Why do some things seem to tumble into place as soon as we pray and others take months, decades, or even years? Is it our intensity in prayer, our faith for God to move mountains, or our personal intimacy with the Father that makes the difference? At times, each of those elements may be a factor. But often, the same person praying with the same intensity, the same faith, and the same intimacy finds that some prayers are answered quickly while others take time – sometimes a great deal of time.
Dutch Sheets, in his book Intercessory Prayer (a must read for every believer), suggests one possibility for this discrepancy in answered prayers. He believes that prayer actually releases spiritual power into situations and that some situations simply take more power and, thus, more time to accomplish. The reason it might taker more power or an accumulation of power is because of demonic opposition. I could object immediately to that thought since God has all power and authority and could remove all demonic opposition with a word. However, God has determined to rule the earth through his people and often waits on his people to act or pray before he moves. He has given us authority on the earth and waits for us to exercise that authority for his purposes. James tells us that we “have not because we ask not.” In other words, God is willing and even wants to do many things that won’t be done until we ask.
It also appears that continued prayer is often required to keep the resources of heaven flowing into the situation we are praying for whether that is the influence of the Spirit on the hearts of people or the movement of angels on our behalf. In Daniel 9 and 10, we see the prophet asking God for an interpretation of a disturbing dream that had come to him. After praying for twenty one days, an angel appeared with the interpretation. He told Daniel that he had been released to come on the first day of his prayer but had been opposed by a demonic prince for those twenty one days. He battled that prince unti the angel Michael came to take up the battle for him. I sense that if Daniel had only prayed once and had not continued to pray, reinforcements might not have been sent and he might not have received his answer.
In some ways, prayer is the simplest of things and in other ways it is quite complex. I don’t think there is just one answer to all our questions about prayer, but strongholds do exist in the spiritual realm like walled cities. Remember that Jesus promised the gates of hell would not prevail against his people. From that perspective, hell is not assaulting us, but we are assaulting hell. Our prayers, declarations, and commands lay siege to these strongholds. Depending on the strength and number of the demons opposing God’s will, it will take more time and power to bring down the walls. This is warfare. Strongholds rarely fall with just one volley. I find it helpful to think of prayers as spiritual catapults by which we continue to hurl stones at the wall of an enemy stronghold in a person’s life, in generations of a family, or in a community.
As we press in and pray, we are assaulting the wall and must continue to bombard the enemy’s stronghold until the wall cracks, then crumbles, and then collapses, sending the enemy scattering into the night. We don’t always know how high or thick the wall is or how long it has been in place when we begin to pray. We don’t know how skilled and experienced those are who guard the walls for the enemy. So we pray until we experience breakthrough.
Prayer is a weapon. We are responsible to track down the enemy and launch the attack. As we direct our faith toward a situation and begin to pray, the Holy Spirit releases power into the situation that our heart and prayers are focused on. When we continue to pray, we release the power of heaven into that situation with persistent faith and the wall must eventually fall. When it does, we will see the kingdom established in that place and the enemy in wild retreat. Undoubtedly, many things related to prayer are still a mystery. However, we do know that the one in us is greater than the one that is behind the wall. We do know that the same power that overcame hell and raised Jesus from the grave is at work within us.
So, in those moments when you are weary and wonder if you should continue to pray because you have seen no change – pray again. Perhaps, the wall is already beginning to crack and crumble. Perhaps, the next volley will see its collapse and hearts will be opened, bodies healed, and cities transformed. In Christ, we have the enemy surrounded. Victory is not always immediate, but it is assured. Just keep launching your prayers in the faith that we are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ…in every circumstance. Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never give up (Lk.18:1).
Blessings today in Him.
