Page 12 - Good News November 2008 paper

o you ever feel like you're drifting in an
ocean of God's promises, but not getting
Danywhere? You pray… and pray… and
pray, but for some reason those prayers don't
produce many results? If so, I have a word of
good, spiritual advice for you: Set your sails!
To understand what I mean, picture prayer as a
sailboat. A great many people get in that sailboat
and just float along. They aren't headed in any
specific direction, they're simply drifting in
circles. Why? Because they start praying with-
out a purpose in their hearts. In a sense, they
never set their sails. And without sails, the
powerful wind of the Spirit is unable to take them
where they need to go or want to go.
There is only one reason for unanswered prayer:
failing to pray according to God's will. The wind
of the Holy Spirit is blowing in the direction of
God's will. But if you don't take the time to
discover that direction and set your sails
accordingly, your prayers aren't going to get you
where you need to go. Once you know the
direction the Holy Spirit is taking you, use your
mouth to set your sails. Find Scriptures that give people healed, miracles, signs
provision for whatever you are praying about and wonders - but the greatest
and pray those Scriptures. accomplishment of His earthly
God is calling people to pray. But many believers life, the work of redemption,
aren't answering that call. Why? Because the took place at the end!
ministry of prayer can be a very discouraging The greatest accomplishment
ministry if you allow it to be. It's often thankless in your life is yet to come. So be
because what you do is not seen. You don't have strong in God. Stay in the Word.
people patting you on the back saying, "Oh, Pray with purpose. And edify
bless your heart. Thank you for praying." So if yourself in the Holy Spirit.
you're answering the call to prayer, guard Don't allow yourself to drift
against discouragement by edifying yourself
aimlessly through life. Start
(1 Cor. 14:4). moving now toward the desti-
Every one of us has a course to finish with God. nation God has set for you.
To do what He has called you to do, you're going Set your sails! Catch the Wind!
to have to be strong. [Because of the author's desire
Suppose Jesus had stopped in the middle of His to remain an anonymous prayer
course? We would have seen blind eyes opened, warrior, her name is withheld].