We’ve been looking at how God stores our prayers in bowls, based on Revelations 5:8. We know we are to pray without ceasing and that it takes time to build up equity and fill our prayer bowls. But do you ever feel like prayer isn’t enough? Sometimes we find ourselves up against situations or strong holds that just don’t want to budge. We can find ourselves feeling like we’re losing no matter how much we pray. While prayer is always our number one weapon, it isn’t the only weapon in the battle. Occasionally, we find ourselves fighting for a breakthrough. In those instances when we feel ourselves losing ground, we need to look to God and ask if there more He wants us to do.
Fighting for a Breakthrough
There are several ways we can intensify our spiritual warfare. Giving thanks, acting in faith and fasting are just a few of the ways we can find ourselves fighting for a breakthrough.
Be Still
The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent. Exodus 14:14
It is important to note that sometimes our seasons of waiting are calls to genuinely sit and rest, to wait on the Lord and let him move on our behalf. But other times, our seasons of waiting are actually calls to action. Personally, I am usually move between periods of being still and of taking action during the wait. It takes a significant amount of time in prayer to discern between being still and fighting for a breakthrough. Typically, in the waiting seasons, I am led through periods of rest and recuperation where I am to be still only after a period of intensified spiritual warfare using one or more of the methods listed below.
With Thanksgiving
We looked at the importance of giving thanks in a previous post. We are to give thanks in all circumstances including in our trials and sufferings. For this reason, giving thanks is a crucial part of fighting for a breakthrough because praise and thanksgiving are the keys unlocking heaven.
Giving thanks can be hard. Finding things to be grateful for can be especially difficult when we are in the middle of struggles and trials. It isn’t easy to deal with a sick loved one, a wayward family member, the loss of a job or any other negative and be glad for it. And yet, we are to do just that.
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials… James 1:2
The hardest part is the most important
Giving thanks is often the hardest step of fighting for a breakthrough for me yet it also tends to be my most important one.
The act of giving thanks is not optional. The bible says we are to give thanks in all things (Colossians 4:22). This means even in the storms and trials. More so, it means being thankful for the storms and trials.
Personally, when I get to the point of being able to thank God for the storm, my perspective has finally changed enough that my eyes are off of myself and fully on God. It takes a lot of prayer, a lot of exposing lies and even more transformation of my heart, as we’ve looked at in previous posts. It’s usually a painful and messy process but when I finally reach the point of being grateful for the storm and lessons learned, I’ve reached a place of peace no matter how much everything around me continues to rage. Its gratefulness for the problem that shows I have learned something valuable and matured enough to see God’s goodness in the middle of the mess.
Giving Thanks is for Our Benefit, Not God’s
Giving thanks isn’t for God’s benefit. God knows who He is. God knows what He has done. Giving thanks is for our benefit.
We are so quick to forget what God has already done for us. We tend to loose track and focus on the negatives instead of the positives. The Old Testament is full of stories of Israel forgetting what God has done for them, turning away and Him calling them back. But the truth of the situation is we all do the same thing; We all forget, fall away and need to be led back. We like to pretend we can do things in our own right and power until it all blows up around us.
Giving thanks isn’t to remind God of what he has done. It is to remind us. It is to remember that He is good, that he loves us, takes care of us and has done great things for us. We give thanks to remember that if he has done something in the past, he can and will do it again. We give thanks to remember that he is greater than our circumstances, in control and has a plan.
And believe me, it’s enough to be grateful for only that: that God is in control and has a plan for our good even if we can’t see it in the present. Sometimes, in the middle of the mess, we can’t see how it can possibly be for our good. Peace can be found in simply saying “God, I know you have promised to work all things for my good. I don’t know how you are going to turn this around but I am thankful that You will.”
Fake it ’til you make it
It’s important to add… it’s ok to ‘fake it until you make it.’ There have been so many nights I have praised God and listed things I’m grateful for with a bitter heart and grudging attitude. Sometimes listing things I’m grateful for feels like a lie. But… I have always found that God shows up and honors the attempt. While He likes it when our gratitude is genuine, our obedience in giving thanks is, in its own right, an act of faith. And it may take time; days, weeks, even months; but eventually he does work a miracle — in us.
Our hearts and attitudes change when we give thanks. We may not start by being genuinely grateful, but gratitude is an attitude that builds with practice. Once you start being grateful, its easier to continue because you start looking for things to be grateful for. And the more you look, the more you find.
Thanksgiving Unlock our Prayers
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Phillipians 4:6 (ESV)
CALLING INTO BEING
I believe the reason for my prayer answers was a result of consciously including thanksgiving in my petitions.
Gratitude acknowledged my faith in God for answers I had not yet received.
Who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.”(Romans 4:17 NKV)
Thankfulness calls into being that which does not yet exist. It gives life to our requests, creating the movement that brings answered prayer forward to the present.
Being thankful for answers yet to come is the springboard to faith, the catalyst that gives life to our prayers.
Barb Smith, Is Thanksgiving the Key to Unlocking Prayer
GRATITUDE AS A WEAPON
When I say that thanksgiving can be a method of spiritual warfare, I’m not talking about the things I try to thank God for on a daily basis to practice gratitude and as part of my normal, daily prayer life. The method of thanksgiving I am talking about right now is looking at gratitude as a weapon.
Too often we don’t remember that gratitude is a spiritual weapon. Hence, it is the most underused spiritual weapon. Our enemy doesn’t like our prayers of thanksgiving. Satan doesn’t want us to treat God like God. He doesn’t want us to give thanks and praise. Because then he is powerless. But hey, isn’t that exactly what we want? If thanksgiving gets our enemy to run to the hills, we need to cultivate the attitude of gratitude like our lives would depend on it. We need to guard our lives with gratitude. We need to purposefully use the most underused spiritual weapon.
Mari-Anna Stålnacke, The Most Underused Spiritual Weapon
WHEN GRATITUDE BECOMES WORSHIP
This is the type of gratitude where we sit down and deliberately focus on being grateful and thanking God for the things He is and has done. These are prayer sessions that focus on gratitude and nothing else. This is saying “I see Your presence and I am willing to praise you and thank you in the storm and for the storm.” This is using gratitude as a form of worship.
We make that decision to fix our eyes on Him, and daily give Him praise, no matter what we are facing, we suddenly realize that God has already begun to release the struggles over us.
Pastor Axel, The Power of Praise and The Key to Answered Prayers
There’s power in our acknowledgement that He is worthy, above all else, of our worship and praise.
THE HOLY SPIRIT urges us onward, to press in close to him. Doesn’t matter how good or “not so good” we feel like we can sing, doesn’t matter if we like upbeat worship, more reflective songs, or traditional hymns. (It) Doesn’t matter if we’re alone, with a few, or in a big group. Doesn’t even matter whether we “feel” like it or not. What matters is this – our hearts in tune with our Creator and King.
Thanksgiving is the key to unlock our prayers. Thanksgiving allows our prayers to be heard.
With Praise and Thanksgiving
Praise is another important component of spiritual warfare.
I don’t know many people that are familiar with Jehosaphat in 2 Chronicles 20, but the Lord sent him against an enemy army with songs of praise.
And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. 2 Chronicles 22 (ESV).
The whole enemy’s army started to fight one another and kill each other! None of them remained alive! Jehosaphat never even lifted his sword! Are songs of praise effective? Absolutely! They defeat vast armies!
Rob Chaffart, The Praise Principle
Let’s especially pay attention to the phrase: “As they began to sing and praise”. The cause of Judah’s victory is given to their songs of praise. Praising God invites Him into your situation and chases the enemy away!
Our praise changes atmospheres. Similar to how a compliment can brighten someone’s entire day, our praise can brighten the atmosphere around us. When we praise, angels join in. Praise causes demons to flee. We unlock the doors of heaven and bring heaven to earth with our praise.
Our praise is a sacrifice to God. It drives away the enemy and purifies our surroundings.
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)
If you are stuck and in need of breakthrough, spend some deliberate time in praise and thanksgiving.
Speak Life and Truth
The next way we can increase our spiritual warfare when fighting for a breakthrough is to speak life and truth. The tongue has more power than we realize.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21 (ESV).
There is a warning in this Proverb. The Bible tells us repeatedly that we will reap what we sow. If we plant the seeds of discord, if we speak death and curses over others, we will get back the same. If we speak life, love, compassion and the fruits of the spirit, we will also get back the same.
This isn’t a 1+1=2 formula. You can be kind to someone who isn’t kind back. You can speak life over a situation that continues to deteriorate. And yet, what we speak matters far more than we often realize.
Beware of What You Speak
Have you ever tried to make amends with a person while talking badly about them to others? More times than not, what was said gets back to the person and makes the situation that much worse. Its classic ‘high school drama.’ But its classic for a reason and is a lesson that we all learn at some point through first hand experience. Like wise, what we speak over situations affects them directly.
Robert Henderson has several books regarding the Courts of Heaven. So far I have only been able to listen to a podcast on the topic but the books are on my reading list. Henderson illustrates how Heaven operates under rules and regulations. The enemy is able to use our words as against us as curses, strong holds and binding agreements. Likewise, God can use our words as binding agreements.
What are you speaking?
Are you speaking life? Do you bless those that curse or injure you the way the Bible calls you too? Do you speak wisdom and truth into your circumstances? Or are you reliving the hurts, poking at wounds, cursing inadvertently by speaking out of hurt, anger and frustration?
Psalms 37:30. The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom and his tongue speaks justice.
We have the power to speak life or death over our situations. What are you saying? Are you building up others, speaking life and being loving or are you gossiping, slandering and speaking curses? What we say matters. When we speak life, we allow room for God to move. Our words, and the hope and faith driving them, become a prayer and a prophecy. Likewise, if we speak ill, our words carry death and destruction and give power to the enemy, releases curses.
If you have spoken ill over your situation, ask for forgiveness and ask God to break any curses you unknowingly made. Then consciously choose to speak life moving forward.
Fast
There are several different types of fasts. No matter which one you chose, the point is to give up something, usually food, to make more room for God. The hunger pains are used as reminders and opportunities to pray often with specific intent.
Betty, over at The King’s Diadem has a fantastic article on fasting she’s allowing me to borrow from.
The goal of fasting is separation of self unto God in prayers amongst others. All through the Bible there are accounts of people who fasted for various reasons. Jesus fasted to receive power from on high, Esther fasted to receive favor from the king, Daniel fasted for God’s mercy.
Matthew 17:21
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
This implies that Jesus was probably living a fasted life since he was able to cast out the evil spirit. Mt 17:18This implies that Jesus was probably living a fasted life since he was able to cast out the evil spirit. Mt 17:18
So there are certain situations, … and problems that will only answer to a combination of prayer and fasting. I call it prayer and fasting combo. This combo brings down the power of God so that knotty issues are quickly and easily resolved.
Betty @ The King’s Diadem, Keys to Praying and Receiving Answers to Prayer (2)
Rejoice with Others
Surrounding ourselves with other believers who are aware of our struggles is important because it cultivates community strength. When we are discouraged, others can help share the burden by listening and commiserating. Additionally, they can offer words of support and comfort. Further, they can speak light and life into situations when we are too close to the problem to see clearly. The Bible clearly states that we are not meant to walk alone and warns us specifically against it.
Community is extremely important as we are not meant to be alone. Especially in times of waiting, we easily get consumed by what we are waiting for and stop seeing all that God is doing around us. It is important to stay connected, in bible studies, small groups, prayer groups and other small groups that provide accountability, not just be connected to the church at large. It is important to have open, honest conversations with people that can remind you of what you are waiting for and provide encouragement. As we looked at in previous posts, its easy to get discouraged and start doubting God or want to give up waiting on His promises to manifest. The strength of other believers becomes important for two reasons.
Strength in Community
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up. Ecclesiasties 4:10
Another benefit of sharing our struggles and joys is that others can remind us of them when we need it. Our mentors and friends can remind us of how God has showed up for us in the past because they have been through other situation with us. But they also can remind us of what God has spoken and stand with us while we wait.
