PRAY OCTOBER – 31 Days of Prayer, Scripture Readings, Devotions to draw us closer to God.
Day 19: Prayer for Deliverance
Scripture: Psalm 34:17-18 Is anyone crying for help? GOD is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you’ll find GOD right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath. (The Message)
Many scriptural prayers begin with the “crying out for help”. This can be found for instance in Psalm 130 and Jonah 2, just to name a couple. These and other scriptural prayers come to the reality of our need for deliverance. The writer of Psalm 130 is seeking to be delivered from sinfulness. Jonah had got himself into a fine mess and was praying from a deep place of despair for deliverance. It is indicated that both prayers were answered.
When we call on the Lord, scripture reminds us of God hearing our cries and call for mercy. But the question remains to receive the answered prayers from God. Knowing that within those answered prayer is plenteous redemption. We are all crying out for something and most of the time those cries and prayers are for deliverance from something or someone.
There are great cries for mercy. These cries are being heard by God but often very unrecognizable by humanity. All of us are crying out in prayer for deliverance from something. For some it is the oppression constantly being felt by present conditions of mind, body, and soul. Are we honestly coming before God in prayer seeking to be delivered from the things that are most overshadowing our lives. What about when we don’t receive answered prayers; are we delivered from that which is beating us up or tearing us apart.
Recent teaching and speaking of the Holy Spirit. Late last evening I was in a restaurant with Gail and with friends. A man came into the restaurant in a wheelchair. The man only had one leg. He was alone, carrying all of his possessions in a couple of bags attached to his wheelchair. He went to the counter and ordered something to eat. When the waitress came over to the table, I told her I would pay for the man’s meal. Her response was – “I have already taken care of him!”. “He comes in often and the least I can do to take care of him with a meal.” I looked at the waitress, realizing she probably didn’t have much either. I could only imagine the struggles she was also facing. But then her closing words were “I have been there to.”
Friends the message before I ever prayed this morning was delivered last evening. We are all in need of deliverance from something. Confessing that this morning could bring you and me and all of us to a better place. I’m not speaking physical, financial, relational, or anything else. I am speaking spiritually and soulfully, the need for deliverance from the grips of the things not of God. We are all in need of more of God and less of me and the things that are holding us back from the life planned for us.
The man from last night, his name is Jesse. I introduced myself to him, shook his hand, told him I would be praying for him. His response, “Thank you, I’ll be praying for you”. In that moment, no other conversation was necessary. We were bound together by the Spirit, one with God, in heart, mind, and Spirit. Doing what we all need to be doing, praying for each other, the Jesses’ of the world, for deliverance from everything that is not of God.
Prayer: Lord, I cry out to You in my troubles. Deliver me from all my fears and distress. I pray for myself and those known and unknown who are in need of your sanctifying grace that is found in Jesus Christ the Lord. May we all get over ourselves to accept the deliverance you offer. Amen
Thoughts from the Edges 
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