1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 2: Teach Us to Pray is brought to you by Life 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 2: Audio and is a part of our Faith Toolkit series. 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 2: For more inspirational faith affirming podcasts, visit lifeaudio dot com. 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: Are you tired of trying to figure out everything on 6 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: your own? Are you weary from trying to fight the 7 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: same battles over and over again? In today's episode, I 8 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 1: want to teach you how to fight the battles of 9 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 1: a life with the power of prayer. Welcome back, friend. 10 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: You are listening to the Teach Us to Pray podcast, 11 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: where we teach believers practical and real life tips on 12 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: how to grow your faith and relationship with God through 13 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: the power of prayer. I'm Christina Patterson, host of the 14 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: Teachers to Pray podcast and founder of the Loved Women, 15 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: where I have the honor to encourage, equip and empower 16 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: women in the love of Jesus Christ and the truth 17 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:16,279 Speaker 1: of God's Word. Have you ever felt like the entire 18 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: world was coming against you. Everything that you wanted to 19 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: happen wasn't happening, and things were just not going your way. 20 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: You're having issues in your relationships and there are just 21 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:32,759 Speaker 1: so many elements out of your control. In these types 22 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: of seasons, it's easy to want to become defensive, put 23 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: our guard up, and fight. But you know what, I 24 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: was thinking about this the other day in a conversation 25 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: with a friend, which I'll tell you a little bit 26 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: more about later, But God reminded me that we cannot 27 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: forget that He is actively involved in our lives, even 28 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: in our fights, I would say a special in our fights. 29 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: When we feel like our back is up against the wall, 30 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 1: our natural response is to want to handle it ourselves, 31 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: is to want to take things into our own hands. 32 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 1: And it's easy then to forget that we have a 33 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 1: God that fights for us. In fact, when we are 34 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 1: in a battle, God tells us to be still. Psalm 35 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: forty six, Verse ten says, be still and know that 36 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:35,399 Speaker 1: I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, 37 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: I will be exalted in the earth. God's reputation is 38 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: attached to your victory in this battle, and he will 39 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: fight for you. He tells us that we only need 40 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: to be still and know that it is he that 41 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: is God. Now that doesn't mean that we don't do anything. 42 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: It just means that instead of trying to operate in 43 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: our own strength, we operate in a trust that God 44 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: has our backs. It's interesting because this morning I was 45 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 1: doing my devotional and as I write in my journal, 46 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: I always write out a scripture of the day, and 47 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: it's just a scripture that I feel like relates to 48 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: my current season in life and what I'm about to 49 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: pray about, and it just reminds me of God's truth 50 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: before I go into prayer. Today, my scripture was Proverbs three, 51 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: verse five that says trust in the Lord with all 52 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. You know, 53 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: our understanding says I need to fight this out, I 54 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: need to get in this person's face, I need to 55 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 1: do all these things. In fact, I need to do 56 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: more and more and more. That's what we think, But 57 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: the Bible tells us that we need to instead trust 58 00:03:56,240 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: in the Lord with all our heart. See put our 59 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: trust in our actions. We put our trust in what 60 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: we can do, and it never fails that that does 61 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: not lead to the victory that we desire. But when 62 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: we truly trust God, it helps us to be victorious 63 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:18,359 Speaker 1: in the battles that we will face in life. Let 64 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: me explain what that means. Also, in my devotional time, 65 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: I came across this quote from Marshawn Evans Daniels, and 66 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: she was talking about the difference between faith and trust. 67 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 1: Faith is believing in God, but trust is actually acting 68 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: like God has your back. This is what she said. 69 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: We can believe that God is capable of all things, 70 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: but it's another thing to fully and trust God with 71 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: every area of our lives. By in trust, I mean 72 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: to act as if God has already worked things out, 73 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: versus questioning whether He will come through. And that quote 74 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: really challenged me this morning, and I hope that it 75 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: challenges you to ask yourself the question, how would I 76 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: act if I trusted God in this battle? Would I 77 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: try to be defensive in fight? Would I be operating 78 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: out of anxiety and fear, or would I boldly take 79 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: the next step in faith knowing that God has my back. Again, 80 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:32,479 Speaker 1: I'm not saying you don't do anything, but your actions 81 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: should be rooted in a trust in God, in knowing 82 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: that He is God, as Psalm forty six tells us, 83 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: and not in our own abilities. I think about King David, 84 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: who was the only Israelite that was willing to face 85 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: the giant Goliath when the Israelites were in battle against 86 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: the Philistines. If you remember the Bible story, the Philistines 87 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: were in war against the Israelite and they presented their 88 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 1: greatest warrior, Goliath, and said, whoever can defeat him will 89 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: win this war. Well, none of the Israelite soldiers were 90 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: willing to combat him and face him one on one 91 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 1: because they were intimidated by him. Everyone except for David. 92 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: And David wasn't even a warrior. So how could David 93 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: have had such boldness to face Goliath when nobody else would? 94 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: What gave him a trust in God to be able 95 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: to face this battle without fear? I want you to 96 00:06:40,960 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: listen to what David says before he defeats Goliath in 97 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,119 Speaker 1: First Samuel chapter seventeen Versus forty six or forty seven. 98 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: He says, this day the Lord will deliver you into 99 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: my hand, and I will strike you down and cut 100 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: off your head. I will give the dead bodies of 101 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: the host of the Philistines this day to the birds 102 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 1: of the air and to the wild beast of the earth, 103 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: that all the earth may know that there is a 104 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know 105 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: that God saves not with sword and spear for the 106 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: battle is the Lord's and he will give you into 107 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: our hands. If we look at David's words here, we 108 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: can see that he's not putting his trust in himself. 109 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: He's not trying to do all these things and get 110 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: a sword and a spear. Actually, we know that he 111 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: fought with a slang shot in some rocks to defeat Goliath, 112 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: and so he wasn't operating in his own strength. He 113 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: knew that God was with him. Now, he didn't do 114 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: nothing because he did face Goliath, but he did so 115 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,040 Speaker 1: with the knowledge of God that gave him the trust 116 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: to do feet his enemy. I was talking to a 117 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: friend the other day and she made such a fascinating 118 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: point that I've shared a little bit here on the podcast, 119 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: but I never thought about it in this particular perspective. 120 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: She was talking about how after the apostle Paul in 121 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: Ephesian six tells us to put on the armor of God, 122 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: he then calls believers to pray. I have an entire 123 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 1: podcast on that topic called how to Pray Against Spiritual Warfare. 124 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: Be sure to check that out if you have the chance. 125 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: But in it, I talk about how we talk about 126 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: how to have faith and use the word of God 127 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: and all the types of the armor that we are 128 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: told to put on, but then we are to pray. 129 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: My friend made the point that we're putting on all 130 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: this armor not to go to war ourselves, but to 131 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: go to God in prayer. What that means is we 132 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: aren't putting on that armor to go to battle in 133 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 1: our own strength, but to go to battle in God's strength. 134 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: And how do we go to battle in God's strength? 135 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: We pray, We pray to God. As I was having 136 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: this conversation with my friend, my husband made an excellent point. 137 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:17,839 Speaker 1: He said, you know a lot of times we want 138 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: to fight, we want to figure things out on our own, 139 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: but we are not warriors. God has angels that he 140 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: sends to fight his battles for him. If you think 141 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: about Daniel and you think about him praying to the God, 142 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: praying to God for understanding of his dream, and angel 143 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: came to him to give him understanding. But the angel said, listen, 144 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: I had some battles that I had to go through 145 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:43,679 Speaker 1: to get to you before I could give you understanding 146 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 1: about this vision, this dream that you've had. And so 147 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:49,199 Speaker 1: we know that God sends his angel to fight for him. 148 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 1: My husband made the point that even Jesus in the 149 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: garden of Gaycimite when he was being arrested, Peter wanted 150 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: to fight. What did he do? He pulled out his 151 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: sword and he cut off one of the people ears 152 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: that was trying to arrest Jesus, and Jesus miraculously healed 153 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: the man's ear and said, no, do you not understand. 