Unity in Prayer
Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on each shall be loosed in heaven. Again, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in Heaven. for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. Matthew 18:18-20
Jesus makes it very clear in the Gospel that believers can provide unity for each other in prayer. Similarly to what we looked at above, and how life and death lies in what we say, what we pray has the power to loose heaven or hell on earth. Further, Jesus promises us that the Father will grant whatever we agree on in collective prayer.
One of the greatest benefits of staying in community is the ability to pray with other believers. To gain unity in prayer to collect on the promise of God.
Reminders that God is Active and Listening
Its equally important to be present and there for others through their struggles. While it can be frustrating at times to see God answer the prayers of others, it is still important to see God actively at work in the lives of those around us and to give thanks and rejoice with others when their prayers are answered.
We gain strength by being present for others and in praying for them. It helps to take our mind off of ourselves and not be selfishly focused on our own problems. It provides us the opportunity to reach out and walk alongside others for strength and fellowship. But it is also in praying with them and seeing the answers to their prayers, that we gain faith and trust that God is hearing our prayers and will answer our own. The reminder that is critical when are in long seasons of waiting as it can be easy to loose hope or think that our prayers aren’t being answered. Further, we find moments of joy and celebration where we can step out of our circumstances and rejoice with others over answers they have received.
Called into Action
The last way we can find ourselves fighting for a breakthrough is a little harder to define because they are personal and situation specific. The Bible is full of God ordering his people to step forward in faith. They are told to act take action. Noah was told to build an ark. Joseph was told to store food for a coming famine. Joshua was told to walk around a city and blow the trumpets to get the walls to fall. Moses’ sister put him in a basket in a river to save his life. Story after story has God’s people going out on a limb to follow God through huge acts of faith.
I doubt it’s something as extreme as build an ark. While we are occasionally called to do something extreme, our calls to action are usually everyday things. Simple stuff. But there is probably something that has already crossed your mind reading this. Do you owe someone an apology? Do you feel led to take a meal somewhere or visit someone who is sick? Was there someone you were supposed to call or something you were supposed to say to someone to encourage them?
There are many little things we are called to on a daily basis that we easily ignore because we are busy. What is God calling you to do?
Fighting For A Breakthrough
We’ve already looked at how we need to pray without ceasing in order to fill our prayer bowls. But there are times when prayer isn’t enough. The Bible specifically mentions a type of demon that can only be sent out by the combo of prayer and fasting.
Prayer and fasting.
Prayer alone is not always enough. The Lord will call us to specific kinds of action during different seasons and over different circumstances. We have looked at how we are clearly directed to pray and how failing to do so is a sin in other posts. There are other actions, however, that are not so clearly directed. Our job is to listen and discern when God is calling us to take the next steps.
A Call to Action
Personally, I have been called to different things at different times during my season of waiting. The calls to action I have received have included:
- fasting
- prayer watch
- abstaining from things like social media, tv, etc.
- focusing on giving thanks for extended periods of time
- really controlling my tongue and focusing on speaking life
- taking specific steps in faith
I would challenge you, if you are in a period of waiting, especially if it is an extended period, to ask God if there is any action he would have you take. The lack of movement in your situation could be a sign that God is waiting for you to step out in faith and start fighting for a breakthrough!
Prayer
Father,
You know that sometimes we feel desperate for answers. If there is something that you would have us do while we are waiting please let us know. Help us to discern when you are calling us to be still and when you are calling us to take action.
in Jesus’ name
If you missed any of the posts in this series, check them out here!
- Fill Your Bowl: Prayers in Bowls 1
- Pray Without Ceasing: Prayers in Bowls 2
- Stuck in the Wait: Prayers in Bowls 3
- Using the Wait: Prayers in Bowls 4
- Fighting For a Breakthrough: Prayers in Bowls 5
I would love your comments! A link to comment is currently at the top of each post (until I figure out how to change it).
If these posts have been a blessing to you, please share them!
Thanks,
BREA
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