 [Click here to go to Times Square Church Pulpit Seriesmultilingual site]

                             Helpers in Prayer

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plain Text File + Related Bible Study + Home Page + Subscribe + Copyright +
                               Cover Letter
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

By David Wilkerson
October 4, 1999
__________

          Prayer is often one of the most selfish areas of
          Christians' lives. When you think about it, most of our
          prayers focus on our own needs. The two main subjects
          of our intercession are our own spiritual growth and
          the needs of our families and friends.

          Occasionally, we may reach beyond our own narrow
          concerns and pray for others. Yet usually when we say,
          "I'll pray for you," we don't do it. Or, we pray for
          them once and then quickly forget about their need.

          Recently I've been examining my own prayer life in
          light of the scriptures. And I've been convicted about
          the narrowness and limitations of my own praying. Like
          most believers, I spend much of my prayer time seeking
          the Lord about my walk with him. I cry out to him to be
          made holy, to have dominion over sin, to become
          Christ-like, to receive guidance for life, to have his
          anointing on my ministry. And I enjoy sweet communion
          with him, quietly worshipping him and being refreshed
          in his presence.

          I also intercede daily for my family. I ask the Lord to
          protect my children from the schemes of the devil -- to
          make my sons like oaks planted by the river of God, to
          make my daughters polished stones in his palace, and to
          make all my grandchildren lovers of Jesus. I pray too
          for the concerns of our church body. I intercede for
          individuals who are in crisis and for the many
          missionaries and ministries we support.

          You might say, "That's all commendable, Brother Dave.
          It's comforting to know you're shut in with the Lord,
          communing with him and praying for all those needs."

          But according to God's word, sweet communion is not
          enough. Yes, it is the secret to spiritual growth. And
          we can have no greater experience on earth. But if we
          go to the throne only for our personal edification and
          needs, we're being selfish. We simply cannot neglect
          praying seriously for the dire needs all around us.

          Our ministry recently heard from a precious elderly man
          in San Diego. This dear saint said God had prompted him
          to pray for me daily, and he asked if he could put me
          on his prayer list. Apparently, the recipients of this
          man's intercession include a long list of widows, poor
          people, ministers and unsaved people. And he has prayed
          for them for years now.

          The man is a retired postal worker, and he leads a very
          simple life, living on just one meal a day. He spends
          his time doing good deeds for others and communing with
          the Lord all day long. He drives around the city
          picking up old furniture and other items cast aside as
          junk, and he repairs them and gives them to widows and
          the poor. He also shops and runs errands for shut-ins,
          fixes their plumbing, and helps meet their other needs.

          The whole time this man does these good works, he prays
          without ceasing, faithfully interceding for everyone on
          his list. In fact, he crosses off their names only when
          they die.

          Now, I've been a man of prayer ever since I was called
          to preach at eight years of age. But even with all the
          fervent praying I've done throughout the years, this
          godly man puts me to shame. I have no list of needy
          people whom I pray for daily, as he does. Usually, I
          pray for someone once or twice and move on. But he just
          keeps praying.

          I believe this man's reward in glory will be much
          greater than mine. He's like the destitute widow who
          gave a mere pittance, but whose offering was worth many
          times more than the gifts of others. As I think about
          all the souls God has allowed evangelists to reap into
          the kingdom, I immediately think of the incredible
          helping prayers of people like this man.

          This message is all about how to develop that kind of
          blessed prayer life -- to truly become a "helper in
          prayer."

                      -------------------------------

                Paul Says Emphatically He Was Delivered From
                "Near Death" Troubles -- Not By His Faith,
                   But Through the Prayers of "Helpers."

                      -------------------------------

          "We would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our
          trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed
          out of measure, above strength, in so much that we
          despaired even of life" (2 Corinthians 1:8). The Greek
          word for "pressed" in this passage means, "heavily
          burdened, grievously crushed." Paul was telling these
          saints, "Our crisis was so serious, it almost crushed
          me horribly. It was beyond my endurance, more than I
          could take. I thought it was the end for me."

          When Paul says he was so burdened down that he
          despaired of life, we can know he truly was at rock
          bottom. In other passages, he downplays his sufferings.
          You may recall how he simply shook off a poisonous
          snake that had attached itself to his hand. He was also
          shipwrecked three times -- yet he mentions this fact
          only in passing, to make a point. Paul was beaten,
          robbed, stoned, jailed -- yet through it all he never
          complained.

