Every morning, my team and I have listening prayer. This consists of us praying that God’s will be done for that day. We pray that people will be highlighted to us through out the day and we pray for direction. On this particular day God told me to go prayer walking around the town we were staying at the time. God didn’t show me and my team prayer walking… just myself. Not long after we wrapped up listening prayer, I headed out in the town praying for its people, for their buildings, and for the ground they walked on.
I was walking down this one street in particular and I felt the need to turn back around and sit at this beautiful park I had seen the very first day of arriving in Puerto Lopez. I turn back around and I began to head for the park. As I’m walking I’m looking everyone in the eyes making sure I’m not missing the one God may be telling me to turn back around for. Once I arrived at the park there was an empty bench, so I sat there and I began to pray. I prayed a bold prayer, y’all! I prayed for a miracle that day. I prayed God would bring someone unto me and that they will be saved and that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Mind you I’m in South America and I don’t speak an ounce of Spanish)… but I knew the power of God goes beyond language barriers.
I prayed over the park and after, I sat there and started reading my Bible. I’d been studying Peter that week. I started 1 Peter chapter 3 that day and as I started taking notes in my notebook a woman approached me. She just stood over me moving her lips rapidly but no words were coming out. My first instinct was to get up and head back to the hostel but before i knew it I was scooting over, signaling for her to sit by me on this bench. She proceeded to move her lips with no words coming out, looking straight ahead, not even acknowledging I was present. I could tell she had a rough day and that she was on all the drugs. The next thing she did shook me to my core, she reached for my bible and started flipping through the pages and would stop on a book and point at it for me to read it to her. At that moment I began to pray! I wasn’t sure if she was putting a hex on my bible or on me, I was very skeptical at first. I prayed that whatever had a hold on her would vanish in the name of Jesus and that she would be overcome with peace. Not long after she was smiling and laughing at me for my lack of Spanish. 30 minutes passed and I felt we had a good enough relationship to ask if I can place my hands on her and pray for her. Reluctantly she said yes and I was overjoyed! I grabbed her and prayed for her. I instantly saw a visible shift in her behavior and began to pray some more.
Once I released her and we sat there in silence for a while she suddenly started speaking to me as if I could understand every word she was saying. She didn’t care that I didn’t speak the same language as her, but she cared that someone was willing to listen. Before I knew it she started crying which in return made me cry. Anyone that knows me knows I’m a big cry baby and I take peoples emotions on as my own. Anyway, we’re sitting there crying together and as she’s talking I’m holding her praising God for what just took place. To my surprise she then asked me to pray for her again! Again y’all! Someone who was reluctant at first for me praying over her is now asking to be prayed for and not only that she begins to praying herself. A woman who couldn’t sit still for two seconds and could not make direct eye contact is now calm as ever and is asking for prayer! I could not contain my joy. I hugged her and we both cried harder. I had never felt more connected to a complete stranger then I did with Paloma; we were friends.
I promise she love me and we’re friends!
Our Father’s plan is bigger then anything we can ever imagine. That day confirmed that I am able to hear God’s voice and it also showed I have authority! I’ve learned not everyone can pray boldly before God. Some are over come by fear, doubt, and are to afraid to ask because they lack confidence that He will provide. We as believers should be compelled by scripture to boldly seek God’s hand of deliverance in our lives and for others. Because of His promise we have the ability to pray boldly because our prayers make a difference! “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” James 5:16.
I encourage you all to be bold and to trust that Our Father hears your prayers.
