Vigilant in Prayer

✨🎙️ New Episode of Faith for Your Family! 🎙️✨

We invite you to our upcoming episode titled “Vigilant in Prayer” 🙌🙏

In this inspiring message, you will learn how to:
 👀 Maintain spiritual alertness in your prayer life
 🎯 Guard and strengthen your prayer targets
 🕊️ Remain steady and consistent while believing God for answers

This episode will help you deepen your commitment to prayer and develop a spiritual sensitivity that can make a powerful difference in your life and your family 💖✨

🌐 For more information:
 👉 www.LifeofFaith.net
 👉 www.michellesteeleministries

💗 Invite someone to join you and grow in faith together—your family can be transformed through prayer.

For more faith-building resources, visit our website at www.MichelleSteeleMinistries.com or www.LifeofFaith.net  

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Welcome to Faith for Your Family. My name is Michelle Steele, and I'm so thankful to have this opportunity with you today. We are going to grow in our faith for our family. We're going to strengthen ourselves in the Word of God, and the Word of God is going to give us a firm foundation upon which we can stand and believe God for the salvation of our loved ones. Believe God to see them brought out of whatever is holding them in bondage, brought into the light where they can walk with God and know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I want to talk today about being vigilant in prayer. And I want to encourage you to invest in resources that will help you to be vigilant, to be constantly strengthened in this endeavor to have faith for your family. Go on to the podcast app and subscribe to the podcast. If you're watching me through the YouTube channel, you can go and subscribe to that YouTube channel at Life of Faith Church so that you can receive this notice every time we post a new episode. Get some of the books, the intervention prayer book. And today we're going to be talking from my uh 12-part series, Effective Prayer. And it also has uh free videos. You can watch on YouTube or you can get the CDs if you like CDs. And we have it on USB as well, effective prayer, to help you be vigilant in this stand because it's not a re it's not a race like a timed race. It's a long haul. You've got to be in this for the long haul. There are things that faith does that have immediate results, and then there are applications of faith that are over a process of time, and that's what we deal with when we deal with someone else's will, is we're dealing with a process of time. And so I want to give us this focus. And one of the scriptures that I use, there's a chapter in intervention prayers called How to Keep Standing Until. And it begins with Luke 18, 1, uh, as the text, Jesus told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward, faint, lose heart, and give up. And that's from the Amplified Translation, that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward, faint, lose heart, and give up. And so how do we keep praying until? How do we keep standing? How do we maintain this position in prayer? Because when we talk about praying, sometimes we think, well, this one, this one prayer that I prayed, you know, but it's not just one prayer when you're dealing with someone's will. It is standing in that position, holding the grip of faith in prayer, holding that promise of the salvation of your loved one in prayer, or the promise that they will walk in the light, the promise that the enemy will will loosen that hold of blindness off their mind. And so I want to strengthen you what the word of God says, because Isaiah 59 and verse 1, and and I'm I want to read this from the New Living Translation. Isaiah 59, one says, Listen, the arm of the Lord is not weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. The arm of the Lord is not too weak to save you. The new um living translation of Psalm 34, 15 says, the eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, his ears are open to their cries for help. So it says, The Lord, his arm is not too weak to save you, his ear is not too deaf to hear you call. Psalm 34, 15 says, His eyes are watching over you, his ears are open to hear your cries for help. And then Psalm 34, 17 says, the Lord hears his people when they call to him for help, he rescues them from all their troubles. God hears you, he sees you, and his arm is not too weak to save you. That's the confidence that you need to be able to continue in the stand. When one of the main things that happens over time, and that time brings the opportunity for situations to look worse, the time brings the opportunity for the enemy to come and tell you it's not working, it's not working, it's not working. And this is when you need to feed your faith on the truth of the word of God, that God hears me, He responds to me, God's ear is open to my cries, He is tuned in to hear every prayer that I pray, and God is working on my behalf. And prayer is so important because that we maintain that open connection in prayer, that we maintain that position in prayer, because one of the things that happens over time is the enemy wants to make you think it's not working, so that you quit visiting that position in prayer, so that you step away from that hold of faith and you drop it and you walk away and say, Well, I guess it's not working. And you begin to put your mouth in agreement with what you see. And that's the last thing you want to do. We want to maintain that place, that assignment, that grip of faith, that position of faith in prayer, because it is working. Matthew 6, verse 9 says, In this manner, therefore, pray, our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. So, why would Jesus instruct us to pray for the will of God to be done if God will do it anyway? If God's gonna do what God wants to do, and why would I pray? If God's will is gonna happen regardless of whether we are involved or not, then why bother? And so that's why we've got to understand Jesus