          In this passage, however, the apostle was at a point of
          total exhaustion of some kind. I believe this "trouble"
          he endured was mental anguish. We can't know exactly
          what Paul's trouble was -- but 2 Corinthians 7:5 gives
          us a hint: "When we were come into Macedonia, our flesh
          had no rest, but we were troubled on every side;
          without were fightings, within were fears."

          I believe Paul was referring to pain caused by the
          sheep he ministered to. False teachers had risen up in
          Corinth and tried to turn the people against him. Now
          Paul feared his flock would reject his message and
          follow men who didn't have their interest at heart.

          He was consoled when Titus arrived, bringing him good
          news about his "beloved children" in Corinth. Paul
          writes, "Nevertheless God...comforted us by the coming
          of Titus; and not by his coming only, but by the
          consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he
          told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your
          fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more"
          (verses 6-7).

          Many believers today suffer as Paul did. Their greatest
          anguish is mental, caused by ill treatment from those
          they've loved and helped the most. We see this
          reflected in many of David's psalms. He grieved over
          friends who turned against him without cause, people
          he'd fed and provided for at his own expense.

          I've felt this kind of anguish in my life. At times,
          the words of people I've loved and helped have felt
          like knives in my back. I can say with David, "The
          words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war
          was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet
          were they drawn swords" (Psalm 55:21). In such troubled
          times, I've most needed "helping prayers."

                      -------------------------------

                       In the Midst of His Troubles,
                        Paul Learned Great Lessons.

                      -------------------------------

          The most significant lesson Paul learned in his anguish
          was that he had to turn to the Lord and his covenant
          promises. He knew he could no longer trust in his own
          flesh, abilities or willpower. He writes, "We had the
          sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not
          trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead"
          (2 Corinthians 1:9).

          Paul's trial had brought him to the end of his
          endurance. He knew he didn't have any strength left to
          fight the powers of darkness. So he sentenced his own
          flesh to death. And God marvelously delivered him: "Who
          delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver:
          in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us" (verse
          10).

          How was Paul delivered? Several things were involved:
          First, he was a mighty man of prayer. And second, he
          had great confidence in the Lord. Paul knew God would
          uphold his covenant promises. He could say, "Just as
          the Lord has delivered me in the past, he's at work
          delivering me from this present trial. From now until
          the day I die, I'll be living under his delivering
          power."

          Like Paul, we also are allowed to endure troubled
          times, so that we'll die to our reliance on human
          ability. The Lord permits us to be crushed, made
          helpless and weak, in an effort to convince us we can't
          defeat the enemy by any fleshly efforts.

          Yet, as we compare our lives to Paul's, we may be
          tempted to think, "I'll never experience the kind of
          deliverance this man enjoyed. He was well-educated in
          the scriptures. He received great revelations from the
          Lord about Jesus, the gospel, the New Covenant. He even
          went to the heavenlies.

          "And Paul ministered in the power and demonstration of
          the Holy Ghost. He single-handedly shook cities and
          nations. He couldn't be killed by the devil, even after
          stonings, mob attacks, three shipwrecks. God even used
          him to raise the dead. This man was one of God's most
          anointed servants in all of history. He had it together
          spiritually."

          Not so, according to Paul. The apostle tells us there
          was one other important factor in his deliverance: the
          powerful intercession of praying helpers. "Ye also
          helping together by prayer for us..." (verse 11). Paul
          was saying, "I'm confident God will deliver me. And
          you're helping that come to pass by praying."

          You might wonder, "Why would Paul need anyone's help
          through prayer? He had such strong faith, such
          incredible power with God, his own prayers ought to
          have been enough to see him through."

          No, not at all. Paul recognized his desperate need of
          "helpers in prayer." Here was a man who knew full well
          that his salvation was totally of the Lord...that God
          was faithful to keep his covenant promises...that the
          Lord would be God to him, his shield of protection, his
          deliverer from every enemy. Yet Paul also knew that God
          had ordained prayer as his "subordinate means of
          deliverance."

          According to the Bible, prayer and deliverance are
          inseparable. God tells us, "Call upon me in the day of
          trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify
          me" (Psalm 50:15). "He shall call upon me, and I will
          answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will
          deliver him, and honour him" (91:15).

