Listening to the Holy Spirit, Being the Answer to Someone's Prayers (11.16.14)

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead - James 2:15-17

Faith Belivers,

It happens to all of us! We see a homeless person, or come upon the scene of an accident, or we hear of a family in financial need and immediately we may think to pray in each of these situations, “Lord, please help that person. Send someone to meet that need!” But what if GOD wants to use you and your family to be the answer to that prayer? Are you prepared to back up your prayers with action, if the Lord directs? I believe that our Father wants us to learn how to be the hands and feet of His Son, to those hurting or lost people.

Since Jesus lives in us, we should consider, as we pray, what He would do to meet this need or help this person, if He were physically present – because He is! He is physically present in the midst of every situation because He is incarnate – in us! Could this thought and realization change the way you respond to the prayers that you pray? Instead of thinking that you have done the right thing by praying for someone, and then moving along to the next activity of your day, consider this question: Do you need to take your prayer to the next level by listening to what the voice of the Spirit speaks to your heart? How many opportunities have we missed because we have not acted in response to the impulse of the Spirit, urging us to make Jesus known in the midst of the lives or situations of others?

I believe that many of the prayers we pray, can be answered quickly and with amazing results, if we become better listeners to the voice of the Holy Spirit. If we could learn to change our mindset as we pray, I believe that GOD would use us often and in mighty ways to be His agents of transformation. Can you imagine how fulfilling and exciting your lives would be if your family would continually wait upon the Lord, to see how He may want to use you to be the answer to the prayers that you pray for the sake of others?

  - Marilyn Chaney 

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Holy Spirit,

My spiritual ears are often plugged up,
as You seek to guide my heart towards Your purposes!

How often I miss Your promptings
to be the answer to the prayers I pray!

Please teach me to be a faithful agent for Jesus and
to the people I pray for, so that I might partner with the Father
in meeting the needs of those who are seeking a touch from His hand.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen