Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Recently, the Pastors of our church met together to pray. We gathered in our chapel and began to talk about some of the things we noted God had been doing in our midst. We talked about a number of things that we felt we needed to pray about. It came up in the discussion how the enemy of our soul often works to attack leadership. He may work to attack our heath, or create obstacles to hinder what we are trying to accomplish. He tries to create schism and division over differences of opinion. He tries to attack finances. He is a ruthless and wicked enemy that uses whatever tactics he can to stop leadership. He knows if he accomplishes that, he then effectively hinders that leader from leading and influencing others toward God. Consequently, we felt impressed to pray for the Pastoral Staff and the church’s leadership recognizing and being aware of the devil’s devices. We prayed what we knew to pray with our minds and we prayed in tongues for all those things we did not know how to pray for. Most of what needs to be prayed is really hidden from people and consequently God gives the gift of tongues to help believers pray for those things they couldn’t possibly know to pray for with the help of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:2 (NIV) helps us understand this. It says, “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.”  Then Romans 8:26 helps us see the need for this gift and the help the Holy Spirit gives through tongues saying, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” And 1 Cor. 14:14-15 (NLT) helps us see praying with our understanding and with tongues works together in tandem saying, “For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. Well then, what shall I do? I will do both. I will pray in the spirit, and I will pray in words I understand.”

The things we prayed about were all about people and the plan of God going forth unhindered by Satan and with God’s blessing. We prayed for a period of time together and then went back to our day’s duties. We left knowing in our heart that we had prayed in faith before the Lord and with confidence that God would work in behalf of what we prayed.

The following night after the Pastors prayed together, I received a phone call from the wife of one of our Pastors. Their son had been driving in their car when a SUV went through a stop sign and broadsided him. The car was completely totaled and the police said that there was no way he should have lived. An ambulance took him to a hospital but other than a few scrapes and bruises, he was fine and sent home. They repeatedly heard that this could kind of accident should have killed or at least seriously hurt him. Divine protection for our Pastors and leaders and their families was one of the things we prayed for that morning. Glory to God!It isn’t about how having many people praying for a situation. It’s understanding that our human understanding is highly limited in what we can figure out. The Holy Spirit of God knows all things and what needs to be prayed. This is why the gift of tongues has been given to us. To have people who know the will of God and that will stand in faith is more important that large numbers of people who don’t. I pray that you will have this kind of intimate walk with God and at least a few friends that have faith in prayer along with you as you learn to pray according to His will and in faith!

1 John 5:14-15 (NIV) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of Him.” 

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt 

Published by Pastor Tim Burt
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