Prayer Warrior Series - Part 2 - Special Guest "Interview," Testimony

  There’s a guest I wanted for years. She hasn’t been able to manage steps for 2 years. But, we can’t come physically to Youthquake either, so it’s a perfect time to feature her, right? :-) So, let’s pretend I’m introducing 91-year-old Jenny Evans and let her “speak.”

Jenny is a prayer warrior who used to ride a Canton Baptist Temple van. We never knew how to meet somewhere, and she’d need print 1/4 the height of this page to read a prayer letter. But, she fits perfectly with the National Day of Prayer Thursday.

She prays for you and Youthquake, though, like Sal and I do. We’re united in the Spirit, like I taught on before. She won’t know your name, but I’ve shared on the phone about things, and the Spirit in her reminds her and teaches her how to pray.

Jenny says that while she was a prayer warrior before, she has prayed much more because of this pandemic. If even she could grow, you know we should grow in faith all our lives. Her secret? She says “Don’t look at the situation, look at Jesus Christ.”

If you can do that, you can be a prayer warrior like her. Right now.

Jenny’s grandma’s spine got messed up giving birth. She couldn’t walk; her husband had to carry her from room to room. Jenny still remembers being little and bringing her grandma her Bible and being read to and encouraged to pray. Eventually, she taught Jenny to read and had Jenny read to her. Jenny’s parents weren’t saved, and her dad was a drinker. The house could be rowdy. But, Jenny never gave up. She kept going to church even when her dad said she didn’t have to. She wanted to learn about the God who saved her from her sins, and know Him as a friend. She saw her grandma did even as her parents wondered why her grandma kept going. Jenny knew her grandma’s secret. It was prayer. And, that inspired her to pray. Jenny knew the best way to get to know God and get things done was to talk with Him. Jesus called his disciples friends – and we can be His friends, too.

Jenny always says the devil hates us. The Bible says the thief, the devil, is come “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy,” but Jesus came so we might “have life, and life more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Jesus wants us to be full of life, hope, courage, all that good stuff.

Jenny says, “Look at what’s going on. Is it tearing down and destroying? Then it’s of the devil. But, Jesus is stronger then the devil. So, we can pray with faith, and know God will answer our prayers. It might not always be how we expect, but He’ll answer.!”

Part of that means reading your Bible, so you keep growing. A teacher told her she better memorize it because the day might come when she can’t read, and she’ll need that assurance. Look how it is without Youthquake now. You can read or at least listen one an app (that she wouldn’t know what that was 😊. She can’t read now, but she’s memorized many verses on prayer, faithfulness, etc., and keeps her mind on them to help her. That’s how the Spirit can teach her; God can speak through His Word, reminding her of things like that. 

“Of course,” she says, “you have to pray according to God’s will. How do you know what it is unless yhou read it?” It isn’t always fun. Jenny grew up during the Great Depression, she’s had family die and others wander from God and return. She had to raise a nephew, she’s not shy about talking about the troubles she’s had, but she also says God is bigger than all of them and has always met her needs.

Remember, it’s a conversation with God. Share your heart, understand and empathize with others. She talks with Jesus about things and asks Him to help. She takes time to consider how rough it is for you, your family, etc.. She knows what rough homes are like, and the needs others have. She’s never had a tumor but can understand what it might be like, for instance, and knows Jesus suffered in all ways like us, so what she can’t understand, He can. When she hears someone has a situation in their lives, she talks with God and tells it like it is. Because prayer is all about making sure God has the victory over the devil.

We don’t know everyone’s needs, but God can help. He’ll put ideas in your mind - those must line up with the Bible, of course. We need to show compassion, and ask for God’s help to understand others - one reason Matthew 18 is vital; talking things out helps us understand each other so we know if someone is suffering and needs help and ideas for how to handle things, or needs us to listen and pray silently and help them grieve a loss, fret over a divorce, or whatever.

​ Jenny always says if she gets a prayer request she never gives up. Jesus says to pray with confidence and according​​ to God's will as I've said.

So, Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. It should remind us to keep praying, just like Thanksgiving should remind us always be thankful. That's part of how to pray then and each day: Praising and thanking God. James 1:17 says every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. We forget God gives us things. Freedom for instance: Some say our troops gave it to us, some the government. But God used those to give us freedom.

It's much more, though. Remember the 2nd Chr. 7:14 lesson? We must repent and pray people turn from wicked ways (and turn from them ourselves). Pray for God's healing in health and in our economy, pray there not be shortages. Ask God to give leaders wisdom and to lead them to make Godly choices. And, pray God protects Us from Evil. Jenny says watch out, the devil wants to destroy, and some people would be too restrictive or single out churches since the devil hates God. China and others do this and make Believers suffer a lot. So, pray for believers’ safety and God to supernaturally protect from those who might try to stir up fear.

Pray God won't let this pandemic keep people from hearing the Gospel and many will trust Jesus as Savior because of it.

Also, pray truth gets out about everything. There are lots of rumors. Pray people believe the truth and it's not allowed to be hidden. God hates lying so this is always a good way to pray for God's will. Pray people follow Godly leaders who support His ways, not those who oppose Him. Pray those who oppose God won't have their way. But, pray people call on God to restore hope and don't trust in their own power or their own wrong motives.

Remember, too, don't just pray for church just to see friends. You know that's a wrong motive in prayer. Praying we get back to church so we can grow in Christ is God's will. Because He wants us to be together. But, prayer is about becoming more like Jesus, adjusting our hearts to match His. An even better reason to pray for an end to the pandemic is so we can get out and win souls for Jesus and people can grow in Christ, like at camp.

Most importantly, pray for God to move mightily in our country. Remember, the most important thing is for people to know him as Savior. We need a Great Awakening; that means people praying and praying hard. In 1857 a Big Revival started when two people met for lunch everyday and prayed. We can do the same, when two or three are gathered, Jesus is in the midst

So, pray for all these things and don't stop. Pray as God shows you what the truth is so you can pray his will and not your. We all have things we want. I want baseball to be back. But even if I pray real hard for baseball to return, God will say, wait. That would happen if this virus ended, but only wanting baseball back shouldn't be your first present.

So, remember, keep praying in faith! Don’t give up! There’s a cool song, “God of Angel Armies.” You can look up the whole thing, but the chorus goes, “I know who goes before me/I know who stands behind/The God of angel armies/Is always by my side. The one who reigns forever/He is a friend of mine. The God of angel armies/Is always by my side!” The devil will try to attack, so keep following God & keep your guard up with His armor, but keep praying!