Praying the Word

By Sylvia Hensel

 

 “My word that goes out from
 my mouth will not return to me empty,
 but will accomplish what I desire and
 achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
 Isaiah 55:11

 

hen I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and took those first steps into the Kingdom, He met me with open arms and led me down a new path of living. He taught me to pray in a manner of His choosing which was through His Word. It seemed difficult at first, as I had never read the scriptures before; however, He taught me well over the years.

One day, as I was visiting a friend, He revealed to me exactly what happens when we apply scriptures to the needs of those we pray for. My friend and I were sitting at her dining room table talking about the Lord, when suddenly the world stopped and I found myself caught up in a vision.

I saw a figure whose face was veiled. Above the figure stood a form of a celestial being with a sword raised high over his head. The being began to speak. He said that the figure represented every person and need we pray for. As He was speaking, He brought the sword down and split the being into two halves. He then began walking between the halves.

He continued to speak. He said that when we pray the scriptures over a person or need, He makes a covenant with us. Our part is to believe He will fulfill His Word and His part is to fulfill it. This made a great impact upon my life and it is something I share with whomever I can.

For several years, I continued to believe as I prayed scriptures daily for my needs and others. One day as I was praying, I felt the Lord saying it was time for me to stop praying those same scriptures for the same people, and to start rejoicing and praising Him for answering my prayers. Even though not all of them had been fulfilled, it did not negate the covenant.

This is where my faith would be tested. Would I be willing to wait no matter how long it took? My mother was raised in a Christian home and had prayed from the time she was in her early teens that her children would come to know Jesus as their Savior. I remember the day she saw a portion of that fulfilled in me.

With tears in her eyes she said, “I have waited 62 years to see this day.” Before she passed away, she saw two more of her children accept Jesus as their Savior. Later, I had the privilege of leading the other four to the Lord.

I do not wish to imply that praying the scriptures is the only way to get prayer answered; Jesus just said it was a better way. I would like to share a prayer for salvation with you.

Father, I come to You today to pray for the salvation of my loved ones and all those you have commissioned me to bring to You. I ask that You open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto You, O God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them, which are sanctified by faith in Christ Jesus (Acts 26:18).

I ask that they will come to the knowledge of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Inspire them to fear You, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Jer.32:40 Pr. 9:10).

I pray that You will break up the fallow ground of their heart and prepare the soil to receive the message of the gospel. Remove the stones and thorns that the seed may fall into, good soil that will produce a thirty, sixty, hundredfold crop. If the seed has fallen upon hard ground, may the winds of the Holy Spirit blow it into the heart that is now prepared (Jer. 4:3 Mat. 13:4-8).

When You remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh, I pray they will follow Your decrees and be careful to keep Your laws, that they will be Your people and You will be their God. I pray You will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them (Ez. 11:18-19).

Thank You O Lord for fulfilling Your Word on behalf of those I am praying for. I put my faith and trust in You, for You are the Living Word.

Amen.

For those of you who are praying for salvation for those God has entrusted to your care, I pray that you never become weary in well doing: for in due season you shall reap, if you faint not (Gal. 6:9).