"Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.” Daniel 10:12

I remember a very fetching travel commercial from a few years ago. A guy rushes into his house, grabs a suitcase, casts about (obviously trying to figure out what to pack), and ends up throwing a swimsuit and some flip flops in. That’s it. The punch line was this (and it grabbed me, I will be honest, as it was aired on our stations here in the dead of winter) - what else could you possibly need to pack when you are heading to paradise?

It occurs to me that life right now is a strong parallel to that scenario and its message. I am going on a journey – actually heading to paradise too! I want to travel light on my 2010 journey, so I am packing carefully. I am asking the question: what few things do I need to throw in my suitcase before I head out the door?

Last week I tucked praise and worship into my suitcase. This week I am packing prayer, and oh… has the last few days convinced me that I need prayer more than any other thing. I need prayer, my marriage and family needs it. My church needs it. Our world -struggling with ever increasing spiritual darkness - needs it. If I do any other thing in 2010, God, I am asking for your strength to help me be faithful and fervent in prayer.

Our uncertain times call for the kind of prayer that Paul talked about in the passage in Ephesians starting at 6:10. Here Paul draws a clear parallel between warfare and Christian living, and exhorts believers to put on the whole armor of God every day we draw breath. We are in a battle, friends, and it has ever been so.

I know my prayer calling or anointing is for watchman prayer. As I read God’s Word, I hear God’s clear call for watchman to be ever alert and vigilant as they guard over his harvest field. The Bible teaches me to understand authority, and how to apply Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and his blood to my intercessions.

I know a little about prayer, but I need to know more. I need to do more. As I pray through my imminent journey into this new year, God is laying this on my heart friends. We need to pray. We need to get really serious about prayer.

I encourage you to talk to God about your own prayer habits. Perhaps he would have you learn more too. Perhaps he is calling you to join a prayer group with others of like heart in which you can pursue prayer. Perhaps he is calling you to revamp your schedule so you can devote more time to personal prayer.

If ever there was a time to heed God’s command in Ephesians 5:16-17, it is now. “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil.”

Will you pack prayer, friends, as you journey into 2010 as well?

Dear Friends,

James talked about the “effective, fervent prayer” of believers in his little letter. I have always pressed into those descriptive words, asking God to teach me what that kind of prayer was like, because it is that kind of prayer that has “…great power in its effect”. I encourage you to start asking that same question, and don’t settle for less than that kind of prayer in your life.
I will remind you of just two authors whom I have mentioned before that have been such great teachers for me in the last few years – Dutch Sheets and Cindy Jacobs. “Intercessory Prayer” and “Watchman Prayer” by Sheets, and “Possessing the Gates of the Enemy” by Jacobs may be a great help to you as you learn about effective, fervent prayer in 2010. I recommend them.
 I am praying about calling for a “Prayer Summit” here at Norwegian Ridge Retreat this spring or summer. It would be a weekend of teaching and instruction as well as group and personal prayer time. Will you pray with me about this idea? If you might be interested in being part of such a retreat, could you let me know? Leave a comment below, or email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Committed to Praying Through,
Joan Tyvoll
Norwegian Ridge Retreat

Comments

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Marilyn Blumer   |Jan 22, 2010 This is exactly what God has been impressing on me. Reply 0   0

Joan Tyvoll  - Prayer   |Jan 25, 2010 Thanks for your comment, Marilyn. I think God is stirring the hearts of many of his "kids" to pray... Bless you as you follow that call this year. JT Reply 0   0

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