The Distraction Machine
Over the years I've had a few occasions in which I've really felt the need to pray for someone, or something; not always knowing the reason why I even should. But, the pull was clear, pray and pray now. The interesting thing was during those times I also noticed something else occurring, distractions would suddenly appear out of nowhere to cause me to lose my focus in prayer or service. I would get drawn away from God's will time and time again. Then, after a while, the reason for the prayers and intercession would be made known to me. I often had that, 'Oh, no! I failed!' feeling as I had let the 'cares of this world' keep me from running the race of prayer with all of my heart. I would condemn myself for laziness or foolishness and live in regret for a season. That continued until I began to notice what was happening, and why. After being fooled into complacency a number of times I began to see that satan fears our prayers. And, the forces of evil will try to keep us from those God appointed times of intercession any way they can. Prayer and intercession are powerful and vital tools of the believer. If we hope to see the great King move upon the earth to bless and save others we must ask Him to do so! This is especially true if and when the Ruach of God makes us aware of a specific burden to pray for. Evil is afraid of your prayers and it will try to get you to stop praying before the will of God is brought forth. It will use people to distract you, it will use work to distract you, it will use sin to distract you. It will even use church and religion to distract you; anything to see you quiet. Satan cannot silence the prayers of the believer but he can try to distract the believer from praying! From those early days on I've learned to be aware that when I'm led to pray or serve I need to do so with a heightened vigilance that distractions may come. I would become aware of them and I began to recognize them as they would 'suddenly' appear. Now, instead of saying, "Oh, no! I failed." I can say, 'No, no, not this time!" Be warned, the distraction machine is out there! Don't let it get to you! "...and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16