Every One of Us Is a Prayer Warrior…

A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to work on being a prayer warrior.  Ben had gone through his first brain surgery and was in the best health of his life.  We were incredibly thankful for the hundreds of people who had been praying for him and we both longed to be able to pray for others in return.  He asked me one day why I always referred to others as prayer warriors, but didn’t think of myself as one.  And he encouraged me to step out in faith and change my mind about myself!

So I heard about an opening for someone to head the prayer team at PWOC (Protestant Women of the Chapel) at the post we were living at and I volunteered to fill the roll.  It was definitely a step outside the box for me and was a growing experience in my faith and in my prayer life.  No matter how much practice I got I still worried that I wasn’t good enough and God really stretched me that year.

Then I moved to Ohio, and started a Bible study with my sister in law and realized I wasn’t the only one afraid of praying in front of other people.  The problem with having a Bible study at your house and understanding people’s fear of public prayer is that you can’t force someone else to pray… you don’t even want to push them!  So, I jumped back in with both feet and as the weeks have gone by, I have started to get more comfortable with praying aloud (even though it isn’t something I would say I am good at)!

Did you know believers are supposed to pray?

The Bible tells us that all believers are supposed to pray, not just the pastors, the powerful prayer warriors, and the Bible study leaders.  Your prayers don’t have to be public prayers and there is nothing that says that you even have to pray them aloud, but scripture does tell us that we all should be praying.  Acts 2:42 says, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals, and to prayer.”

Job 11:13 says, “If only you would prepare your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer.”  How hard is it to just lift our hands in prayer to Him, speaking to Him alone?  I realized that I could do that in a room by myself, or in a room full of people… but the important thing was I needed to be doing it.

This year has been a year full of prayer for me.  I went to bed every night after laying hands on and praying for my husband with frankincense and Melissa oils.  I was stretched beyond belief as I prayed for things that only God could do.  And he answered.  The Bible says, “devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” (Colossians 4:2).

I am thankful that He answered.  I am confident that He will continue to answer my prayers, and my children’s prayers.  And as Romans 12:12 says I will “Rejoice in our confident hope.  Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” God’s not finished with my story yet.

Praying didn’t come easy for me in the beginning.  I still worry when praying in groups of people, but I am trying to set aside that fear and embrace all that God is teaching me through every prayer opportunity that I have!  You can do the same.  The more you pray in private, the more God will grow your confidence to pray in public!  I’m praying that you find the strength to embrace every opportunity that He gives you as well!