Becoming a Prayer Warrior
I’ve heard terms like “Prayer Warrior” applied to people in my life, and it is an incredible merit that I can only hope to be known for. It sounds so glorious: the thought of someone who prays so abundantly that they are renowned to all around them for their relentless devotion to prayer. I can think of a handful of people that I know that I’d say are real prayer warriors.
But in all honesty, shouldn’t every Christian be known as a prayer warrior?
The thing that makes these individuals stand out is not how well they quote scripture, or the flowery, poetic words that they say when they pray- though there is nothing wrong with that- it is their persistence.
What Does a Prayer Warrior Look Like?
One of the prayer warriors I do know has a regular habit of opening her church directory and going through the entire list of people on a regular basis. And these aren’t just generic prayers for the wellbeing of the individuals, she approaches me periodically to ask how she can pray for me. She makes a point of getting updates on what my specific prayer requests are.
She strengthens our community by taking the time to care for each individual in the directory. Everyone knows she prays for them, and everyone has the assurance that she brings a handful of our needs to the Almighty. Every. Single. Day. She’s devoted herself to the community and it shows. She is loving and kind and grateful for each day she has here.
If you’re anything like me, that sounds awesome and totally unfeasible at the same time. If her story inspires you, please adopt a similar strategy. I fall asleep in the middle of my nightly prayers most of the time, which makes me feel more like a Prayer Slacker and makes me wish I were closer to retirement age so I could pray for everyone I know.
Nevertheless, I am determined to be known for my devotion to prayer.
Known For My Devotion
Not in any kind of attention-seeking, “Oh she’s so holy,” sense like what Jesus describes in Matthew 6:5. I want my kids to remember me as being a person of prayer and eager to do it. I want my husband to know that I love him enough to pray for him anytime, especially with his personal struggles. I want the women in my life to be able to text me their prayer requests anytime and know that I’m never to busy to help in that.
This idea of being a Prayer Warrior doesn’t have to be “Life Goals” for when you are nearing retirement age, you can start now. Work with what you’ve got for prayer time. Then try to grow your prayer time. There is no end to the prayer needed for the people in your life and in this world. Make a point to pray for people who need it. What is stopping you from asking how you can better pray for a loved one? Are you currently praying for specific needs in your community?
If not, I encourage you to start today.
How to Start
Is there a focus you have for your prayers right now? Start at home. Start with the people you love. Pray for your family, including relatives you might not see often. Pray for your friends. Then maybe your community. Pray for your pastor, the leaders in your church. Pray for specific needs, goals and actions that need to happen to bring the gospel to the world. Pray for where you live, pray that the Lord brings people to Him through interactions with you. Pray for the global church, especially the persecuted church.
And even more importantly, pray for your enemies. Pray for people who hate you. Pray for the relationships that cause the most friction, the most discomfort, and the people who are the hardest to pray for. It’s not an accident that they are in your life. God put them there, and it’s your job to petition on their behalf. And what wonders may come of it!
One of my new favorite quotes from the sermons of Charles Spurgeon is, “How can you and I repay the debt we owe to the church unless we pray for people? How was it that you were converted? It was because somebody else prayed for you. If by others’ prayers you and I were brought to Christ, how can we repay this Christian kindness but by pleading for others?”
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Photo by Naassom Azevedo
