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Topic: Seasons (12/08/03)
TITLE: Seasons of Prayer--Seasons of Worry By Cecelia Lester 12/13/03 |
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How do they get started? What can we do to combat them?
When we receive direction to pray for a certain need or a certain group, we enter a season of prayer. Individuals receive God’s direction for this practice. Groups of prayer-minded people receive God’s commission to uphold His people and His kingdom. When we keep praying for a very special need or interceding for one who asks us and we ‘pray without ceasing’(1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV), we enter a season of prayer.
God rewards those who partake in these lengthy stretches of prayer. He grants visions to some, while he speaks to others. Those who pray continually receive answers to those prayers and see His Will unfold before their eyes. Prayer warriors spend quantity time on their knees before the Lord in prayer. John Wesley rose each morning and devoted four hours each day in prayer.
The opposite of seasons of prayer are seasons of worry. While seasons of prayer grow out of strong faith, seasons of worry grow out of a faltering faith. We have seasons of worry whenever our humanity takes over. We need to pay attention to and put into practice the lesson taught by Jesus on worry.
“Therefore, I tell you do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more than clothes? . . .Who of you can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow, they do not labor or spin. Yet
I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these . . .For the pagan run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you.
(Matthew 6:25,27, 31-33 NIV)