          Paul knew it was through prayers -- both his own and
          those of praying helpers -- that he was delivered "out
          of the mouth of the lion." He boasted, "The Lord shall
          deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me
          unto his heavenly kingdom..." (2 Timothy 4:18). He's
          telling us, "I've been delivered -- and I'll continue
          to be preserved, until Jesus comes -- because the
          church of Jesus Christ is praying for me."

                      -------------------------------

           One of the Greatest Needs in The Body of Christ Today
                Is This Ministry of Being a Prayer Helper.

                      -------------------------------

          As devoted servants of the Lord, we're constantly in
          danger from the enemy. Our uncompromised love for Jesus
          is a threat to all of hell. We can't undertake any holy
          work without Satan planting all kinds of snares and
          traps for us.

          One such danger is being taken very lightly in the
          church. That danger is the separation or divorce of
          Christian couples. I'm absolutely shocked by the scores
          of calls and letters our ministry receives telling us
          of marriages in shambles.

          A marriage counselor in the south I know called me in
          dismay recently. She said, "Everywhere I turn in our
          church, couples are breaking up. Almost every friend of
          mine is divorcing or talking about it. It's a literal
          plague in the body of Christ right now."

          I hear every kind of reason given for the turmoil in
          Christian homes: incompatibility, lack of
          communication, loss of affection, infidelity. But in
          truth, it's about much more than that. Behind it all is
          an attack from hell against God's saints.

          Broken homes among non-Christians is no mystery. But
          among the righteous, all such turmoil has a cause.
          Think about it -- how can dedicated Christians who have
          sat under godly preaching for years suddenly have no
          authority in their homes? They know full well God's
          covenant oath to be their strength. They know he
          promises to destroy every satanic power that comes
          against them. So, why is the devil prevailing? Why is
          their marriage under constant threat?

          I believe it's because one or both partners have opened
          the door to a satanic delusion. They've allowed some
          compromise in their lives, or they've become
          spiritually lazy. And now an enraged devil has gained a
          stronghold in their hearts and home.

          If you're under such an attack, you should be asking
          what the disciples asked: "Master, why couldn't we cast
          out those demons?" Jesus answered that certain demonic
          bondages won't respond to the laying on of hands or a
          halfhearted, one-time prayer. Such strongholds are so
          deeply entrenched, the only way to cast them out is by
          sustained prayer and fasting.

          Yet the church today is in a stupor regarding the power
          of prayer. A veil has fallen over the eyes of millions.
          And now, whenever they face trouble, the last place
          they turn is to Jesus. They've abandoned the secret
          closet. And instead they've turned to psychology,
          counselors, books, friends -- everywhere but to the
          Lord.

          If you say your marriage is a wreck and you want it
          healed, I have to ask you -- how much time do you spend
          shut in with God? How many times have you turned off
          your TV for an hour just to sit before Jesus and
          unburden your soul? How many meals have you missed so
          you could fast for your marriage? How often have you
          cried out, "Father, I can't handle this. You have to
          move on our behalf. Do whatever it takes to heal us."

          Some Bible teachers claim it's unbelief for us to ask
          God for the same request over and over. No -- that's
          damnable heresy. And it has weakened the faith of
          multitudes. God commands us to ask, seek, fast -- to
          cry out in effectual, earnest supplication.

          From the very beginning, true servants have turned
          God's promises into prayers:

             * Jesus knew his father had promised all things to
               him before the foundation of the world -- yet
               Christ still spent hours praying for God's will to
               be done on earth. He even told a parable
               illustrating persistence in prayer. It involved an
               "importunate widow" who kept demanding justice
               from a judge until she got it.

             * God gave Ezekiel wonderful prophecies about
               Israel's restoration, promising that the nation's
               ruins would become as the Garden of Eden. Yet the
               Lord said his word would not be fulfilled without
               prayer: "...I will yet for this be enquired of by
               the house of Israel, to do it for them..."
               (Ezekiel 36:37). In other words: "I've made you a
               promise -- but I want you to pray it to pass. Seek
               me with all your heart, until you see it
               fulfilled. I will deliver -- but first you must
               ask."

             * God promised Daniel that after seventy years
               Israel would be restored. And when Daniel saw the
               appointed year arrive, he could have waited in
               faith for God to fulfill his word. But instead,
               that godly man fell on his face and prayed for two
               weeks -- until he saw the Lord bring everything to
               pass.

                      -------------------------------

                  God Commands Us to Pray for One Another
                           (See James 5:14-16).

