Two or More

Matthew18:18-20 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

Early last week I knew I was in for a rough time physically. My body struggles with lupus and there is as occasional ‘flare’ that magnifies all the ugliness, fatigue and pain. I started praying against it, chose not to say anything about it and go on with life. By Wednesday I was in a full blown flare up and could barely function. Mentally my head was foggy and every move agonizing. I am blessed to have a new job I enjoy yet that day it was my need to work that kept me moving. I can deal with the daily chronic pain but flares are another story.

Since I was at work, I wasn’t able to send out my usual prayer request email but I did send a text to my inner circle prayer warriors. There was comfort in knowing these trusted friends and family were standing in prayer for me all at the same time. Prayer power is a mighty thing! By mid-afternoon I physically could feel a difference on the scale of pain level. It was as if it could be measured with the scale tipping toward relief more and more as the afternoon wore on. I knew in the depths of me that the cries of my prayer warriors and the healing hand of Jesus were covering me. I went home in far less pain than I started with in the morning and I used wisdom by resting my body when I got home instead of listening to the yapping chores vying for my attention.

I’ve said all that to say this: I could have and should have reached out to my prayer warriors sooner; perhaps the flare could have been averted if I had. I do not hesitate to pray for those that ask yet I was hesitant to ask for myself…why? Was it pride, was it fear…what kept me from calling on those I knew loved me and would stand with me in prayer? This bothered me and I gave it serious thought. In the craziness and turbulence of my world the last year and a half, I have called on them for prayer so often I think I felt guilty for needing them… AGAIN. What a foolish way to think!

Friends, it was our Lord Jesus saying those words in the scripture: “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

Whatever your situation, know that it was God’s plan for us to pray with and for one another. There is nothing you can have going on in your life that is not common to man. Your needs will not shock God. As believers we are suppose to support one another in prayer and lift each other up with the Word of God. My foolish mentality in not reaching out for support or prayer was of my flesh, not my spirit. I knew better but didn’t follow through. The price for my hesitation was high and a consequence of my sin of pride. God didn’t make me suffer; I suffered because I leaned on myself to ‘get through it’ over calling on my fellow prayer warriors and Jesus as I know to do. Make a note and don’t walk in my stupid footsteps.