Holy Spirit, Fill Us to Rise to Joyful Prayer!

Rather than thinking of prayer as a way to affect the world around me, think of it as affecting the world inside me with slow, radical transformation.

— Tyler Staton (Bridgetown Church, Portland)

This month, a dear friend and I traveled to Nashville to attend the 24-7 Prayer National Gathering. As I listened to Tyler teach, I knew he was describing the deep work that God began in me in August — an internal, richer, more penetrating life of prayer. The “world inside me” is slowly, radically transforming. Daily, I feel the sobering weight of prayer as a way of life, while simultaneously the joy that God has called me to this place. When He calls, He enables. I am thankful.

In his book A Praying Life, Paul Miller says, “The praying life feels like dinner with good friends.” But he also says, “The praying life reveals the heart.” I find that dinner with good friends consistently reveals my heart — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Perhaps you have discovered the same? “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of,” Jesus tells us in Mark 6.

October marks month three in this new place called “prayer” and I am gradually seeing the effects of both the boldness in and the ease of praying. From debriefing a young missionary, to teaching a Walk Thru the Old Testament seminar, to finishing our Bible overview at Friends in Faith in Wyoming, to one-on-one meetings with ministry leaders — saturating each encounter with prayer has given me a new sense of peace and confidence.

Sometimes we forget that we can ask for God’s help. Have you lost your persistence to pray about a certain situation? Then you can ask for persistence! Have your prayers become stale? You can ask for new prayers! Do you feel wearied by prayer? Ask for new courage and strength to pray! Do your prayers feel faithless? Then you can ask for a new level of faith. God wants to answer these prayers. Ask Him!

The photos here are of our brothers and sisters around the world who pray to the same Father to whom we pray. He hears us all and understands our heart-languages. He sees each one. He knows. He is interested. He is concerned …

Before you finish reading, pause to pray The Lord’s Prayer. Don’t recite it; don’t quote it. Pray it. Slow down. Listen to the words you’re saying; let each one sink in.

Our Father Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Mary Jean :)

Ways to partner: Give online at getthewordout.cc/give · Venmo: @Mary Jean Powers / Get the Word Out · By check: Get the Word Out, 4210 Vulcan Creek Dr. Unit 208, Loveland, CO 80538.