“Our Daily Bread”    http://odb.org/

OK, But First…

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. (Philippians 4:6)

Relate: OK, but first…

They were in trouble. Haman, one of the most powerful bureaucrats in the world decided it was time to rid the planet of the Jews. Long before Hitler, this evil man through trickery and bribes got this “final solution” passed is law and that fateful day was approaching. Esther the queen had been told of the plot but in order to save her people she must risk her own life. After some hesitation, she finally agrees to take the risk with the words, “OK, but first…”

React: I don’t know why God chooses to work through prayer. I don’t know why He doesn’t just do what He wants to do. I’ve read the arguments. One of my favorite books of all time is Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets. I’ve read Copeland. I’ve read EM Bounds, Dick Eastman, and Jack Hayford. There are some great books on prayer out there, and even more important that reading and studying about prayer, I am a pray-er. I’ve seen prayer at work in my own life, I’ve seen and heard countless testimonies from others. God is still a God of wonders and those He chooses to do through prayer. That’s just the way it is.

Esther knew this. She needed to call in the prayer support. There was too much on the line both personally and for her people to just go waltzing in to present her request to the king. That was why she answered with, “OK, but… before I do. Please have everybody spend three days in fasting and prayer for her.”

Do you have a dream? Do you have a vision? Has God called You to something greater? Great. Your best response will always be, “OK, but first…

OK, God, I know this is what You have called me to do. But before I begin I need to spend some time in fasting and prayer.” Even better, find out who the prayer warriors in the church community around you are. Esther didn’t just fast and pray herself, she asked for others to do it for her. Get tapped in to a prayer network. God longs to move on your behalf and He chooses to do so through prayer.

Respond: Rather than me writing out a short personal prayer as I normally do here, why not use the comment section to post prayer needs. Rather than the many encouraging comments (for which I am always grateful), lets lift each other up in prayer. What have you been praying for? What have you been knocking on heavens gates about? Let us be a community praying together for these needs. Then let’s be a community praising together when we see these needs met.

About BJ

The River Walk, (tworiversblog.com) is a devotional/informational outreach for Two Rivers, a new church that launched in the Binghamton area February, 2013.