By An Anonymous Guest Dad
The crisis had come. The frantic, desperate phone calls had been made. It was time to take action, time to go to war. It was my time . . . I was now the one who was feverishly fasting, praying and interceding for a member of my own family.
Fasting was easy; I wasn’t hungry anyway. Seeing God replace this storm with blue skies was far more appealing to me than any of my favorite foods. It seemed truly appropriate to fill my normal times for breakfast, lunch and dinner with prayer.
It would have been impossible to keep from praying. Like a moth drawn to a flame, every waking minute I was either praying silently, praying aloud or praying in the Spirit that God would change the situation.
Once every hour, I would stop everything and intercede on my knees for ten minutes. Here is what I prayed during these focused times of intercession, inserting the name of the person I was praying for in the blanks:
Based on Colossians 1:9-14 (NIV)
God, please answer this prayer for _____________ in Jesus’ Name:
“. . . we have not stopped praying for _______ and asking You to fill him/her with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that _______ may live a life worthy of You and may please You in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in Your knowledge, being strengthened with all power according to Your glorious might so that _______ may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to You, Father, who has qualified _____________ to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For You have rescued ________ from the dominion of darkness and brought him/her into the kingdom of the Son You love, in whom he/she has redemption, the forgiveness of _____ sins.”
Based on Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
God, please reveal to ______________ in Jesus’ Name:
“You, the LORD his/her God are with ____________,
You are mighty to save him/her.
You will take great delight in him/her,
You will quiet him/her with Your love,
You will rejoice over him/her with singing.”
Based on Ephesians 1:17-19 (NIV)
God, please do this for _____________ in Jesus’ Name:
May the ". . .God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, give ______ the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that he/she may know You better. I pray also that the eyes of ______’s heart may be enlightened in order that he/she may know the hope to which You have called him/her, the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints, and Your incomparably great power for him/her because he/she believes.”
I began praying that God would reveal the Truth of these Scriptures to my loved one, but I had no feeling of reassurance. As I pressed on, more in desperation than in faith, God gave me a strong sense that these times of intercession based on His Word were driving back the darkness.
God answered, changed my loved one’s heart and the entire situation. He will do the same for you! Go to war, intercede, pray and fast with confidence in God. He WILL win!
