Fool-Proof Prayer
Target /tar-geht/
v. to select as an object of attention or attack
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Truth be told: I've made plenty of mistakes in my life.
Before you lift your judgmental eyebrows to what you just read, please note that you've made plenty of mistakes on your end as well. Once I grew up spiritually and swam out from the shores of my faith, I realized many of those mishaps could've been avoided.
It took me a while to get the hang of it, but I finally realized how...
Waiting for CONFIRMED ANSWERS to our prayers.
I've taken jobs I shouldn't have.
I've dated people I shouldn't have.
I've gone on ventures I shouldn't have gone on.
Although all of those experiences taught me valuable lessons, some of them came with heartbreak and pain I didn't necessarily need to go through. Some people point the blame of their mistakes on "God's plan", and God knowing everything before it happens. This is true: God is All-Knowing. He is fully aware of our flaws, but always gives us a way to escape temptation and sin.
It's when we use our free will to make our OWN decisions on what to do in our circumstances that God takes a step back from our disobedient, impatient behavior, and allows life to deal with us so we can (hopefully) find our way back to Him.
I've experienced this lesson, and took this test a number of times before I finally learned to seek God's guidance on the decisions I made.
I get guidance from the Holy Spirit through revelations & peace, but my favorite way is to use what I like to call "target faith".
What is TARGET FAITH?
Target Faith is when you pray a detailed prayer for your specific situation, and extend your faith and patience for God to give, send or show you the answer. If you've ever read one of my other Blog articles, then you know I love to learn from the experiences and mistakes of Bible Characters. This time around, I'm using GIDEON...
Gideon was a major underdog! Gideon was the least important member (i.e. the youngest son) in his family, from one of the less-frequently-mentioned tribes of Israel. He wasn't courageous, he wasn't brave, and he wasn't super wealthy or influential. He was a regular joe-schmoe. It makes sense that he asked God to confirm it was truly him that He wanted to rescue the Israelites and lead them into battle to crush the Midianites. With his lack of credentials and experience in war, he gave God an offering, walked in obedience, and started asking God for specific confirmation before moving forward against Israel's enemies.
Then Gideon said to God, "You say that you have decided to use me to rescue Israel. Well, I am putting some wool on the ground where we thresh the wheat. If in the morning there is dew only on the wool but not on the ground, then I will know that You are going to use me to rescue Israel." That is exactly what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the wool and wrung enough dew out of it to fill a bowl of water. - Judges 6:36-38
But peep this: Gideon not only got an answer to his specific prayer but doubled-up with a follow-up request:
Then Gideon said to God, "Don't be angry with me; let me speak just once more. Please let me make one more test with the wool. This time let the wool be dry, and the ground be wet." That night, God did that very thing. The next morning, the wool was dry, but the ground was wet with dew. - Judges 6:39-40
Imagine the surprised excitement Gideon felt that morning! I can see him now: running outside to the very spot he left the wool patch, mumbling under his breath, "Now let me see this piece of wool. I have to make sure I'm not bugging out. It was wet yesterday -- let me go see if God heard me and actually listened." I can imagine that every time Gideon even LOOKED at the wool, it made his faith skyrocket beyond any situation he found himself in. He took a spiritual risk: believing God would actually come see about him. The wool must've been a sweet reminder of God's faithfulness, and His Listening Ear.
Indeed, it was worth the spiritual risk!
I took what I read, and had the nerve to activate target faith like Gideon's to a recent life situation. I received an offer from a Corporate Giant and had to make a decision on whether to leave my current job to take that one. I asked God to PROVE TO ME THAT HE WANTED ME TO STAY. I asked Him to use people, from my church, to confirm that I'm on the right track. I told God I wouldn't keep pressing the issue, or look for another job, until I got the confirmation I was looking for. I was so serious about what I asked God for, I walked in expectancy to get my prayer answered. I said under my breath, "If You did it before, You'll do it again. Didn't Gideon get answers from You? I'm waiting for mine..."
Not only did I receive a call from a church member singing my praises, but another member came up to me and put a monetary gift in my hand - expressing how well I serve and encouraging me to continue. I doubled up, like Gideon, and asked, "Father, is this You?"
God had the nerve to answer my wool-patch of a question...
...because my boss walked into my office later that day! She came into my office, reporting the extremely positive feedback she'd receive from the church member that had called me on the phone. If that isn't a dry patch of wool, I don't know what is!
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Be encouraged:
He hears our prayers and knows our situations.
Target impatience and disobedience and attack it with your faith. That's all God wants from us. I'm literally crying while typing this message because I'm living in the confidence of answered prayer. I've made too many mistakes to ever go back to making decisions on my own. I don't need to, because my hope is high, my prayers are specific, and my faith is targeted!
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Mercedes Saintfleur is a wife, mother of 3, an award-winning Event Planner, a professional in the Aviation industry, and a member of Changing Lives Christian Center. When she isn't working or serving others, this 'Creative' can be found dancing, cooking, or studying!
She's diligently studying her Word, and applying the practical, relevant Word she's learning from Pastor Paul B. Mitchell to her life. With honest transparency, she's utilizing her experiences as a Believer to encourage others to walk the narrow path of King Christ...
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