1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:12,040 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Untangling Prayer Podcast. I'm Rachel Wojo, and 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 2: each week we unravel life's notts through prayer. Here you'll 4 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 2: find practical wisdom and prayer encouragement to guide you through 5 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 2: life's hardest seasons. Join me as we untangle life's messes together, 6 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 2: one prayer at a time. 7 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 1: I'm Rachel, and I'm so glad you're here. You know, 8 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: prayer is supposed to be powerful. Maybe you've even heard 9 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: it called a weapon. But when you're in the middle 10 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: of something pretty hard, it's challenging to take it up 11 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: as such. Right maybe your marriage has gone quiet, or 12 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 1: there's this fear that shows up at two in the morning, 13 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: Like we talked about a couple of weeks ago, prayer 14 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: doesn't always feel powerful, and a lot of times it's 15 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: what we go to when nothing else has worked. Right, 16 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: We're not even sure what we're praying against or what 17 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: we're fighting against. And if you feel like prayer is 18 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 1: your last option, maybe this episode is for you. We're 19 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 1: going to talk about real ways to pray when you 20 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: feel defenseless. Before we start, I want to make sure 21 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: you know about my new book, Praying through livest Battles. 22 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: It releases August twenty fifth, but if you pre order 23 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: it now, you can start reading a digital copy right 24 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: away and start praying through whatever it is that you're 25 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: in the middle of right now. So go to battleprayers 26 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: dot com. I'll put the link in the show notes. 27 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: But I want to move in to our weekly question segment. 28 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: Every week I start the podcast with a question from 29 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: a hard place, and sometimes folks email me or message 30 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: me with their own. This one is one that I 31 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: think comes in often in various ways, but the clears 32 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: way I've seen it worded lately was how do I 33 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: actually fight back in prayer? You know a lot of 34 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: people wonder how to fight in prayer when things get hard, 35 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: and most people keep that question to themselves because I'll 36 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: be honest, I've been teaching prayer for a long time, 37 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 1: and I have shelves full of my own prayer journals 38 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: and prayer books, but I still find myself in tough 39 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: seasons and thinking how do I even pray? Even knowing 40 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 1: the right words doesn't always help, and sometimes it makes 41 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: you feel worse, like you feel like, as a Christian, 42 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: you should have it all figured out by now, You 43 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: should have it together. When I go to Ephesian six, 44 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: I find the armor of God. You know, maybe this 45 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: section it's all of the armor of God, and it 46 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: feels strong. It feels like something you can put on 47 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: and be ready. But what I sometimes think we overlook 48 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: is that right past the armor, Paul says, pray in 49 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: the spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers 50 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: and requests. So we goes straight from the sword to 51 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: prayer with no transition, like there's no new topic between these. 52 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: And the armor doesn't do anything until prayer brings it 53 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: to life. It activates it. The armor doesn't work by itself. 54 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 1: Prayer is what makes it work. Prayer is the communication 55 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: between us and God, and it's that communication from the 56 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: heavenly headquarters that gives us the ability to actually activate 57 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: the armor that we've put on. We think the armor 58 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: is for the fight, but Paul is saying, without prayer, 59 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: you're going to have a problem. And all of us 60 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: we often see prayer is something that we don't have 61 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: a choice about. But the armor in Ephesian six, it 62 00:03:54,520 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: mostly protects you and helps you stand. Prayer is what 63 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: moves you forward, It's what gives you that courage The 64 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: armor helps you hold your ground, but prayer helps you 65 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: take steps. The armor protects you, but prayer is how 66 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: you push back against the enemies. So at two o'clock 67 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: in the morning, you can say, God, I don't even 68 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: know what to say, and it's okay. Your prayers don't 69 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: have to sound perfect. I've reiterated that over and over 70 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 1: again that we want to drop prayer perfectionism, but Paul 71 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,120 Speaker 1: says any and all kinds of prayers. I think we 72 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: can take heart in that. Thanks so much for listening 73 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: to this part of the episode. We'll be right back 74 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 1: after a quick word from our sponsors. Thank you for 75 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: letting me share that word from our sponsors. And now 76 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: we're moving into this part of the podcast that we 77 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: call Pray More worry Less Encouragement, And this is where 78 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,359 Speaker 1: I focus on one idea that will help you pray 79 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: more and worry less. And today's ideas very simple. Biting 80 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: back in prayer means getting specific. Here's what I mean. 81 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: A lot of times our prayers to God are very vague. 