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Prayer Power
by Mervyn Morelock, Lt. Colonel –
“In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me” (Jonah 2:20).
Have you ever felt like you have run out of gas? Ever feel like a “pooped prophet?” Sometimes when that happens to us, we wonder how we will ever recover the joy we once had.
The prophets had the same experience. Moses, right after the miraculous escape from Egypt and the Red Sea crossing, was confronted by the people complaining and wailing. “Why have you brought us here? It was better back in Egypt!” And on and on they complained. In desperation, Moses prayed to the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—do not let me face my own ruin.” His prayer is found in Numbers 11:10-15.
There is no such thing as a trouble-free life. Many people think that when they become a Christian their troubles will be all gone, but they are not. No matter who you are, or what you have in this life, troubles, trials, and tribulation are a natural part of our existence. However, there is a way to face trouble without yielding to its devastating effects. It’s called prayer.
Throughout the Scriptures, God offers words of encouragement to his people. He never wants trouble to defeat us. Instead, he wants us to walk through troublesome times in confidence that he will never, ever leave us or forsake us. Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5-8 are examples of his care.
Trouble was King David’s life. His brothers jeered his every action. Rejection followed him everywhere he went; first from his family, and then later from King Saul. He was forced to hide in a cave from King Saul, yet God chose the classroom of tribulation to teach David some of his most precious lessons of faith. David wrote a large portion of the book of Psalms. It was in the most grievous times that he learned an important key to God’s faithfulness. God gives strength to the troubled, courage to the broken-hearted, and rest to the weary. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil.”
One of Satan’s primary weapons is to plant a seed of hopelessness in our hearts. God changed David’s perspective from one of fear to one of faith. He taught David the power of praise and worship. Deep within the recesses of David’s heart, God planted an energizing seed of hope, confidence, and unshakable faith.
When the disciples had gathered in the upper room, they were a defeated lot. They were “pooped prophets”; they were running on empty. When the Holy Spirit came into their lives they went out, charged with a holy fire and faith that turned the world upside down!
How is the gauge of your spiritual life? Are you living a dry, spiritless, joyless life? Are the problems of life just about more than you can take? Well, I have good news for you! There is a filling and a fulfilling to be found in Jesus Christ. There is power that comes to us when we pray!
Move, Holy Spirit, move in my life;
Move Holy Spirit, make me like Christ,
Move, move, move in my life,
Move, move to make me like Christ.
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