Prayer is not the same. Not anymore, and I never want to go back to hearing my own voice.
Every Monday here in Swaziland, our team prays and asks the Lord what He wants us to do that day. It could be asking who He wants us to pray for, to talk to, where to go, who to bless etc.. over the past month it has looked like walking and praying, encouraging local workers, praying for people, going into a mosque, loving our servers, and praying for each other. One Monday, Me and my teammates Jess and Todd sat outside on the street and asked God to show us what to do. We asked for a picture, a word, a place, or whatever God had in mind for us. We quieted ourselves and listened and trusted the Holy Spirit. So as we were sitting and praying, God gave me the word “healing”, and Jess got an image of a women in a shiny white blouse with a pencil skirt and a red bag. God instructed her to tell her that she is beautiful and that Jesus loves her. We started walking the streets of Manzini looking for a women who matched the description and being open to anything else the Holy Spirit wanted to say. Jess started doubting after walking a while without seeing any women who fit the description. We met up with our other team at a bus stop next to a KFC (literally the only American food place is KFC, go figure). The street was really busy with people walking in every direction and as we were talking with one another Todd pointed out to me and Jess a women walking past us with a really white shiny shirt, black pencil skirt and a red plastic bag. We walked up next to her and asked if we could talk with her, she was delighted and curious, she was an older lady with a golden tooth. Jess and I introduced ourselves and asked her name, her name was Fortunate. I was caught off guard by the name because I wasn’t expecting a simple name, it’s hard for me to pronounce what people’s names are, I normally get the first bit and mumble the second third and fourth part, anyway, Fortunate was her name and we starting talking to her. Jess told her what God told her to say and after a little bit asked if there is anything we can pray over with her and if she has any pain in her body. She told us she has heart failure. “Healing” came back to mind, and we asked if we could pray for her and she was very happy and agreed, so Jess and I prayed over the lady in a crowded street for healing and for God to reveal His heart to this beautiful woman. She thanked us repeatedly, and we said our goodbyes. When she left, me and Jess just stared at each other, she was given the name Fortunate, how fortunate! Jess was thankful for the answered prayer. The rest of that day we spent in prayer, talking to security guards at a mall who want to be preachers, and encouraging each other to listen and trust the prompting of the Holy Spirit and to use the gifts He has given us.
God is teaching me the importance of His gifts and how to use them for His Glory. Everyday is new to be used by God, to speak to a stranger, to write a note and give it to someone you love and appreciate, to correct and encourage another brother or sister, and to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Growing up I’ve been taught how to pray and it changes over the years as my relationship with God grows. He has been my friend and I have known I can go to Him with ANYTHING. I have struggled with prayer in the past through experiences that leave me in unbelief that if God really does hear me, then why won’t He answer me?
I’ve heard my whole life of people saying they have heard from God or that God told them this or the Holy Spirit showed them this or that it’s a nudge or a feeling, or that’s it’s an audible voice. Or even the opposite, that God is not talking to them anymore. God wants a relationship, right? Wouldn’t that mean two people involved in each other, talking, enjoying each others company? Before coming on the Race I had a taste of this kind of relationship. I have heard from God and not known it was Him. I’ve also heard His voice and knew it was God and have not done anything about it. Almost like having your parent tell you to do something (even if it’s something super simple) and the rebellious child in you doesn’t do it.
At Training Camp, two months before launch, God opened my ears. I know the phrase is opened my eyes but I’m getting to that. A man named Deon came and preached about the Holy Spirit, he went through the scriptures and taught who the Holy Spirit is, what He does and what He can do. I thought I knew the Holy Spirit, and I did, agreeing with everything Deon was saying. I was so excited to have the Spirit of the Living God move in these next 11 months and to be completely surrendered. As I was praying and asking God to fill me and use me, He asked if I would be obedient. Something really hard to do when you have no idea how people will take it (sounds like I cared too much about myself!). In the past, the disobedient child would hear but not do anything about what God was telling me to do because of fear.
Taking one step at a time with God, listening, trusting and knowing that what He asks will lead to life and not death, knowing I just have to get out of the way for God to move. All we had to do was listen with the intent of doing. God is asking His children to Listen, God is asking us to do according to what He says.
Even if it means praying for a women named Fortunate.
Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon Me and go and Pray to me
John 16:13 When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are mine. Therefore I said that He will take of mine and declare it to you.
1 Corinthians 12: 4-6/11There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all…..But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit
