Come Up Here: A Symphony of Prayer | A 5 Day Prayer Journey With Darlene ZschechSample

Prayer gives us purpose. Pastor Bill Johnson said this recently:

“Devotion to prayer and intimacy with God is the only setting in which we can completely step into the fullness of God’s purposes.”

It is so true, as you cannot know someone until you have proximity to them. We cannot expect to know or even understand the heart of God for us until we take the time for devotion and intimacy with Him. Our purpose unfolds and becomes more apparent as we walk this journey in Christ. Along the way, you realize just saying “Yes” to the Lord, no matter what He wants, is actually what brings about the most satisfying and purpose-filled life you can imagine. We get to know God through His Word and through time with Him. Nothing can compare or counterfeit this reality in our lives, but even in all the doing for God, nothing can ever compare to the reality of being in Christ. He is our highest purpose.

“But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” Psalm 33:11 [NIV]

Billy Graham was so clear in his purpose and mission for Christ. His books tell of his ever-growing hunger for more of God in his early years of faith, and he once said the most important steps in preparing for an evangelistic outreach are: prayer, prayer, prayer.

“In the morning, prayer is the key that opens to us the treasures of God’s mercies and blessings; in the evening, it is the key that shuts us up under His protection and safeguard.” - Billy Graham.

None of the greats in the Bible became great in their purpose through a casual acquaintance with God. Through time and devotion, growth and mistakes, prayer and trust, they each WALKED out their lives before God.

Prayer changes things. Prayer changes us.

Dallas Willard writes:

“God’s response to our prayers is not a charade. He does not pretend that he is answering our prayer when he is only doing what he was going to do anyway. Our requests really do make a difference in what God does or does not do. The idea that everything would happen exactly as it does regardless of whether we pray or not is a specter that haunts the minds of many who sincerely profess belief in God. It makes prayer psychologically impossible, replacing it with dead ritual at best… of course, this is not the biblical idea of prayer, nor is it the idea of people for whom prayer is a vital part of life.”

Oh, how I pray you to say “yes” in a new way to the invitation to prayer. However you pray, pray with intention. We are praying to a God who hears, moves, is a miracle-working God, and delights to lead us in the fullness of His purpose for our lives as we follow Him in spirit and truth.

Love Darls.