Over the next couple of months I am going to write a number of posts on spiritual dependency that will work in harmony with those I am writing on spiritual warfare.
One of the values I have sought to live as well as promote thoughout our movement of churches is: We are prayer warriors who advance on our knees!
A book that made an impact on my prayer life this summer was Dutch Sheets’, "Watchman Prayer." In this book he gives an excellent explanation of the mysterious partnership we have with God through prayer.
He writes, "This is the God and family synergistically working together for the good in the earth. Second Corinthians 6:1 says, ‘And working together with Him’. Working together is the word sunergeo, from which we get the English word ‘synergism’ or ‘synergy’. Synergism is the combined action of two or more which have a greater total effect than the sum of their individual effects. I’ve been told that a rope made of three strands woven together is 100 times stronger than one strand. That’s synergism. Can you imagine God saying there is a synergistic effect when we work together with Him? All the multiplication of power must come from His strand."
He continues by telling a story reported by Rusty Stevens of Virginia Beach, Virginia. "As I feverishly pushed the lawn mower around the yard, I wondered if I’d finish before dinner. Mikey, our six year old, walked up and without even asking, stepped in front of me and placed his hands on the mower handle. Knowing that he wanted to help me, I quit pushing.
The mower quickly slowed to a stop. Chuckling inwardly at his struggles, I resisted the urge to say, ‘Get out of here, kid. You’re in my way’, and said instead, ‘Here, Son. I’ll help you.’ As I resumed pushing, I bowed my back and leaned forward, and walked spread-legged to avoid colliding with Mikey. The grass cutting continued, but more slowly, and less efficiently than before, because Mikey was ‘helping’ me.
Suddenly, tears came to my eyes as it hit me: This is the way my heavenly Father allows me to ‘help’ him build his kingdom! I pictured my heavenly Father at work seeking, saving and transforming the lost, and there I was with my weak hands ‘helping’. He chooses to stoop gracefully to allow me to co-labor with Him."
We desire to see a spirit-filled synergy at work amongst our churches…but first we must see a synergy take place within our relationship with God. May we be a movement of prayer warriors who advance on our knees.
Check out more prayer resources on Inspirational Prayer Quotes
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