Before I made the decision to spend this last month praying and fasting, I had started to read J.I Packer’s book “Knowing God”. The first section of the book talks about why we need to know who God is. On Tuesday, I started the second section of the book which consists of chapters devoted to one aspect of God’s character. As a result, my prayer time (which usually follows reading a chapter of the book) has focused on the aspect I just read about. I spend time thanking and praising God for this particular aspect of His character; then I ask Him to help me live my life in a way that reflects belief in and dependence on that aspect; finally, I ask Him to use this aspect in my life and ministry in England over the next 9 months.
So far I have praised God for His immutability, for the fact that He has continued to carry out His plan of salvation by allowing the Gospel message to be carried to the ends of the earth. I asked Him to help me trust in His commitment to fulfilling the promises He has made. And I asked Him to help me reveal His unchanging love to the people of Salford and Manchester.
Last night, the chapter I read focused on God’s majesty, His awesome power. As I read through Psalm 139, Job 38-41, and Isaiah 40, God reminded me of how He is sovereign over everything. As I prayed that evening, I thanked Him for the comfort of knowing He is in control; I asked Him to help me be more aware of His power and His presence with me in every moment of my life; I asked Him to show His power by doing awesome things in Salford and Manchester. I prayed for a harvest and revival beyond anything I, or the others I will be ministering with, could possibly imagine. I want to see God move in mighty ways as I minister in England, and I don’t want to live or pray in a way that sees limits to His power.
As I read tonight, Packer focused on God’s infinite wisdom and its relationship to His infinite power. We serve a God whose power allows Him to use His wisdom to bring things to pass in a way that sanctifies His children and ultimately glorifies Him. I prayed thanking Him for this infinite wisdom which allows me to trust that He knows what He’s doing no matter what happens in my life. I confessed that I don’t often put my trust in His wisdom, that I would rather follow my own plans and desires, that I would rather be in control. I asked Him to help me surrender my life to His wisdom. I also surrendered the next nine months of ministry to His control, asking Him to work according to
His wisdom and plans (not mine or my teammates’) in the lives of the people of Salford and Manchester.
This new prayer experience has been a blessing to me even in the few short days I have been doing it. By looking at the aspects of God’s character and then praying accordingly, I have been able to pray in a way that is so much more focused on God’s glory rather than my needs. It has also helped me to focus my prayers to specific areas of my life and the ministry I hope to do in England.
I highly recommend Packer’s book as well as taking the time to pray through these attributes. How could learning more about God and how He’s working in your life not be a blessing?