instructed us to pray for the will of God to be done. God wants it to be known. And remember the example of the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous making tremendous power available that we see in James chapter 5. That tremendous power being made available is followed up by the example of a man on the earth who prayed for it not to rain and it didn't rain. And then he prayed for it to rain and it did rain. And why was he praying for it not to rain? Because he'd found out that God didn't want it to rain. God said, You go tell Ahab it's not gonna rain till you say it's gonna rain. And so this is the will of God. God initiated the will, but it didn't come to pass without the interaction of the man who he had delegated to have authority on the earth. And there are things that happen in our lives that are not God's will. And there are things that are not that are God's will that are not happening. And so what do we do? What do we do? Do we just sit back and say, Lord, just help me to stay buckled into the roller coaster of what is happening in my life and let me just whatever, K Sarah, Sarah, whatever will be, will be, and whatever happens is gonna happen, and I've just got to put up with it and I've just got to deal with it. No, I am supposed to commune with God. I'm supposed to get into his word, I'm supposed to get into his presence, and I'm supposed to find out what's not supposed to be happening based on what the word of God says, based on what God's revealing to me individually, what is not supposed to be happening and what is supposed to be happening in my life. And when we're talking about praying for our loved ones, we know that if the enemy is lying to them and convincing them uh some false religion is the religion they need to follow, and convincing them that they can open themselves up to demons and astral projection, if the if the devil's lying to them and telling them that they can live after the flesh and go get high every day and go get drunk every night, then we know that's not the will of God. So what do we do about it? What do we do about it? And we know what is the will of God for them to be in the Word, for them to be in church, for them to be serving God with their gifts and their talents and their abilities. If they're not doing that, and that that is the will of God, then what can we do to help effect the will of God? Jesus said, pray, Lord, your will be done on earth. And so we're taking our position of authority, the realm of authority that we have, and we're saying, Lord, over my family, over my loved one, I want your will to be done. And what the devil's doing, I don't want that happening in their life. And so I am taking this place in prayer to pray for the will of God to be done. So let's see an example of a New Testament praying for God's will to be done. And I want to look at Acts 4. And Acts chapter 4, verse 29. You may be familiar with the story, but Peter and John had been on their way and to the hour of prayer, and they encountered a man sitting by the gate, beautiful, who had been lame since he was born, and he uh looked on them to receive something, and they said, In the name of Jesus, be made whole. And they this man received his healing, and he began walking and leaping and praising God, and it caused quite a stir. And the people, the religious leaders of the day found out about it, and they pulled Peter and John in there and they said, Don't you do that anymore. Don't you be healing people in Jesus' name. Don't you even be preaching Jesus' name anymore. And so they forbid them to preach in Jesus' name. And the so Peter and John come back to their group of fellow believers and they said, Lord, and this is where we pick it up. They said, Lord, behold their threatenings. So it was God's will for them to preach in Jesus' name. It was God's will for them to get people healed in Jesus' name. And so they said, Lord, behold their threatenings, and grant unto your servants that with all boldness we may speak your word by stretching forth your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done in the name of your holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and spoke the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul, one soul. Neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. So we see here they're praying the will of God. They're getting themselves in line with the will, and God responded. He responded here immediately, and in Acts chapter 5, we see how they did signs and wonders, just like they'd asked, in the name of Jesus. You know, it's it's quoted that John Wesley, what a great example of someone who was threatened not to not to preach. John Wesley, uh a great leader in the body of Christ for many years, he said, it seems that God is limited by our prayer life. It seems he can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks him. Have you ever thought that God is limited by what someone has asked him to do? It seems that God is limited. God is limited by our prayer life. It seems he can, it seems, let me say it again exactly how he said it. It seems he can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks him. How many people are asking for your child to be set free, to walk in the light, to know Jesus as their Lord? If if if there's no asking, what invitation does God have to move in that situation? Generally, the people who are in those situations, they're not asking. The people who need it, they're not asking. The people who are bound, they're not asking. And so we're asking. We want the will of God to be done in their life. Matthew chapter 6, verse 8, Jesus said this as well. It says, Be not therefore like unto them, for your father knows what things you have need of before you ask him. So he knows, yet he's not moving on it. He knows what you need, but he's not authorized in that situation without the asking. So the asking gives legal invitation. The asking gives a legal um initiation for we initiate the