Long ago a loved one called me a “prayer warrior”. I had no idea what that meant. Evidently the Lord had given him clear vision about what was becoming and would ultimately be a huge part of my life’s calling. To pray, pray, pray! And I write this to encourage you when it comes to your own life and prayer.
For me, prayer is as natural as breathing. It is an outflow and overflow of a deep, wonderful, ever-growing personal intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and of my indescribably exceeding love for God. And of my exceeding God-given love for people whether I know them or not and regardless of who they are or their stories. I cannot imagine not crying out to God day and night – for this world!
Though I do not have the attention span to get on my knees for hours at a time like some do, throughout the day and night no matter what I am doing or where I am I continually cry out to God for myself, my ministry, friends, family, for individuals and groups of people and countries, for people worldwide suffering with different things, for people in the news, for people I have known for years or meet for just minutes.
For people in hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, for people hungry and hurting, broken and suicidal, for the dying and disabled, for caregivers, for the homeless, for cashiers and young people not knowing what to do with their lives, for students, for alcoholics and addicts and the abused, for criminals.
For people I talk to by phone but never meet, for people on the beach, in stores, on the streets, in businesses, for anyone God puts on my heart to pray for, however He leads me to pray, yes, including for strangers. For people driving in front of me. For people waiting for ambulances and fire engines when I see the trucks or hear the sirens.
On and on I pray. There are never ending opportunities to pray for people given the size of this world and the endless needs of humanity.
It might surprise some unlike many people I do not keep a prayer list. Not that I have anything against prayer lists. I simply am strongly compelled to simply pray as God almighty leads me in prayer. Pray, pray, pray, oh how I pray. And pray on.
Day and night, every day, I pray as the Holy Spirit leads me, when He leads me, for whom He leads me to pray, whatever He places on my heart to pray, whether it is for a minute or for however long He desires as best I can discern His calling me to pray, pray, pray.
It grieves me to think there are people worldwide in need of Jesus and His love and help and human love and compassion and prayer but who may have none of this not even someone to pray for them.
God commands us to love one another, and to me praying for others including for strangers is one of the most beautiful and powerful ways we can love others on this earth.
Please, you who read this message, pray, pray, pray! Amen!
“pray without ceasing,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV