Prayer and Blue-Painted Faces
“The Almighty says this must be a fashionable fight. It’s drawn the finest people.”
"What if we came together for one night in our cities to pray? What could God accomplish?"
This was the question we asked people as we invited them to join us in a time of prayer on September 23rd. In fact, there were over 250 groups that we know of praying all over the world who asked the same question. We have been excited and expectant for our IF:Pray gathering in San Angelo, TX. It started with 8 women, half of whom I have only known a few short months, but who I now love dearly. These brave and beautiful kingdom builders have challenged and encouraged me and I am so honored to run with them on this journey of living our lives with purpose for Jesus. I have been so amazed as I see the diversity in our group. We all have different personalities and gifts and these women used their gifts to help put on an amazing night of prayer.
And pray is what we did. Thirty-five women, spanning 5 decades in age, gathered in a chapel and prayed for God's church and His people. We prayed for the world and we prayed for unity in the Body of Christ. We spent time in worship and the Holy Spirit was there and real to us. It was a humbling and powerful time.
And let me tell you, it was a time that Satan did NOT want to take place. There were so many obstacles and struggles that the Enemy tried to use to discourage us and keep us from gathering to pray in the weeks leading up to September 23rd. One of the things Satan tried to use was sickness. Many of our kids got very sick in the days prior to and the day of the event. Any parent knows that sick kids often means little sleep for mom. So many of us were just plain tired. Another tactic he used was to make us sick! The day before IF Pray I became very sick with some sort of stomach bug that included a headache and fever. He tried to use financial stress, busyness, and family discord to make us lose heart. He tried to mess with our loved ones. And Satan, knowing that we are women with feminine hearts, tried to steal our joy with insecurity and lies about who we are. If that weren't enough, hours before we were supposed to head up to the chapel to set up for the prayer gathering, a gunmen was on the loose and many of our leaders and their children were on lock down. Because our venue was also on lockdown, we wondered if we would even be able to have the event at all. Praise God that about 1 1/2 hours before IF Pray was supposed to start, police finally located and arrested the gunman and we were allowed to gather as planned.
You see Satan does not want us to pray. It is our most powerful weapon against him and he knows it. He spends his time stealing from us, trying to kill our hope, and destroy our lives. When we pray and get in the fight to restore the broken places of the earth through Jesus, we become dangerous to him. He is no match for the LORD. Our God is a redeemer who can heal broken hearts, restore marriages, and be a Father to the fatherless. I have seen it! He can provide peace in turmoil and comfort in grief. He can cleanse us from our sins and heal us of all of our diseases.
And He can use a small town girl from west Texas, with many faults and shortcomings, to lead other women to Him. To run her race with faithfulness and perseverance while looking ahead to Jesus, her prize.
You see, I was on the sidelines for a few years. Satan tried to take me out and make me ineffective. He tried to lead me to believe that I was fine on the sideline because many people were on the sidelines too. Satan didn't mess with me too much then. I belonged to God, sure, but he didn't have to worry about me using the power I had as a child of God because I was too busy worrying about just being a good person, getting abs like Beyonce, and keeping up with my favorite TV shows. It happened so subtly overtime that I didn't really realize it was happening until I did. One of my spiritual heroes, Ann Voskamp said "The opposite of really living, isn't really dying -- but not really caring." And I'm sad to say I've been there. If Satan can't take us out through persecution, he will try and take us out through complacency and being distracted by our comforts.
But by the grace of God, I got off the sidelines and back in the race. And I'm running alongside some of the most amazing people. Last Tuesday was just the beginning of what God wants to do in San Angelo through us! But it will only happen on our knees with our hands stretched out to Him asking that He would use us. Asking that He would do big things in our generation. And He will if we ask Him!
One of my favorite movies of all time is Braveheart. William Wallace paints his face blue and leads an army of Scots against a much bigger English army for their freedom. He gives a very inspiring speech (seriously best. scene. EVER.) and tells them that the fight is worth it.
Paint those faces blue, ladies! I encourage you to get in the fight! Get off the sidelines! Seek out others who will fight with you and cheer you on. Pray. The Enemy won't like it and he will try to stop you, but I promise it will be worth it. And maybe even a little fun. After all, who doesn't like going into a battle they know they have already won! FREEDOM!!!