Thursday 11 July 2013

Interceding for those in God's Waiting Room


Many times our own burden overweigh us so much that we don't take a moment to consider what others may be going through. But in Divine Connection, we are blessed with a group of women, who though are presently in God's waiting room, have committed time to praying for the vision of DC. They are the Daughters of Zion and meet on the Prayer Channel (online) every Wednesday to intercede for divine connections, purposeful unions, joyful homes and Godly children. From time to time, each member shares what has been laid in her heart by God. 

One thing I learned from one of the women, is the philosophy of ducking. When you duck, God can see your man fully. I added that, we must be careful not to duck for too long so that at least God knows we are standing by him as a pillar of strength to help him with God’s strict pruning. The day she shared with us, it was like she saw my prayer points ahead. Even some of the examples she used were part of my prayer point. That’s the beauty of God working through us to interpret the theme and vision of DC to us in a way that continues to bless members.

Today, I'd like you and I to join in the prayer of intercession for these beautiful women and others who may be in God's waiting room especially for children. The Bible says none shall be barren yet many pastors call out "the barren women" for prayers; is it that they don't trust God or they believe God must be reminded. Women don't make babies alone, yet no one calls "the barren men". That tells you that the society puts the weight on women hence the need to specially uphold them in prayers.

As these amazing women have committed to praying especially that affliction will not arise a second time for those who waited so long for marriage, we too must pray that the joy of marriage would not elude those crying out to God for fulfillment and balance in their marriage.

You may adopt any position, you may use any format i.e. worship ahead of praying but be sure to commit quality time and as you do so, the God of signs and wonders would deliver your miracles speedily in Jesus name

1.   I don’t know how animals do it but that is what we would have had. Any body sleeping with any body when the urge comes. God magnanimously chose to exalt and esteem us more highly than animals. He decided to create a mate like us, so that marriage is not between man and animal but between male and female. So let's pray for the institution of marriage.

2.   I usually tell my audience that getting married has nothing to do with age, status, skill or stature; look around you and the reality would hit you. I visited a sister sometimes ago, she served food for her mother-in-law but she didn’t put water in a bowl for the traditional hand-washing and I was like “How could you, don’t you know what you are saying is, ‘Ki e to jeun, e lo san owo ni kitchen, ti e ba de jeun to, e mo ona ibe…’ (Before you eat, go and wash your hands in the kitchen, and after you are done eating you know your way…). She was like “Ha!” I was really going to rub it in when I shook myself awake and reminded myself that, it is she that is married not I. She is living the experience; I am a custodian of the theory. You don’t know how many friends have looked at you (if you are married) and wondered, Olorun de fun eleyi na ni oko! (God gave even this one a husband!) or (if you are not married) sneered at you that you don't deserve to be. Your husband may be one-eyed or partially deaf or living with one condition or the other but the fact remains that you are considered blessed if you are married. Let’s go ahead and thank God for the privilege of marriage because the Bible says two are better than one because when one is cold, the other is assures of warmth.

3.   Yes there is the institution of marriage and once a woman or man gets into the early twenties, your body begins to yearn for this union. Yet, you and I know that not everyone is married. You may still be single or have siblings, older and younger ones, aunties, uncles, friends, co-workers who are yet to be married, let’s cry out to God on their behalf. Even though married people may still be looking up to God for biological children, they had a sense of fulfillment when they got married, when someone finally “put a ring on it”. So let’s cry out to God that God’s mercies will prevail and there would be a harvest of marriages and those we know will not be left out.

4.   Lord, give me wisdom to build my home. Proverbs 14:1 King James Version (KJV). If you are a mature single, the building has started and if you are married, the building is incomplete, so pray that God would give you wisdom that flows from His throne of grace to build your home into a joyful masterpiece.

5.   Brethren it is not everyone who is married or will marry will experience the love of a man or woman. I counselled a Ghanaian woman who was dating a Nigerian man, immediately she told me his story and I saw his picture something told me this is going no where. So I asked for his name to pray further and I got clarity that “Mba (no)”. But how do I go and tell a 34-year old woman that this is not it; so I prayed. Within 3 weeks of my interaction and prayers with her, the relationship caved and it looked like this woman was going to kill herself, so I started another round of grief counseling. Brethren all the assurances I gave her fell on deaf ears because what she could see and hear is the sound and sight of being dumped. But my God came through. Within one month, another man came around and even though she is taking things slowly, already she sees the difference between running after a man and a man running after her. I don’t know where you are on the love continuum but you will pray for you and those you are interceding for that they will experience REAL love, the inexplicable love; the one that flows from above without conditions.

6.   As I grew up, I kept praying that God would give me a man like my dad. As I grew up, as sweet as he is, I began to build an inner vow against marriage. I also remember seeing my school mother lament about having an erect nipple and I began to pray against having an erect “troublesome” nipple. Now I know that was a wrong prayer. Sister, believe it or not, something you have done or said consciously or unconsciously may have made marriage repulsive or unattractive to those around you. But the only reason we trust that those in it will remain married and those not married will step in, despite the challenges inherent in creating a home with someone who may not be of the same background, is because we treasure the companionship and the status. Let’s pray that we will experience true contentment, which the Bible calls great gain. Not a superficial fulfillment but a fulfillment that flows through the married to make marriage attractive to the unmarried.

7.   We celebrate Mummy Eve but her first son became a vagabond and the second son was murdered. We celebrate Esther but she was a woman who entered into a polygamous relationship to save her people; she married into wealth but she was not free. She saved her people but no record that she had a child. We acknowledge Rebecca but her son John, Jesus’ trailblazer, became a wanderer who rang the bell proclaiming a vision that people described at best then as insane. We celebrate Mary but her son who is today celebrated world over died at 33. We celebrate Jesus but he sweated blood and still the cup of dying for you and I did not pass over Him! One side of the story is great but the other must have been filled with grief. Unfortunately like the Yourbas would say, “Tibi tire la da ile aiye” (the world is created with bad and good); both came in the same package. Let us pray that the mercy of God would prevail over the challenges in our lives and that God bless us with grace and strength for the challenges that will not pass. 2nd Corinthians 12:8-10.

8.   The Bible says male and female created he them and he blessed them. Let us pray that God will bless the marriages around us – church, work place etc. and divinely connect the unmarried so we all can reap the blessings of marital union.