Have you ever prayed…no, really communed with God…and listened…and acted…and continued to pray…and pray….and pray? The Bible often commends praying continually as the only way to live out life. I live by prayer. The Salvation Army in the Western States was challenged by the question, have you ever prayed, no really prayed, for more than a few minutes? Well get out there and try it! You have to do it to see the most incredibly astounding results…yet, they should not be astounding, because it’s prayer and God tells us how prayer changes everything.
The Western Territory’s official kick off for a more concerted than normal prayer focus, was Sept. 15, 2007, however, the Southern California & Hawaii Divisions, the Western Music and Youth Institutes, Territorial Headquarters, and the San Diego Kroc Center had already set the scene.
An outdoor Boiler Room (prayer room) had been set up at both California and Hawaii regional ministry events and the Music and Youth Institutes – lengthy residential teenage/young adult camps centered on excellence in Salvation Army ministry, music, and Christian leadership. All testified to a passionate emphasis and felt the power of and diverse ways in which prayer worked!
The San Diego Kroc Corps Community Center Associate Administrator, Captain Lisa Van Cleef, indicated that a “Boiler Room” – set up and decorated by members of the congregation - became a very quiet sanctuary at which forty-five center members, youth ministry program participants and Salvation Army and other local church attendees prayed.
An incredible diversity of pray-ers and visitors paused as they rushed to their class or event. Several visitors have been attracted to the Sunday services and one couple has decided to make The Salvation Army their church home.
At the San Pedro, California, Gerald Hardin participated in the prayer vigil. He had been battling cancer and felt in his heart the Lord answer his prayer in that very moment, giving him peace.
At Pendleton, Oregon, Captain Martha Sheppard, indicated she couldn’t wait to get back for another two-hour shift praying, emerging invigorated and changed.
The THQ 24/7 Boiler Room contained a variety of prayer focus opportunities but the one most meaningful to Major Ralph E. Hood Jr., Territorial Secretary for Personnel, contained a fishing net draped with baskets full of paper fish. Instructions were to open your hearts to an individual or group for whom the Lord wanted you to pray and to write their name on one of the fish. The Major wrote a high school friends name, Vince, on a fish, hung it in the net and prayed for him and then continued in prayer at various other “stations” in the prayer room for another hour. There had been no contact between Ralph and Vince for over thirty years, but when Ralph returned to his office there was a voicemail from Vince!
Recognizing God’s special purpose through prayer and in Vince's phone message, Ralph immediately phoned Vince, with a précis of thirty years news. It transpired Vince had tracked down Ralph from one of his sisters, that he’d experienced several difficult years, and decided to make contact as he knew Ralph had become a Salvation Army pastor and would have a receptive ear and gentle heart!
Upon learning of Vince’s address, Ralph provided local contact details for The Salvation Army. The following Monday Vince phoned to say he’d attended church and at the conclusion of God’s message presented by the corps officer (pastor) he went forward and gave his life to the Lord. Initially, he did not understand what he was doing, but when he got up from the time of prayer, he felt like a load was lifted and accepted Christ as his personal Savior. As they talked about what had happened, Ralph indicated that Vince now needed to get into The Word reading his Bible, to continue praying, and to join a fellowship of other Christians in order to grow. Vince said he’d enjoyed such a warm welcome at The Salvation Army that he planned to return.
So, get to it – I challenge you to pray. Not just for a few minutes each day, only at church, an extra hour in a Boiler Room, or indeed for the year…but pray continually. Watch life grow and everything change.
Thank you God, for being able to talk anytime, about anything, knowing you care and will answer according to Your Will.
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