Prayers That Avail Much

"The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great

power and wonderful results." 

James 5:16b
  A few weeks ago one of my grandsons came to visit our church.  On any ordinary Sunday this would have been a wonderful occurrence, but this brand new United States Marine arrived in full dress blues and he brought great pride to this grandmother's heart. 

     Any young man who chooses to serve his country in the armed services is to be admired, but my young grandson is a very special case.  I believe the Marine Corp is God's calling on Tyler's life.   From his earliest  years he loved the adventure of exploring.  He spent many hours with his friends in the woods behind his home.  Always equipped with his walky-talky, he would wander the woods, fighting bugs and poison ivy to secure his space and prepare for war.   One Christmas he requested camouflage gear and I was obliged to help Santa with that request.  Christmas morning he unwrapped everything from underwear to cap, covered with camouflage from head to toe he couldn't wait to head out to the woods.


As strong as his calling was, we weren't always sure he would follow it.  As with any call, the devil set his mind to deter God's will for Tyler.  Every weapon was formed against him!  The enemy of God's plan offered much for him to choose - none of which were for his good or God's glory. 


The Gospel of Matthew reports the affirmation of Jesus' call!  Whereby the world of Jesus day heard the Father pronounce his pleasure with his Son: 

"After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17

     However, in the very next chapter Matthew reports the temptation of our Lord.  The devil never changes his tactics or his determination.  He still offers young men an opportunity to turn away from God's call.  


      I have no idea what the future holds for my grandson, but I do know he will be tried.  I also know that the outcome of his life greatly depends on the failure of the devil to dissuade him from his service. 


When Tyler was younger, even when he was very little his Mom began to pray for his future and the Holy Spirit gave her this promise from the book of Isaiah.

And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.“
Isaiah 54:13

Prayers that avail much always include a scriptural promise!  In a similar way, the Holy Spirit gave me a promise as I prayed for my young son as he began his career as a Memphis policeman in 1984 .  My promise came from Psalm 91.

 ^"When he calls on me, I will answer; I will be with him in trouble

and rescue him and honor him. 

I will satisfy him with a full life and give him my salvation." Psalm 91:15-16

 As the twenty-five years of my son's career passed, I saw that promise fulfilled for his physical safety and for the salvation of his soul.  I prayed for his safety, but the Lord was most concerned with his soul.  This is true for your young person as well.

     It is also important to be long suffering, patient and consistent as you pray.  1 Thessalonians 5:17 and 2 Timothy 1:3 highlight this important point.  The Father who loves us hears our prayers but our constant persistence builds a hedge or wall of protection around those we pray for.
      
     One final thought:  my Marine grandson is in school now, preparing for battle.  His mom and I are praying that he won't ever have to use the skills he's learning, but he is praying that he will.  Since his desire for battle action will probably be fulfilled, our job as intercessors is to do spiritual battle for him.  I read a book once about a prayer team in England during WWII.  This team prayed night and day as London was being bombed.  They prayed for peace and for the bombing to stop; they prayed for the war to end.  They divided into teams and prayed around the clock, for weeks and even months.  These folks battled as we must battle.   God has heard my prayer and he has hidden my family under shadow of his wings. 

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.  Luke 22:31-34

Parents:
     Take seriously the importance of consistent, persistent prayer.  Pray for their protection?  Yes!  But most importantly pray for their souls.  Satan desires to have your children.  He wants to take them to hell. You know that, but do you know what to do about it.  Satan desired to have Peter but Jesus. the Son of God, prayed for him and the book of Acts, among other scriptures, proves the power of those prayers.  "But I'm not Jesus," you might say.  If you are a Christian, born again, with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ you are in Him and he is in you.  You have the power to war against the enemy because you are in Jesus.  Stop giving up your children and stand, in the name of Jesus and take them back.  Sit before him, quietly wait, pour out your desire for your children to Him.  Ask for a verse; a promise to cling to.  Pray that promise back to Him and believe.

 

Remember this:  Now, faith is the substance of things hope for the evidence of things not seen!  Hebrews 11: 1.