Storm-Induced Miracle
Good morning. It is Friday, June 10, 2022.
“You are never more like Jesus than when you pray for others. Pray for this hurting world.” — Max Lucado
I was letting my imagination wander this morning and got to thinking…how absolutely wonderful would it be, if once we get to heaven, an angel or Jesus or God the Father himself, takes our hand or puts Their arm around our shoulder, and walks us up to a friend or family member and says, “They are here because of your prayers.”
Can you imagine any greater honor than to pray someone into heaven?! To in effect, save their life.
Now, I know it takes more than our prayers. It takes the Holy Spirit prompting and it takes the other person accepting Jesus as their personal Savior, but it is our prayers that, in a way, give permission for God to work in someone’s life.
Remember, God is a God of love, not a God of force. He will not force anyone into a relationship with Him, but our prayers give the Holy Spirit and mighty ministering angels the power to break through dark forces and say ,“I have as much right as you to be here, attempting to influence this person.”
I try to begin each morning, praying the names of people I love and care about. I ask God for their protection. I ask God to send the Holy Spirit and to draw them close to Him. I ask God to save them for His Kingdom.
We need to pray!
1 John 5:14-15 tells us “…this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” ESV
The key wording is, “if we ask anything according to his will”.
According to Matthew 18:14, we can know with 100% certainty that it is His will that everyone be saved!
“Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” NKJV
It is our duty to pray! Our prayers could protect and save lives.
“…thus says the Lord…I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.” Isaiah 49:25 NKJV
It is our privilege to pray. We have power through prayer. Not power in and of ourselves, but the power that leads to everlasting life.
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 18:18 NKJV
Begin your day in prayer. Before your feet hit the floor, or as your knees do, thank God for waking you up. Praise Him for His goodness. Ask for His protection and pray for those that you love and care about. He hears us.
Psalm 5:3 says, “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.”
I read a story of a doctor who was rushing to the airport to catch a flight to a city where he would be addressing a large conference the next day.
As the plane lifted off, he quickly fell asleep. He was awakened to the announcement that due to bad weather, they would have to land the place.
The doctor is anxious and nervous. He approached a taxi driver that said he could get him there in 5 hours. If they drove all night, he would be there in time. He quickly got a bite to eat and the two hit the road shortly after midnight.
He quickly fell asleep but at about 4:30am he awoke to a sudden jolt as the driver stopped the car. The driver was very apologetic but explained that the storm was too severe, and they would need to wait until it passed.
The driver saw a small house in the distance and they both managed to reach the house. After they knocked, a lady opened the door. Without saying anything to them, the woman allowed them into her home. They immediately realized she was praying out loud. In the corner of the room, they saw a small boy on a small cot. He was pale and looked very ill.
After she had finished praying, she got water for both of them as the doctor asked, “Is he your son? He looks unwell.”
The woman went on to explain that her son had a very serious brain disease. Local doctors could not help him, and her husband had been working day and night to earn enough money to travel to the city where a large conference was taking place. She went on to say “Doctors from all over the country will be there to discuss this disease and a Dr. Samuel from Bangalore will teach them about it. We heard he is kind and compassionate and treats poor patience for free. But with this storm I am afraid my husband will not make it in time and our boy will die.”
Dr. Samuel’s eyes were wet as he listened to this woman. He realized that this mother’s prayers had been answered in the form of a storm. God had brought the doctor to the very house of the little boy that needed saving.
God is faithful and He can do amazing things when we pray.
A prayer for someone else is called “intercessory prayer” and it has the power to save. Corrie Ten Boom once said, “We never know how God will answer our prayers, but we can expect that He will get us involved in His plan for the answer. If we are true intercessors, we must be ready to take part in God’s work on behalf of the people for whom we pray.”
Indeed, how wonderful will it be when we realize our prayers saved someone we love and care about.
Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost (completely or forever) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25 NKJV