                      -------------------------------

          In the Old Testament, Israel's priest carried on his
          breastplate the names of all the tribes of Israel. This
          signified that the people's needs were continually on
          the priest's heart in prayer. To Christians today, this
          provides a wonderful image of Christ carrying us in his
          heart and presenting our needs to the father. Moreover,
          every Christian today is a priest unto the Lord. And
          we're always to carry the needs of others in our
          hearts.

          Paul was so conscious of his need for the prayers of
          the saints, he pleaded for "prayer helpers" everywhere.
          He begged the Romans, "Now I beseech you, brethren, for
          the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the
          Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers
          to God for me; that I may be delivered..." (Romans
          15:30-31). And he asked the Thessalonians, "Brethren,
          pray for us" (1 Thessalonians 5:25).

          In Greek, the word for "strive" here means to "struggle
          with me as a partner in prayer; wrestle for me in
          prayer." Paul wasn't asking for a quick mention to the
          throne. He was pleading, "Fight for me in prayer. Do
          spiritual battle, both for my sake and the sake of the
          gospel."

          When Paul was in prison, ready to lay down his life, he
          pled with the Philippians for their prayers: "I know
          that this shall turn to my salvation through your
          prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ"
          (Philippians 1:19). Paul knew he was a marked man --
          that Satan's hordes were bent on destroying him. And so
          it is with every true minister of the gospel. Every
          pastor, preacher and evangelist needs helpers in prayer
          who will intercede for him continually.

          I can assure you, I wouldn't be writing this today if
          not for the helpers in prayer who have stood with me
          over the years. I was reminded of this recently while I
          was in Europe to conduct ministers' conferences and
          nightly crusades. The entire time, God's Spirit made me
          aware I was being carried by the prayers of a multitude
          of people.

          In Nice, France, Americans are not well-liked,
          particularly American evangelists. Everyone worried
          about that night's crusade, wondering, "Can it be
          done?" France is rampant with skepticism, atheism,
          agnosticism, unbelief. And the kind of meeting we
          planned to hold had never been attempted.

          When the time came, however, thousands gathered. Yet
          that's when I began to feel helpless. I didn't know
          what to preach. No message I'd outlined seemed to fit.
          My interpreter and I had reviewed some notes
          beforehand, but I wasn't sure they were right for the
          meeting. I warned him, "I'm not sure what I'm going to
          say."

          When I stepped up to the podium, however, the Spirit
          fell on me powerfully. I sensed the prayers of
          thousands of saints supporting me. And as I began to
          speak, the Holy Ghost filled my mouth. I preached for
          forty minutes, and the entire time you could hear a pin
          drop. When I finished, I simply said, "If you need
          Jesus, please come forward." Hundreds of people leapt
          to their feet in response.

          The same thing happened in all the other countries
          where we ministered -- Croatia, Romania, Poland,
          everywhere. I prayed beforehand, "Lord, what should I
          say?" And each time, the Spirit whispered to me,
          "People are praying." I'm convinced the power of prayer
          was the driving force behind the many salvations we
          witnessed on that trip.

          Here's how the power of helping prayer brought sweet
          deliverance in our congregation recently: Teresa
          Conlon, the wife of our associate pastor, was driving
          with her parents in Maine recently when suddenly a
          moose wandered onto the road. Their car struck the
          animal, and it came flying through the windshield. The
          car was totaled -- but, praise God, all three
          passengers walked away without a scratch.

          When I mentioned this news at our next worship service,
          I was approached by a dedicated intercessor from our
          congregation. The woman trembled as she told me,
          "Pastor, the night before the accident, the Holy Ghost
          burdened me to intercede for Brother Conlon's wife. I
          was led to pray for her protection and deliverance from
          the foul play of Satan. I didn't know anything about
          the accident, until you mentioned it just now."

          When you take on the ministry of helping in prayer, God
          will literally wake you up to the burdens of others.
          And he'll marvelously lead you in prayer for them.

                      -------------------------------

                          How Many Ministers Might
                         Have Been Delivered From
                        Ruin If They'd Had Helpers
                          In Prayer Striving for
                            Their Deliverance?

                      -------------------------------

          I recently wrote about a pastor's wife who left a
          pitiful message on our ministry's answering service.
          She said in very slurred speech, "Brother Dave,
          thousands of preachers' wives out there drink in secret
          to cover their pain. That's what I do. I drink to dull
          the ache." Other ministers' wives write of their
          failing marriages or their husbands' addictions to
          internet pornography.

