“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Genesis 4:7
Prisoners of War (POWs)
Walk His Way Revisited
First Posted March, 2014
As I was fervently praying for a friend who had quit coming to church and has isolated herself from any kind of fellowship, the Lord brought to my mind the story about the paralytic who was carried to Jesus on his bed by his friends and let down through the roof (Mark 2:1-12).
Now I know that this friend has never walked away from the Lord and that she loves Him with all her heart, but I suddenly realized that she has somehow allowed the enemy to take her captive and cheat her out of her birthright as His precious daughter, and the ability to walk in the abundant, victorious life that He died to give us all.
It broke my heart as I saw her as that paralyzed man – a broken woman, not physically paralyzed but made incapacitated by life’s disappointments, failures and sin. In reality, she was a P.O.W. and needed a comrade to come alongside. In the parable, this man’s friends TOOK him to Jesus because he was unable to go himself, and Jesus healed him by forgiving his sins.
As I prayed for her, I saw myself as one of those friends, “taking her to Jesus.” I wonder, is this what intercessory prayer looks like? Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spiritual principalities and wickedness. We know that as Christians we are in a spiritual war, but we have been given truth (His Word), spiritual armor, and power in Jesus to live in the freedom He purchased for us with His own blood. Jesus said in John 8:32,“And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”
With this picture in my mind’s eye, I wondered: did God reach down and touch her in some way? I don’t know, but I do know that there is power in prayer. Will I be faithful to keep praying for her even though I don’t see any results? Will I trust Him to break down the strongholds and speak to her heart the things she needs to hear? Or will I be judgmental and critical, opening the door to becoming a P.O.W. myself (Genesis 4:7)?
If I get caught up in my own self-righteousness, I, too, can become a POW and be of no help to anyone. Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:5, “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Friendship, prayer, and repentance are gifts from God – let’s be good stewards of them!
Lord, forgive me for my critical and judgmental attitude. I confess that sin of pride, repent of it and receive your forgiveness and cleansing(1 John 1:9). Let me hear what You would have me do, then trust You for the outcome. You are so good and I am so grateful that You are faithful to complete the good work You started in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.