Can You Relate?

During the second week of Lent, I flew to Nashville to participate in several prayer events. Throughout the flight, my thoughts and prayers were focused on a gathering in downtown Nashville where I would be speaking that evening. As the plane landed, my attention turned toward immediate details, including car rental. God unexpectedly interrupted my thoughts: "What do you expect to happen tonight?" I answered, "Well, I expect you to be there!"

He surprised me with a second question: "Are you expecting a miracle?" My response was guarded, "What do you mean by a miracle? I see miracles daily — I believe in miracles — I'm looking for them." Still hedging, I inquired, "Do you mean a miracle that everyone will recognize? Even the doubters who do not believe in miracles?"

This dialogue put me on alert. I watched God do His amazing work that night at an adult prayer meeting, the following day during a radio interview, the next four days throughout a songwriters' retreat, that weekend at three teen prayer events, and a week later at a womens' retreat.

His mighty acts continued throughout the Easter season and weeks leading to Pentecost Sunday. I was the speaker for a Saturday morning Upper Room service, and as I read the Acts account in preparation, I kept returning to Acts 1:14: "They all met together and were constantly united in prayer" (NLT).

Weeks later, I continued to meditate on the before and after details of Pentecost. What did the followers of Jesus expect to happen as they obeyed his command to wait in Jerusalem for the gift the Father promised, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, power from on high? (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5). Were they expecting a miracle?

Peter's name is first on the list of those present in that upper room (Acts 1:13). We see him rise as the leader (Acts 1:15) and the bold messenger after the infilling of the Holy Spirit (2:14-41). This is in extreme contrast to the Peter who said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Matthew 16:16) and later denied that he knew Jesus after boasting that if everyone else deserted Jesus, he would be willing to die with Him (Matthew 26:33-35).

When Jesus invited Peter to keep watch as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter slumbered. Jesus even told him the overwhelming sorrow on His heart (Matthew 26:38); yet, Peter slept. How can one so close to Jesus sleep during the most intimate moments? It is clear that before Pentecost, Peter was proud, prayerless, powerless, and pitiful.

Can you relate? Do you find yourself, like Peter, saying, "I believe," boasting that you will be faithful, yet unable to watch and pray with Jesus for one hour even when He has invited you to an intimate place, opening His burdened heart to you?

Pentecost changed everything for Peter. He preached boldly about Christ with powerful results (Acts 2:14-41), performed miracles in the name of Jesus (3:1-11), and took no credit (3:12-16). He and the believers united in prayer before and after each event and decision, prayed for courage, praised and prayed in all circumstances (Acts 1:14, 2:42, 3:1, 4:23-31, 9:40, 11:5, 12:5, 12:12).

As a result of prayer, both personal and corporate, Peter became humble, prayerful, and powerful, extending Living Hope.

The Scripture writings attributed to Peter provide an effective prayer plan:

• The hope of eternal life - salvation (I Peter 1:3-5)
• A call to holy living - a cleansed heart (I Peter 1:15-16, 3:12)
• The admonition is to:
  • Be disciplined (4:7)
  • Be humble (5:6)
  • Give your worries to God (5:7)
  • Stay alert (5:8)
  • Stand firm (5:9)

Like Peter, I, too, have been proud, prayerless, powerless, and pitiful. I was a child when I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and enter my heart. I knew that I was "born again," using the words of Jesus to Nicodemus in John 3:3, and John 3:16 became a reality. I could say with Peter, "You are the Son of the Living God."

However, years later as an adult, I well remember the night I crawled out of bed aware of my selfishness, powerlessness, and need of a cleansed heart. I prayed throughout the night hours relinquishing my desires, affections, aspirations, and will, giving God my all. As the morning light dawned, I knew my old self had been crucified with Christ and my desires nailed to the cross (Galatians 5:24-25). I had a personal Pentecost - this cleansed heart made possible by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

From that morning light to this present day, God has continued leading me on a prayer journey that daily unfolds amazing adventures with Him. As a result of prayer, I have watched God transform lives, restore fractured churches, bring revival, unite church committees, heal broken marriages, break the power of generational sins, and do immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

The most dramatic change in my personal prayer life occurred when I began to listen and record God's messages to me, daily. This led me to listen using the Bible as my prayer guide, which enables me to pray boldly with a pure heart. I find him speaking truth to me, and in my enthusiasm, I invite others to join me using these keys for effective prayer.

What do I expect to happen today? I expect to hear from God.

Am I expecting a miracle? Yes! I'm watching, for it is true: "The prayer of a righteous man (or woman) is powerful and effective" (James 5:16b).

What do you expect to happen when you pray?
Do you expect a miracle?

Prerequisite for effective prayer: a pure heart.

Priorities:

• Listen more than you speak.
• Use your Bible as your prayer guide.
• Unite in prayer with other believers.

Patsy Lewis is the author of Simply Praying: 52 Weeks with God. In addition, she is a conference and retreat speaker and coordinates prayer ministries. She and her husband, Curtis, live in Oklahoma City.

Holiness Today, Jan/Feb 2013

Please note: This article was originally published in 2013. All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at that time but may have since changed.