          Beloved, these are the people I am now helping in
          prayer. I pray for ministers and their families,
          because I know they need it more than anybody. I don't
          write off anyone's request anymore. I've learned
          firsthand -- helping prayer works. Scripture says that
          when the apostle Peter was bound in jail, "...prayer
          was made without ceasing of the church unto God for
          him" (Acts 12:5). And God delivered Peter with a
          miracle.

          Paul not only asked for prayer helpers, but was a
          helper himself. He knew it was part of his calling as a
          minister of the gospel. He wrote to the Philippians,
          "...to all the saints...with the bishops and
          deacons...I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
          always in every prayer of mine for you all making
          request with joy...because I have you in my heart"
          (Philippians 1:1-7).

          Paul also wrote to the Romans, "To all that be in
          Rome...God is my witness...that without ceasing I make
          mention of you always in my prayers" (Romans 1:7, 9).
          The word "mention" here means, "I recite your name and
          needs to the Lord." In short, Paul didn't ask others to
          undertake something he wasn't willing to do himself.

          Are you aware of a brother or sister whose marriage is
          in turmoil? If so, what do you do about it? Do you
          merely tell others, "What a shame -- they're about to
          break up." Or, do you bring up their names to the Lord
          and strive for them in prayer?

          Like the precious elderly saint in San Diego, a true
          prayer helper is one who prays without ceasing for the
          needs of others. He doesn't pray for them just once and
          then stop. No, he intercedes day after day. And he
          doesn't quit until God meets the need.

          Do you desire this ministry of being a helper in
          prayer? If you don't know anyone with a need, start by
          praying for all Christian marriages and all of God's
          saints. Your prayers don't have to be long. Simply
          state your request, and trust God to hear you.

          This was illustrated for me once when I was sick in
          bed. One of my grandsons came in and announced, "Papa,
          I'm going to pray for you." My little helper laid his
          hand on my head and prayed, "Jesus, make him all
          better." I smiled and thanked him. But he just kept
          looking at me. Finally, he said, "You're healed. Get
          up." So I did get up -- and I was healed. His prayer of
          faith brought me to my feet.

          Mighty deliverances take place when God's saints seek
          him diligently with childlike faith for their brothers'
          and sisters' needs. I end here by recalling Paul's
          moving testimony:

          "We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we
          should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth
          the dead: who delivered us from so great a death, and
          doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver
          us; ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for
          the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons
          thanks may be given by many on our behalf" (2
          Corinthians 1:9-11).

          ---
          Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O.
          Box 260, Lindale, TX 75771, USA.

                 ------------------------------------------
Plain Text File + Related Bible Study + Home Page + Subscribe + Copyright +
                               Cover Letter
                 ------------------------------------------

         Times Square Church Information | New Reader Information

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

COPYRIGHT/REPRODUCTION LIMITATIONS:

This data file is the sole property of World Challenge. It may not be
altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for
circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this data
file must contain the copyright notice [i.e., "Copyright  1999 by World
Challenge"]. This data file may not be used without the permission World
Challenge for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold. This
includes all of its content with the exception of a few brief quotations.
Please give the following source credit: Copyright  1999 by World
Challenge, Lindale, Texas, USA.

This material is solely for personal use and is not to be posted publicly
on other web pages. The Lorain County Free-Net Chapel holds exclusive
rights from World Challenge, Inc. to publicly post these messages on its
web page. You are free to download, copy, print and distribute this
material, so long as you do not post it on a different Internet site. You
may, however, link this site to reference these messages.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       This web site is a service of
                          The Missing Link, Inc.
       Linking Troubled Youth and Adults with Life-Changing Programs
                       Web Site - http://misslink.org
               Chapel Site - http://misslink.org/chapel2.html
  Home of David Wilkerson's Times Square Church Pulpit Series Multilingual
                                  Web Site
                      http://www.tscpulpitseries.org

                                ------------

            Copyright  1999 - The Lorain County Free-Net Chapel
                         North Central Ohio, U.S.A.

                                TOP OF PAGE

           Our webmaster welcomes your comments and suggestions.
               This page was last updated October 15, 1999.

  Why Revival Tarries/ "Help!"/ What's Here/ Sponsor/ Statement of Faith/
   Bible Study/ Around the Piano/ Bulletin Board/ Library/ Pulpit Series
