Prayer for pressure?

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zaoman32

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So I was reading a devotional this morning and it really gave me a lot to think about. At a time where the church is getting over packed with excessive amounts of optimism (which really has no biblical basis) what is our first inclination to do when someone asks for prayer? Usually when someone asks for prayer they're going through a difficult time, and so our inclination is to pray for that pressure to be relieved right? We empathize with them, feel sorry for them and pray that God will just help them get out of the mess and have some relief.

The devotion I read challenged this way of thinking. "And when you begin to see that person in the middle of a difficult and painful struggle, don't try to prevent it, but pray that his difficulty will grow even ten times stronger, until no power on earth or in hell could hold him away from Jesus Christ...We are indeed amateurs, coming in and actually preventing God's will and saying, 'this person should not have to experience this difficulty.'...Instead our sympathy gets in the way. One day that person will say to us, 'You are a thief; you stole my desire to follow Jesus, and because of you I have lost sight of Him."

Thoughts?
 
My thoughts go to Jesus in the garden as an example.

Luke 22:39-46 (NKJV)
[SUP]39 [/SUP]Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. [SUP]40 [/SUP]When He came to the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” [SUP]41 [/SUP]And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, [SUP]42 [/SUP]saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” [SUP]43 [/SUP]Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. [SUP]44 [/SUP]And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.[SUP][a][/SUP]
[SUP]45 [/SUP]When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. [SUP]46 [/SUP]Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

Do you think Jesus was loving the idea of all the pain he was going to have to suffer? I sure don't, and I think that scripture shows it. Yet He did it anyway.


I wouldn't ever pray that more pressure is added onto someone or myself.
I'd simply pray for God's will in their life, the same as I do in mine.
I might pray something like this: "If it's your will please take this away, but if it's not please give just enough strength to make it through and let this trial help in growth. May your will be done."

In the longrun, I'd say we benefit a lot more from enduring storms with Jesus at our side, than we would if something was just taken away. The more trials God gets us through, the more solid our faith can be. If only we could all learn to not fear these trials, but rather trust Him completely.
 
zaoman32 said:
The devotion I read challenged this way of thinking. "And when you begin to see that person in the middle of a difficult and painful struggle, don't try to prevent it, but pray that his difficulty will grow even ten times stronger, until no power on earth or in hell could hold him away from Jesus Christ...
Click to expand...

I didn't know there was a book of devotions for sadists. o_O

Seriously though, if that is what one really wants then why pray at all? Just let nature take its course.

And if anyone is thinking of praying this, please don't pray for ME. Thanks ;)
 
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Interesting topic, zao. I don't think I'd ever pray for more pressure on someone, though I do see their reasoning behind it. Often our human wants (of comfort, no pain, etc.) do cloud what God's will is.

I tend to pray for God to grow that person (or me) in whatever way is necessary. Sometimes that does take more pressure, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it takes trials, and sometimes it takes deliverance. So, instead of "God make this worse for them" I'd say, "God, bring opportunities for this person to grow closer to You, whatever it takes."

For example, I think we pray for people's safety a lot. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. I certainly want to pray for safety for a close friend of mine who is going to be a missionary overseas for two years to a country that is hostile towards Christians. I worry about her safety, and I admit that I pray to God that He will protect her. But what if that's not what she needs to grow closer with Christ? What if that's not what other people need through her (through God)? I'm not saying she should look for danger, or throw herself in front of buses. What I'm saying is that maybe she will have to feel uncomfortable, or unsafe sometimes, to get His message out.
 
“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

(Luke 11:11-13 NIV)

Seriously.
 
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I think you're missing the focus Zero. The focus isn't on pressure for the sake of pressure, or difficulty for the sake of difficulty, but being open and willing for the person to grow into God and be closer to Jesus, even if that means things getting worse. The importance is not the situation, the importance is the growth with God. A lot of times people go through difficult times and are either told by fellow believers that there must be something wrong with them and their relationship with God, when what the case really is, is the verse that says God corrects those who he loves. And the verse in James, count it all joy when you face hardships of any kind. Remember that the life we live and the trials we face are earthly and temporal, God has our eternity in mind.

Rachel, I don't think there is anything wrong with praying for a friends safety, but your right, the focus should be more on praying for God to grow in their lives.
 
I attend a Bible school in which the teacher is an artist and encourages artistic expression of prayers, etc. One day we made colorful paper chains with a prayer written on each chain, another day we scrapbooked our prayers to God, and today, we made finger paint drawings of what was on our minds in relationship to God.

