you to focus on what God is doing and not what’s not happening, in Jesus’ name.