Offense or Defense?

Crisis Prayers

Last year, I was led to lead a 30-day challenge, asking people on Facebook to pray for the missions work here in Asia, the ministry team, the church plant, and myself.  

Just before the event took place, I decided to take 10 days and go on a hiking trip to Lantau Island (home to an old fishing village) in Hong Kong.  The goal was to spend quiet time with God, and prepare a few messages for the event.  It was also a time to rest.  

Two days before the end of the vacation, while sleeping, something happened.  I was too exhausted to even get up out of bed that day.  Sounds crazy doesn't it.   Too exhausted - from resting?  I was scheduled to leave Saturday morning, but decided to leave Friday (the next day) to stop and visit a doctor I knew in Sai Kung, Hong Kong on my way home.  

I told the doctor about the problem, and a few times in the past months when I had been seeing stars and dizzy.  He said it sounded like "silent strokes" and that I had possibly had a mini-stroke the day prior.  He advised that I return home (my home on the mission field) and see a doctor as soon as I could.

I knew that the earliest to see a doctor was on Monday.  So, I traveled home the next day (Saturday), and worked (multi-media and photographer) during Bible School and Sunday Service the next day.  That's when it happened.

I remember telling one of my teammates to take over, that I needed to go lay down.  The next thing I knew the service was over and I was leaving with the Pastor's wife to go home.  There were several flights of stairs and I was having much difficulty getting down them.  In the taxi home, I remember the Pastor's wife asking me what was wrong, because she said I was stuttering.  Hmmmm.... 

I ended up in a nearby International Hospital where they determined I had a stroke.  I was shocked because when I think of strokes I think of older people, not me.  Three weeks later, another stroke...this one worse than the last one.  

Why am I telling you this?  Most people only pray when there is a crisis situation in front of them.  This is when they reach out to God saying, "Help me."  Reaching out during a crisis is appropriate.  The problem comes in when it is the only time someone reaches out to God.

I am thankful that I did not do that.  I not only had been in prayer and speaking my faith regarding my health, but I had just scheduled people all over the world via Facebook to pray with me.  I was alone on that hiking trip.  Imagine what could have happened if not for the prayers of others at the moment.  Two strokes - but I am still alive and have greater vision and call regarding the people of Asia than ever before from God.  

Offensive or Defensive?

Prayer can be offensive or defensive in nature.  Think about an American football game.  Each team has both, an offensive team and a defensive team.  It takes both to win the game.  In offensive prayer, you are taking ground.  In a defensive prayer, you are keeping the ground (preventing the enemy from taking the ground you have taken).

God's Word (the Word and will of God that we know) is a powerful tool in prayer.  Reading God's Word and speaking out in prayer that Word (believing it), takes ground.  The more we know what is ours and what we can have as children of God, we begin to take it.  

This kind of prayer in faith moves mountains before we ever see them.  It saves lives around us.  It creates an atmosphere of victory in our homes.  It is powerful!  This kind of prayer in faith is what changes your life, changes your situations, and moves you forward.

Prayers prayed in an immediate time of need are necessary.  They keep the enemy from taking ground that you have already have.  The problem is when someone only prays to God during these times of "crisis".  I call these crisis prayers. 

Take a look at the game of American football again.  Imagine the offensive team decided to quit, or vice versus.  Can you image doing all the work to get to the end zone only to be pushed right back to where you started?  Can you imagine trying to kick a field goal from the beginning?  It takes both sides to be effective and win the game.

The same is true in prayer.  If we only pray during a crisis, then we cannot take ground.  Rather, we are constantly going backwards.  If we speak God's Word daily taking what is ours in Christ, but do not defend it, we will loose it.

I encourage you to read Nehemiah 1:4-11.  Nehemiah uses the power of prayer in this passage.  

What does he do before he prays?  How does he pray?  What does he ask God for and why?  Why does Nehemiah remind God the promises he made?  Was he specific in his prayer?