Praying for Those in the Path of Hurricane Dorian
Woke up early this morning…felt this needed to go out-to be united in prayer to have the Lord’s hand move for the protection of all who are in Dorian’s path.
Note: Some words will have explanations in parenthesis; this will be a more detailed explanation of how this particular word is used throughout the entire Bible.
1. United in Prayer –One Accord-Our Example
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication (petitions), with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Acts 2:1-2 And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Later in this same setting… it is recorded in Acts 2:42-43 that the disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer… everyone was amazed at the miraculous signs happened through the apostles. vs. 43.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst (middle) of them.
The Lord’s important instructions. Unity in prayer brings more of the presence of the Lord-His power to perform mighty works…like moving hurricanes. In Acts 1 we have the church united in prayer and petitions. A petition is a legal appeal to one who has the Authority to bring about your request…your need. By the end of Acts 2, the Lord’s powerful hand was moving amonst the believers (above verses -everyone was amazed at the miraculous sings vs. 43).
If we follow through in Matt. 18:20 above, we see Jesus will be in the mist (middle) of our prayers. There is no hostility, confusion or disorder in Jesus Jn. 14:27, 1 Cor. 14:33,
Psalm 4:8 In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.
So the Lord is saying, put the storm in the middle of our prayers...and I will be in the middle of the storm to fight against it. See the first 4 articles on the Kingdom of God. Link
2. Jesus has Given the Believers His Ultimate Authority
So we go to the Lord, united in prayer…and know Jesus has the authority to calm the storm, which is our current petition.
Luke 8:23-25 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25..“Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
Ephesians 1:19-23 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength
20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
Thus, Jesus, who has the authority and power to calm the storm, has the same authority over all the world.
The Lord has transferred that same authority to His church
Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
Because Jesus has all power and authority over the things of this world and since He has also given us this authority…believers now become like Christ, and we now pray like Jesus.
Notice, in Lk. 8:23-25 above, Jesus rebuked the wind
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.
We also rebuke the wind in the storm when we pray, as Jesus did. There is nothing ‘good’ about a storm that wants to destroy life. Evil attempts to hide it’s nature… 2 Cor. 11:14, Jn. 8:44
3. Our Abode –Place- When We Pray
John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 14:12-14 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
As we pray, go to the quiet secret place Ps. 91:1 to abide in His presence. Start to praise and worship the Lord, this will cause us to ‘enter in’. In His presence, there is light, faith and direction. He speaks to those who follow Him…and in His light and truth, doubt is hindered…and faith is increased.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Recently I heard one preacher’s testimony of how the Lord wanted him to pray. Like Moses repented for Israel Ps. 106:23, we enter into His holy place and honestly confess our sins and shortcomings 1 Jn. 1:9, while also asking for the Lord to have mercy on others. In other words, let’s go before the Lord, as the below verse shows us, confess our sins-this brings in our sanctified walk as we pray.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Simply Then,
1) Let’s get united in prayer… for those living in the Carribean, Florida, all the east coast we have a unified threat to many. Jesus will be in ‘the middle of the storm’ Matt. 18:20, and no darkness-disorder will be present in Him. Jn. 14:27, Ps. 4:8.
Note: If you don’t have a group of believers near you, we can still unite through prayer ‘in the Spirit’. If you are a pastor and do not have a continuous active prayer group throughout the year… then now is the time to refocus the purpose for your church.
Matthew 21:13 “It is written,” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
2) Take our Authority in Christ and Speak to the Storm. As Christians, we now share in the Authority of Jesus, Eph. 1:3, 2:6, who took authority over the storm. We have a legal right to petition our Father in heaven Acts 1:14 and share in Christ authority over the storm.
In Luke 8 above, Jesus did not wait and have His Father take away the storm. He rebuked it-and told it what to do. We as believers have been given the authority of Christ Eph. 1:3, 2:6.
Key point. We speak (in the Name of Jesus) for it to go out in the ocean…and to cease.
Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
3) Enter into our Abode with Jesus, at His throne. As we approach the Lord throne room in prayer Heb. 4:16, we confess any wrongdoing and rejoice as He starts accepting our petitions and gives us wisdom and direction on our prayers. Like Moses, we also ask for the Lords mercy and speak repentance for we are praying for Ps. 106:23.
Psalm 18:26 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
-We finalize our prayer be believing He has heard our petition and thank Him for His answered prayer.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
To add additional power to our prayer, fasting works like our ‘bridges on our road of life’. It aids our walk with supernatural help that we could not achieve on our own. Is. 58:6
Thank you so much for your effort to bring about the safety of those who so desperately need it.
God bless, Bill
Please see Our Road with God P1, P2 .
See also Praying in the Spirit link.
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