John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church, once said it seemed to him that God could not do anything in the earth unless someone prayed. If you examine the New Testament, you’ll come to the conclusion that must be true. Everything there of importance, you’ll find, was prayed through by people who weren’t just satisfied to pray once and hope for the best, but by people who prayed and prayed and prayed until they saw the manifestation come forth.
Even the birth of Jesus was prayed through that way by Old Covenant saints like Simeon and Anna. The Gospel of Luke tells us that Anna did not leave the temple for 84 years! She stayed there day and night, worshipping with fasting and prayer and giving thanks to God for the coming Messiah.
Why did she do that?
Because God had promised her that Jesus would be born in her lifetime, and she was not leaving her prayer place until she saw that promise fulfilled. As a result, she spent virtually her whole life praying and preparing the coming of the Lord.
Did you know that’s what we as pray-ers are called to do? We are called to prepare the way of the Lord. We are called to open doors for God in the earth.
That was the revelation that brother Halverson shared with me just before he went home to be with the Lord many years ago. He took me to John 10:2 – 3 and pointed out to me that even Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, needed someone to open the door for Him before He could go into a situation and lead His sheep out. Even Jesus needed a watchman!
The term watchman is used most often in the Bible to refer to those who pray. Of course, the Holy Spirit Himself is the ultimate watchman who opens the door for the workings of God. He is the true intercessor. However, He cannot intercede apart from us.
We are the ones who give voice to His prayers. We are the watchmen who help open the doors.
Scripture Reading: Luke 2:21 – 38
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!”