1 Corinthians 11:1
Some years ago, I was trying to help two ladies who were severely oppressed and depressed because of terrible situations at home. One lady was able to get free very easily. But I just couldn’t seem to help the other.
I did everything for her that I knew. I prayed with her. I gave her scriptures. I encouraged her. But nothing worked. She wasn’t getting in touch with the Father the way she needed to.
One day as I was seeking God about how to help this lady get free, the Lord showed me what to do. He told me to have a prayer meeting with her and help her get over into the spirit of prophecy. So, that’s what I did. The next time I met with her, I told her we were going to pray together in tongues for a while, and then we were both going to prophesy.
At first, she didn’t think she could do it, but I assured her she could. I showed her what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 about wanting every believer to prophesy. I also showed her verse 13 where he says, “Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.” Then I explained how tongues and interpretation equals prophecy.
“Obviously Paul wouldn’t tell us to pray for something we couldn’t have,” I said. “That must mean God will help us interpret our tongues and prophesy if we ask Him. So here’s what we’ll do. We’ll begin praying out divinely inspired utterances in unknown tongues, and then we’ll just trust God to help us take another step up and begin to pray out those utterances in English. We’ll let tongues be our springboard into prophecy.”
Sure enough, we had the most marvelous time. We spoke and sang out wonderful words of prophecy. And just like the Bible said it would, the prophecy comforted her and helped her as nothing else could. The words of the Holy Spirit rising up within her set her gloriously free.
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:5 – 15
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”