Revelation 3:8
Some time ago, a minister I greatly respect delivered a prophetic declaration about the time in which we are living. He called it the time of the open door. I don’t mind telling you, when Iheard those words, they absolutely exploded in my spirit because many years ago, I discovered just how vital spiritual doors can be. The man who mentored me and my husband in prayer, brother Phillip Halverson, taught frequently about them. Even better, he showed us how to pray for them. And we saw the amazing things that can happen when they open.
I’ve never forgotten those days we spent praying with brother Halverson. He was the greatest person of prayer I’ve ever known. In 1985, he went home to be with the Lord while praying on the platform of our church. He departed like Enoch, walking in the Spirit with God. He must have just stepped over from earth to heaven of his own free will because when the doctors examined his body, they found no natural cause of death.
Although brother Halverson has been gone for years now, I know he would have been thrilled to hear the prophetic words that were spoken about open doors. He would have rejoiced to hear the Spirit of the Lord say:
“…I open doors that no man can shut and I shut doors no man can open. There are those of you over the years that have set out with commitment and resolve to do things that I have assigned you to do. And over a period of time, it looked like the Devil just slammed the door in your face. But you hear Me now, saith the Lord, I am opening your door … and nobody else will be able to close it on you. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Don’t give up on this nation. Don’t give up on your church … [this is the time] of doors opening and held open. Go through them with great faith and stay on the Word. You stay with Me and I’ll stay with you, and together we will see victory beyond anything you or anybody else has ever seen.”
It doesn’t matter who you are, if you love Jesus and are living for Him, those words are good news. But if you’re a person who is deeply committed to prayer, they’re even more than that. They are crucial marching orders from our heavenly commander.
They’re a reminder from the Lord Jesus Himself to resist discouragement in every area of life and keep believing for open doors.
Scripture Reading: John 10:1–10
Source: Devotions for the Praying Heart by Lynne Hammond.
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!”