I wound up with a piece of paper covered with brightly colored dots. I had no real idea what it meant... but for some reason, I felt that God was saying, "Kim, you are wanting something REAL. Something with many different colors (even ones I don't like)", and though the paper was white, I painted three white dots among all the other colors. I felt like God was saying, "These are for the times in your life when you felt invisible."

The thing is... I know from experience that while something real is wonderful to ask for... It also brings about very real pains, pressures, and stretches we would all rather not go through... but are, unfortunately, necessary to get to the next level.

I like the idea of growth. It's the pain and pressure part that I truly dread.
 
I wouldn't pray for more pressure but, as C.S Lewis said, God uses pain as a megaphone to rouse a deaf world. We can find meaning in pain & pressure, but I wouldn't will it.
 
zaoman32 said:
I think you're missing the focus Zero. The focus isn't on pressure for the sake of pressure, or difficulty for the sake of difficulty, but being open and willing for the person to grow into God and be closer to Jesus, even if that means things getting worse. The importance is not the situation, the importance is the growth with God. A lot of times people go through difficult times and are either told by fellow believers that there must be something wrong with them and their relationship with God, when what the case really is, is the verse that says God corrects those who he loves. And the verse in James, count it all joy when you face hardships of any kind. Remember that the life we live and the trials we face are earthly and temporal, God has our eternity in mind.

Rachel, I don't think there is anything wrong with praying for a friends safety, but your right, the focus should be more on praying for God to grow in their lives.
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I really think we should let God decide if more pressure is the right thing or not.
 
zeroturbulence said:
I really think we should let God decide if more pressure is the right thing or not.
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Exactly...I think the point the author was making is what some have stated here. Rather than praying for relief pray for God's will. Pray that nothing will keep their eyes from Jesus. Maybe he didn't, who knows. Either way the focus I don't think should be so much on the matter as much as it should be the relationship between God and the person.
 
Actually, Zaoster...

I could really go for a highly pressurized (as in, seared) meat patty (as in, burger) right now... :) Does pressure = delicious?

If that's the case, count me in!!!
 
seoulsearch said:
Actually, Zaoster...

I could really go for a highly pressurized (as in, seared) meat patty (as in, burger) right now... :) Does pressure = delicious?

If that's the case, count me in!!!
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yeah....uhhhh....uhhhh....gimmmeee...uhhh....minute....must....wipe....drool....keybo.......
 
Without pain, there is no progress. Plain and simple. We as people aren't inherently good, and we'd mostly like to stay that way. Therefore, God brings trials, he disciplines whom He loves, and life is our sanctification process. Without pain we become stagnant and diseased. We must have a catalyst in order to change, and the VAST majority of the time it's pain.
 
When I pray for someone,I almost always start by thanking God for that person,then asking that he reveal himself to them in whatever situation it is...and that his peace would allow them to hear & know his will for that moment. Even if someone is sick..yes of course I might confess scriptures that pertain to healing over that person,but I've come to realize more & more over the years that prayer is more for us than it is for anyone else. Prayer helps us see things a bit clearer,or can at least help us to try & focus on God & not the situations we are in. When we focus on the situation too much,it takes the place of trusting in God I think. Well,for me sometimes. Good Thread Zao!
 
zaoman32 said:
yeah....uhhhh....uhhhh....gimmmeee...uhhh....minute....must....wipe....drool....keybo.......
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Yeah, but even without the mention of food you drool all over your keyboard. You're just a drool ghoul. Goes well with your sparkley vampire side.
 
Whether it is for myself or someone else, I pray that God's will would be done, to see the situation through His eyes, to know that He is with us no matter what, and trust that good will come from it. It always does, whether we ever know it or not.

ROMANS 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
 
Ugly said:
Yeah, but even without the mention of food you drool all over your keyboard. You're just a drool ghoul. Goes well with your sparkley vampire side.
Click to expand...

At least keep it on the d/l dude...

Jullianna said:
Whether it is for myself or someone else, I pray that God's will would be done, to see the situation through His eyes, to know that He is with us no matter what, and trust that good will come from it. It always does, whether we ever know it or not.

ROMANS 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Click to expand...

THANK YOU for this verse. There are several verses that help me sleep easier at night and this is one of them. Knowing that God directs my steps, and that the impossibility of salvation is made possible through God, and that all things are made good and perfect through God's work is comfort to broken hearts.
 
:)

Proverbs 3:5-6

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
 
Under Pressure - Queen
[video=youtube;BWdLt3Afjrg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWdLt3Afjrg[/video]
 
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