Posted on 06/19/2024 1:13:03 AM PDT by metmom
“Praying through” is a term coined by the early pentecostals. To some, it meant simply staying on your knees until you were assured you had an answer from God. To others, it meant continually coming back to the Lord until you had the answer in hand. This was also called “persevering in prayer.”
As a young boy in those early camp meetings, I heard people testify, “I’m going to lay hold of the horns of the altar, and I won’t let go until God answers!” However, I don’t believe that is the truest meaning of “praying through.”
You can be shut in with the Lord, delighting in his presence. You can spend quality hours, even days, with him, glorying in sweet communion. You can have all your needs met, and your heart can be totally satisfied. His presence can heal you, lift you, empower you and strengthen you.
What happens when you leave that hallowed place of intimate communion? You may rise up from your knees only to go back to a crushing situation that has not changed. You can see the devil waiting there for you, ready to throw the same problems and emptiness at you. What good is it to get the glory on the mountain if it won’t see you through your battle?
I believe “praying through” means simply this: The strength, power and encouragement you receive from the Lord while shut in with him must see you through the trials ahead. The victory you get in the secret closet has to give you victory on the battlefield.
What exactly do you get from your time of prayer if not something that can see you through the battle? “Praying through” means waiting for the total completion of your prayer. Many Christians see only half-answered prayers because they do not allow what they received from the Lord in prayer to carry them through their trial.
Beloved, prayer is not finished until it sees you through to the other side of your trial. We have not “prayed it through” until we have “lived it through” in our trials by the strength we received in God’s presence.
The Return ping
My greatest testimony involves “praying through pain.”
While in his early teens, my son John went 100% rebellious. Over the course of 20 years, he ended up addicted, to drugs and alcohol (including intravenious heroin), homeless, and finally jailed.
Early in his downward spiral, while standing in the shower weeping over this beloved lost child, my desperate prayer was interupted by the still voice of whom I recognized as the Holy Spirit. He said to be “let your heart be stilled. I have great plans for John.” I would find myself CLINGING to this PROMISE, praying through the pain and grief, for the next 18 years.
Nothing could have prepared me for the horror of those 18 years. As a baby, we dedicted our son to God. We lived without frills in order to bless him (and his sister) with Christian school. Then the bottom dropped out. Every effort we made failed. No amount of money or counseling or rehad had any effect.
It was a long time coming, a painful spiritual growth, when we figured it out. PRAYER WAS THE ONLY WEAPON WE HAD. Our problem was bigger than us. We could not fix it. Only GOD had the power and the ability to redeem our lost son. Anything but prayer was a waste of time.
So...we prayed.
12 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. My son remained lost to addictions. So...we prayed.
About 16 months ago, while praying, I begged God to allow me to see my son healed before I die. Pure desperation is an understatement. “He belongs to you God! I dedicted him to you as a baby. I got out of Your way! I know he has value to you because I remember your promise to me!”
Today, they say I have stage 4 cancer. However, I am so very healed in the Lord. My son is also healed, REDEEMED from the pits of hell. Seeking a career following and discipling for Christ, he currently runs a Christian shelter for homeless men while holding a full time job. There are simply too many glorious daily God-ordained miracles to list.
20 years is a long time to us. But our God, HE lives outside the bounds of time!
My family, my son, me...we have been thoroughly blessed by praying through the pain. Those quiet times of communion with the Lord gave and continues to give me strength to walk through the fire of life. All Praise and Glory to Our FATHER in Heaven. Amen.
I know several pastors whose kids have gone off the rails as adults in spite of their love for God through their growing up years.
Prayer is the only answer.
I’m glad it’s worked out for you and you got to see it before going home.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.