154 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: I could send angels to come down and fight this 155 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: battle for me if I wanted to. He was saying, Peter, 156 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: this is not your battle to fight. The battle is 157 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,839 Speaker 1: the lord's. So if the angels are God's messengers and 158 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: they are his fighters, who are we? But hus have 159 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: made it clear we are God's children. We are God's children. 160 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: Now don't take that lightly, because a child has tremendous 161 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: influence in the life of their family. If we are 162 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: God's children, how much more will he answer our prayers 163 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: when we are in battle. The Bible tells us that 164 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: we serve a good father who will not withhold good 165 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: things from his children. And just that conversation and that 166 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: revelation really just fired me up and was like, I 167 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 1: need to pray even more because I am a child 168 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: of God. And when I pray, it releases God to 169 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: fight on my behalf, and I know that he will 170 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: because I am his child. So I want to encourage 171 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: you today, as you are facing your battles, to pray 172 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:36,840 Speaker 1: for God's will, pray for his desired outcome and that 173 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: your heart will be aligned with his, and then trust 174 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: that whatever that is, it will be for your good 175 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 1: and God's glory. I want you to pray for God's 176 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: protection and his peace as you endure as you wait 177 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: for him. Then I want you to pray for God's 178 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: strength to wait. Isaiah forty tells us that those who 179 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: wait on the Lord will be strengthened, not those who 180 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: get ahead of him and try to fight the battle 181 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: without him, but those who wait will be strengthened. Dear 182 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 1: Heavenly Father, I just pray for all of my listeners 183 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 1: today that might be facing battles that seem overwhelming and 184 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: daunting and they don't know what to do. Lord, I 185 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: pray you will help us to resist the urge to 186 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: fight in our own strength God and our own understanding, 187 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 1: and to truly trust you God. Trust you to take 188 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: our worries to you. Trust you to take our cares 189 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: to you. Trust you to let you fight for us, 190 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: show us what next steps to take, and let us 191 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:38,319 Speaker 1: take them boldly, God, knowing that you will give us 192 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 1: your victory and Jesus Christ name I pray Amen. It 193 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: is my hope that today's episode has provided you with 194 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: insightful and helpful tips on how you can pray. As 195 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 1: a gift to you, be sure to download my free 196 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: five day Prayer guide and take my Prayer Personality quiz 197 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: to learn how you best hear and connect with God. 198 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: Find all links in today's show notes. We have so 199 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:04,839 Speaker 1: much more to talk about when it comes to prayer, 200 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: so I hope that if you were encouraged by today's episode, 201 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: you will share it with the friend and subscribe so 202 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: you don't miss any future episodes of the Teach Us 203 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: to Pray Podcast where we will continue to learn. I'll 204 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,680 Speaker 1: just like breathing, prayer can become a natural, consistent, and 205 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: life giving part of our everyday lives. Until then, be 206 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: sure to connect with me at Belovedwomen dot org and 207 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: join me on the Beloved Women App for unlimited videos 208 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: to grow your faith, learn God's word, and encourage your soul. 209 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: The app. The Beloved Woman App is available now in 210 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: the Apple and Google play stores or at Belovewomen dot tv. 211 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:40,600 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for taking time to listen today. 212 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 1: God bless you, and I'll talk to you in the 213 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: next episode. Teach Us to Pray is a production of 214 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: Life Audio and Salem Media. If you like what you 215 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: heard today, please take a second to rate and review 216 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 1: this podcast in your favorite podcast staff so that more 217 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: listeners like you can find the show. For more faith 218 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 1: filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifaudio dot com.