82 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: We say God, help us, God fix it, and there's 83 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with those. God even hears the groans that 84 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: we can't put words to. But we keep our prayers 85 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: general sometimes because we haven't really examined what is hurting us. 86 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: We use vague words to feel safe because the real 87 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: issue is very overwhelming. The only weapon in the armory 88 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: is the sword. Paul says, it's God's word that is 89 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: supposed to be offensive. And so you don't swing a 90 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: sword at nothing. You use it against what's coming at you. 91 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: Remember that a sword doesn't help if it stays in 92 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: the sheets in the side. Jesus said, watch and pray, 93 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 1: stay alert and keep praying. That's how you keep your 94 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: weapon ready instead of letting it gather dust. So I 95 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: think fighting back sometimes looks like getting concrete what exactly 96 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: am I afraid of? What lie is underneath that? And 97 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: then what does God say about that? And then saying 98 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: it out loud. I created this guide is called the 99 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 1: Prey Through It Prayer Guide, and it takes you down 100 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: on that road of taking that one issue that you're 101 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,279 Speaker 1: dealing with. You name the battle, you find the scripture, 102 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:39,280 Speaker 1: you speak the lie, you declare your truth, and you 103 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: pray over it. And really what this guide helps you 104 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: do is to get specific. To illustrate this point, I 105 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: want to share a little bit more about the Graham family. 106 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,599 Speaker 1: Last week I shared an interview with Christy Graham, and 107 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: so I want to take you back to the prayer 108 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: that made all of Samaritans first possible. It's the summer 109 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: of nineteen forty nine and Billy Graham is in his 110 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 1: early thirties and he's not the Billy Graham that a 111 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: lot of us picture, at least me. There's no stadiums, 112 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: no presence. He's a young man with more questions than answered. 113 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: And he has a close friend, Charles Charlie Templeton, who 114 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: kept challenging him and saying, your Bible can't be trusted, 115 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 1: your beliefs are old fashioned, and Billy Graham couldn't shake 116 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: the doubts. When he was at this big campaign in 117 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, it was coming up. He was sitting there 118 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: and he's like, I don't even know if I believe 119 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: what I'm preaching. That's a pretty defenseless place to be, right, 120 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: not that the enemy is out there somewhere, but that 121 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:47,239 Speaker 1: the ground your own faith is standing on doesn't feel firm. 122 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: And so he goes to a retreat center called Forest Home, 123 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: and one night he walked in the woods and he 124 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: said his Bible on a tree stump, and later he 125 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: said it felt more like an altar than a pulpit. 126 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: He just told God the truth. He prayed something like, God, 127 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: there are these things in the Bible that I don't understand. 128 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: There are questions that Chuck Charlie is raising that I 129 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: can't answer. And he didn't pretend to have it all 130 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: figured out before God. He just put his doubt out 131 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,679 Speaker 1: there and he knelt down and he prayed. He said, Father, 132 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: I am going to accept this as your word by faith. 133 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: By faith, I'm going to let go of my intellectual 134 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: questions and believe this to be your inspired word. And 135 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 1: that was it. There was no drama. He didn't suddenly 136 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 1: feel like he had all the answers. But he wrote 137 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: later that when he stood up, his eyes were filled 138 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: with tears and he felt the presence of God in 139 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: a way he hadn't in many months, and he said 140 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: a major bridge had been crossed. That next day he 141 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,719 Speaker 1: preached at that camp, and four hundred people came to know, 142 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:05,640 Speaker 1: And weeks later came that Los Angeles Crusade, the one 143 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 1: schedule for three weeks that ran for eight and the 144 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: one that put his name kind of across the whole 145 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 1: country and everything. Even that interview that I have with 146 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: Christy Graham last week goes back to a young man 147 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: kneeling in the dark, discouraged, fighting his doubt, and not 148 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: by arguing against it, but by praying through it. Maybe 149 00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: the battle you're in is the one inside your own head. 150 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: It's happened to me, and it's your own faith that 151 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: feels defenseless right now. I just want to tell you 152 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: you don't have to win an argument with your doubt. 153 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: Just take it to the Lord and keep going back 154 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: to him. That's the real fight God sees you. As 155 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: we wrap up this episode, if you've been feeling unsure 156 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: about how to fight back in prayer, like you have 157 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 1: nothing left, then I wrote this book for you you. 158 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: Praying Through Life's Battles gives you ninety days of honest, 159 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: scripture based prayers for whatever you're facing. And they're not fancy. 160 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: They are very real, for the weary, for the warring, 161 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: and for the winning. This book releases August twenty fifth, 162 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: but you don't have to wait. You can pre order 163 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: now at Battle prayers dot com to begin reading a 164 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: digital copy immediately before you receive your actual copy. Pray 165 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 1: Through the battle you're facing right now. To get help, 166 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: go to Battle prayers dot com and start fighting back. 167 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining me on the Untangled Prayer Podcast. 168 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: I pray today reminded you that you are not standing 169 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 1: there defenseless until next time. Remember, God sees you, he 170 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: hears you, and He knows Herny. 171 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining me on the Untangling Prayer Podcast. If 172 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 2: this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who 173 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 2: could use a life hope, and be sure to subscribe 174 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 2: for more. Until next time, keep seeking, keep trusting, and 175 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 2: keep praying.