If you ever have difficulty getting the springs of prophecy to bubble up within you, here’s a tip to help you prime the pump. I learned it from the lady I wrote about yesterday who discovered how prophecy could set her free.
A few days after our wonderful prayer meeting, she called to tell me that she had continued to prophesy and sing inspired songs in her own personal prayer times. But then Satan tried to steal that prophetic flow. (He always comes to steal the Word.) When she asked the Lord what to do about it, she felt impressed in her heart to just read the book of Psalms.
She figured since the Old Testament psalms are inspired utterances, they would open the door for her to prophesy. So she started singing them and just as she had hoped, the wellspring of prophecy began to bubble up within her again.
Today, I’m more convinced than ever that we should all follow that lady’s example. We should all cultivate the gift of prophecy so we can be edified, exhorted, and comforted every single day. When we bump up against the troubles and trials of life and our spiritual batteries lose their spark, we shouldn’t let our fervency fizzle. We should recharge our spirits with psalms and spiritual songs.We should speak by the spirit of prophecy until we’re fired up and our spirits are sizzling again.
So let’s do it! Let’s truly start coveting the wonderful gift of prophecy. Especially in the next few weeks, practice it more and more in your own, personal prayer times. Speak every day in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs and find out just how wonderfully free you can be!
Scripture Reading: Psalm 96:1 – 13
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!”