the power of God. We turn the light on for that person. We're turning the light of the power of God to come flowing into that situation. John 16, 24, it says, Until now you've asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive that your joy may be full. Ask that you may receive. So God knows what you need, but you're not receiving what you need without the legal asking. And so Jesus invites us to ask and not just ask in our own power or in our own ability, but he has given us his name with a specific instruction to ask with the name, in the name, in the authority of the name. So if you're saying do this in my name, that would be like me, I'm going to the bank in the name of Philip Steele. I am Mrs. Philip Steele. I have authority to use my husband's name. I've been granted that authority through the legal covenant of our marriage. And that's what Jesus is saying. I'm granting you authority through the legal covenant, our relationship. You've made me Lord. So I'm delegating the authority for you to use and ask and the word ask in the New Testament, it includes require. And so, Father, in the name of Jesus, I am requiring that your power flow in this situation, and I'm requiring it in Jesus' name. So the authority that is in the name of Jesus is operative in the life of the believer through that relationship that we have with him. And he said, that's how I want you to ask. So our praying is not just from our position as a person who is um bought by the blood, but everything that is in the authority of Jesus, everything that God has given to the title, He has placed Jesus in that position as Lord. Jesus said, You can use it. You can use that authority. And then Hebrews 4.16 says, Let us therefore come boldly, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. And we come boldly by the blood of Jesus. We come boldly by the relationship that we have through that blood. So he says, Come boldly and find the power, the grace, the power of God to help in the time of need. And how do we do that? This petition of prayer, this approach to the throne is a prayer. Now, Ephesians 6.18 says, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. Praying with all prayer and supplication in the spirit. One translation says all kinds of prayer. So we've talked a lot about that in these sessions. We've talked about the prayer of supplication, the prayer of intercession. We've talked about the prayer of petition. We've talked about the prayer of praise and worship. So I'm utilizing all the different tools in the toolbox. And then it also says praying and watching. So the two actions here, these are action verbs. The two actions here, praying is one of those actions, but also watching, watching thereunto, or watching in prayer. So while I'm in the action of praying, I'm also in the action of watching. While I'm praying, I'm watching. And so how do you watch? What is spiritual watching? Well, the word in the original language means to be intent upon a thing. So when I'm praying, I'm maintaining a visual spiritually. I'm maintaining oversight. I'm keeping my eye on the radar. You know, you kind of, if you've ever ran out of gas, you learn to keep your eye on the gas gauge. You check it often, right? You you don't you don't ignore that gauge part on your on your dashboard. You don't you don't say, well, I never look at that. That's not wisdom. That'll get you stuck on the side of the road. Why? Because it can you can get caught up doing other things and forget to put fuel in your car, and eventually you'll run out of gas. And so you learn to watch, you learn to keep a constant vigilance over that. And that's what we're talking about today: being vigilant in prayer, maintaining an oversight. And so it says to be intent upon a thing. Another definition for the word watching from Ephesians 6 18 is to exercise constant vigilance over something. So to be intent or to exercise constant vigilance over something. And that's what we are doing in this place of prayer. So when it says praying always with all prayer and watching, which means constant as well. So praying always and have a constancy in the watching, that doesn't mean I have, I don't have time to make breakfast or wash my clothes or go to work today because I've got to pray all day long. But I am constantly in communication with God. And I there are specific times in my day that I am setting aside to do nothing but pray, to give my my focus. I set aside that time in the morning so that I am entering that day with that communication already already initiated and already in place. Um, I was walking through the grocery store one day and I happened along an island and I heard someone speaking. And at first I thought they were speaking to me because there was nobody else standing around them, and they were talking in a normal voice. And I I turned to respond to them and I realized they're on the phone. They had their earbuds in, you know. I so I didn't notice that they were on the phone until they began to speak. But they went through the whole grocery store on the phone. And and and, you know, I they were having a conversation while they were going through the aisles. And it's possible for you to keep, just keep God on, just never hang up, just keep the phone conversation open with him all day long so that you're you're going through your day, and yeah, you're driving to work and you've had a little conversation with God, and then you get out of the car and you interact with the people on your job, but you're still got the line to God open. And he's not, he's not in intimidated, he's not insulted by the fact that you just keep his line open all day. And so at any time you just reach to him and ask him. And at any time, he can reach to you and ask you something too. He can say, Hey, I need you to pray right now for your daughter. Because she's under attack. And so you say, Father, I just lift up my daughter right now and I pray the peace of God to pass all understanding to