Follow The Holy Spirit’s “Leading” and “Guiding” for your Prayer Assignment!
For serious Christians who communicate often with God, a gentle assignment will be given to them from the Holy Spirit. To some this may sound goofy, but others know it is very real! Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26
In various national sales and marketing management positions, I was required to travel extensively. When “on the road” I never slept very well. I would awaken in the very early morning (2-4 a.m.) and couldn’t get back to sleep. Instead of just laying awake and worrying, I would go out for a walk and pray. I figured if the devil wanted to keep me awake, I’d punish him by praying.
(At Las Vegas conventions I’d wander the huge, spacious parking lots as I prayed. As dawn was breaking, the sky often would have incredibly beautiful hues of purple, pink, grays, whites and blues. While most people just see the unusual casinos’ thousands of flashing lights, they were missing the spectacular wonders created by God in the sky.)
Prayer Assignment Given to Me
When I begin praying and walking, I’d start with anything that came to mind; wife, family issues, my company, people I knew, etc. After a while, surprising issues would come to mind. These were “prompted by the Holy Spirit.” Here are some examples:
1- While working in Greenbrier, Tennessee one morning I felt impressed to pray for the safety of large athletic stadiums, fields and venues. (Frankly this “freaked me out,” since the thought seemed to come from no where.) So, I bound the devil, prayed for protection, etc. for quite a long time over every stadium I could think of. Later that day I learned a terrorist was captured who was planning to blow-up an Olympic event in Australia.
2- Sometimes our prayer is in advance of something in the future. Our prayers are just used to prepare the area for a future work God will send someone else to do. In some ways this is like softening up the “beachhead” in the time of war.
I took 4-5, seven-day trips to the Frankfurt Music Messe always staying in the sleepy little town of Kelkheim, Germany. I’d awake at 3:00 a.m. and walk in middle of the main street, praying “in the Spirit.” Since most people aren’t Christians, it felt like slogging through mud. Once I was even stopped by the Polizei, figuring I must be a drunk or worse. To date I’m not aware what or whom I was praying for.
3- One early September the Managing Director asked me to travel to the Massachusetts main office to run the operation while he was out of the country.He had me stay in a low-budget motel. All week, true to form, I awakened around 3 a.m. and went outside to walk and pray.
However Friday, I was awakened with an urgent need to pray. But I felt so bad from hay fever, I tried to bargain with God to let me sleep a few more hours. Finally at 5:00 a.m. EDT, I headed out to walk and pray. Out of the blue after about 15 minutes, I was “led” to begin praying for airplanes and passengers. After a while I began to cry and beg God not to punish those on the plane, due to not obeying immediately. (This isn’t scriptural, but I was so ashamed, that’s what I did.) I finished praying and went to work.
The following Monday, I flew to Atlanta, Georgia to begin making calls with our sales representatives. The date was September 11, 2001. After our 1st appointment, the 1st plane crashed into New York City’s Twin Towers. I don’t know how many others were praying that Friday morning. But, it really impressed upon me the necessity of immediately obeying the direction of the Holy Spirit!
God can use anyone who is sold out for Him to pray for others.
For as many as are being led by the Spirit of God, THESE are sons of God. – Romans 8:14 (I want to be a son of God.)
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man (person) avails much. – James 5:16b
Don’t ever think you aren’t good enough for His prayer assignment. God is no respecter of persons. He loves you and wants to use you!
When God impresses upon you to pray – BE OBEDIENT no matter what your condition, attitude, feelings or situation! You may never know why. However, you may be surprised to see that very thing you prayed for on the news the next day.
Let’s not try to figure things out with our heads. Our heads get us in trouble, because we justify why we should not pray. God knows best what is up ahead. When we’re obedient to God, He will use us again and again to help change the world.
