Focus on Prayer Newsletter January 2008
In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we are told to "Never stop praying." Jesus tells a parable about a persistent window in Luke 18:1-8 which has the same message.
But how long are we to keep praying when no apparent answer to that prayer is forthcoming?
There's a concept that Dutch Sheets talks about that we believe provides an answer to that question: prayer bowls. Revelation 5:8 speaks of bowls in heaven that contain our prayers. Dutch suggests that our prayers continue to fill those bowls until they are filled and ready to be poured out, which releases God's power on earth.
We can't see into the bowls, of course, so we have no idea how full any particular bowl is. Thus we're told to pray, pray without ceasing, and just keep praying.
This is as good an explanation as we've seen for stories like:
- someone awakening from a coma after a full year of prayer
- someone accepting Jesus after 20 years of prayer
- Susan and I were "prayed into" our church after more than 2 years of prayer by others.
So how long do we keep praying? Until the prayer is answered or it can no longer be answered. God is often working in many lives at once and much of that work remains behind the scenes to us. Trust Him. Who knows--that next prayer you send up could be the one to tip the prayer bowl and release God's power.
Focus on Prayer has been updated and revised as well. We invite you to visit our blog and join in--or start--a discussion about prayer, spirituality, good books, spiritual warfare, etc. at Your Thoughts on the website.
We humbly ask for your continuing prayers as we do out best to act in accordance with God's will to build His Kingdom here on earth, as in heaven.
Continued blessings to you and yours,
Joe and Susan Vigliano -->
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