guard her heart and mind. Why? Because you're open to God in this conversation. You're you're exercising a constant vigilance over this thing in prayer. So this is an image that is actually drawn from how shepherds watch their sheep. The word vigilance used in Ephesians 6.18, watching, is how the shepherds watched over their flocks. And so watching requires that you and I are sensitive to the stirring and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. To be sensitive. You know, Colossians 4.2 says, continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. He's telling us that not only can I watch over this situation like a shepherd watches over a flock, but using gratitude is one way. Father, I thank you for the peace that surrounds my child today. Father, I thank you that my husband is per is protected by the light of your word today. Father, that that no weapon formed against my son will be able to prosper. That I thank you, Lord. And so I'm using gratitude as a way to watch over this situation. So continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. Glory to God. John Wesley, what a great teacher on prayer he was as well. He said, prayer continues in the desire of the heart, though the understanding be employed on outward things. So you have in you have initiated and you have have put it into motion in that prayer time that you had where you were specifically giving focus to it, but then the desire for that thing to come to pass, it's maintaining its work uh as as you are watching in prayer. And so, Father, your that gratitude is keeping it. Have you ever seen a there used to be like a magician show or some kind of a talent show where this person would come out and spin spin plates and they could spin like five plates at a time. Well, there are some things in prayer that you get it spinning and you just come back and you keep it every once in a while. You just keep the momentum of it going. Glory to God. And that's what happens. Uh in 1 Corinthians 16, 13, and this come from comes from the Wees translation, it says, be keeping a watchful eye ever open, be standing fast in the faith, be showing yourselves to be men or to be strong, be mighty in strength. So it says, be keeping a watchful eye ever open. A watchful eye in prayer. And then Isaiah 21 and verse 6 says, uh, thus saith the Lord has said to me, Go set yourself as a watchman, let him declare what he sees. And we'll have to get into more of this in the week to come. But a watchman in prayer is a biblical picture of someone who is standing in that position for their family or for their community or for their pastor. And they're they're in that place where they are looking out to see what's coming, and they're being able to deal with things on the horizon so that we don't have to be caught off guard. When you're talking about praying for your loved one, and we're we're talking about initiating the power of God to come in and taking authority over the power of the enemy and driving it out. And there needs to be a person in that position on the wall, the watchman on the wall, who is able to see what needs to be prayed in and what needs to be prayed out. And again, we'll talk more about it in weeks to come. But effective prayer, this is a great tool. I've done 12 different broadcasts on this. And it's so you can find it on our YouTube channel. Go to the effective prayer, go to the playlist and find the effective prayer pray list playlist. You can download this study guide uh in a PDF format, or you can get this and it's got questions and study questions that you can make this a full-blown study of 12 different lessons of how you can be effective in your prayer life. And also the book Intervention Prayers is such a tool to help you pray for your family and to stand in the gap and to make up the hedge. Thanks for being with me today, Faith for Your Family. We've got more to come. And so I look forward to being with you next weekend. God bless you. When your loved one is battling drug addiction or alcoholism, who can you call for help? Are they cutting themselves, starving themselves, or tormented with thoughts of suicide? Where can you turn to stop the destruction? I want you to know that you have someone to turn to for supernatural help. My name is Michelle Steele. God supernaturally set me free from a life of drug addiction and prostitution. I am a result of God's intervention. I've written this book, Intervention Prayers, to help you find God's rescue for your loved one. Intervention prayers is more than just a book. It is a life-saving manual. It holds keys to unlock the power of God and bring supernatural intervention. With this book, you can leave behind the desperate begging prayers that leave you feeling helpless and enter the throne room of God with confidence to get the help you need. Intervention Prayers is formatted with 28 days of teachings from the Word of God. It will establish your faith in God's will to intervene in your loved one's life. Every day, you're equipped with guided prayers and faith-filled confessions to help you activate the truth you've received. The personal testimonies of God's miraculous deliverance will inspire you to know that God is willing and ready to intervene and rescue your loved one from destruction. Get your copy of Intervention Prayers, powerful prayers to rescue and restore your family. You can call 501-400-8797 or visit lifeoffaith.net. Regardless of what you see playing out in the lives of your loved ones, even if reports tell you things are getting worse, you can stand strong in faith. Go to our website, lifeoffaith.net or call 501-400-8797 to get your copy of intervention prayers today. We share teaching and preaching that builds your faith and speaks to real life challenges right where you are. Our heart is to help produce spiritual life that empowers you to overcome life's adversity and succeed in God's purpose for you. Subscribe, turn on notifications, and let your faith be strengthened.