is powerful and effective." James 5:16 Have you seen that in your life? In the last year since I've come on staff with AIM as the Ministry Coordinator of American Indian Discipleship, I've seen that over and over and over in my life. As God calls me to a higher walk with Him, greater accountability, more responsibility, more of a far reaching witness; He has shown me the absolute necessity of keeping myself pure and righteous so that my prayers are "powerful and effective". He reaffirms in me over and over the necessity of continually examining myself and confessing my sins.
And oh, the prayers I have seen answered in the past year........support raised so that I could go on staff with AIM, many lives committed to Christ, my innocent Navajo ministry partner being released from the detention center, healing of 16 people from a severe case of the flu in Belize, changed hearts...including my own, staff to help me lead my AIM projects, and just yesterday an answer to a situation that I've prayed over for 8 months, and so much more. I've also seen answered prayers that I haven't even prayed.....needs met that I didn't even know I had until God met them. Miracles provided that seemed impossible.
Staying pure is not easy.......I struggle every day with sin.......but God has shown me through I John 1:9 that when I confess my sin, "He is faithful and just and will forgive me my sins and purify me from all unrighteousness". See that word "purify"? That's what God wants from all of us, purity. And that's one of the things I highly desire for my life.......to be "pure" in God's eyes. That's what the Psalmist, David, highly desired for his life. He said in Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." I've also learned that I can't do this alone......I need community.....other believers who are willing to lift me up in intercession to the Lord, to walk beside me in accountability and to encourage me in my daily walk......to ask me whether I'm reading the word and praying every day. I thank God for those He has placed in my life to do just that. Without them my struggles would be far greater.
Every answered prayer takes my faith to a higher level and sustains me when the walk is difficult, when the spiritual warfare is intense. God uses every circumstance in my life to build my faith and show me just how valuable I am to Him, just how much He wants me to depend on Him and lay everything at the feet of Jesus. He has shown me over and over how, thru my prayers and faith, that He will use "all things together for my good." He is an incredible God who loves me more than I will ever comprehend and wants to answer my prayers.......all I have to do is keep myself pure so that He will be able to hear me. And, my friend, He wants the same for you! To God Be The Glory!
