1 00:00:07,900 --> 00:00:12,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Untangling Prayer Podcast. I'm Rachel Wojo, and 2 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:17,180 Speaker 1: each week we unravel life's knots through prayer. Here you'll 3 00:00:17,260 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: find practical wisdom and prayer encouragement to guide you through 4 00:00:21,410 --> 00:00:26,430 Speaker 1: life's hardest seasons. Join me as we untangle life's messes together, 5 00:00:27,230 --> 00:00:34,870 Speaker 1: one prayer at a time. Well, hey there, I'm Rachel, 6 00:00:35,150 --> 00:00:39,710 Speaker 1: and I'm so glad you're here. Welcome to the Untangling 7 00:00:39,750 --> 00:00:42,739 Speaker 1: Prayer Podcast. Hey, I wanted to start with a question 8 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:45,560 Speaker 1: this week, like we do every week to some degree, 9 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,860 Speaker 1: but this week, is there something in your life that 10 00:00:47,900 --> 00:00:50,860 Speaker 1: maybe you used to pray about all the time, and 11 00:00:50,900 --> 00:00:54,620 Speaker 1: then somewhere along the way you just stopped praying? Perhaps 12 00:00:54,700 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: a relationship or a dream that you've had, or something 13 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: in your walk with God, you never decided to stop 14 00:01:02,260 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: praying about it, just kind of faded or felt so 15 00:01:07,540 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: dead that you didn't know what to say anymore. And 16 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,990 Speaker 1: if that's you, I'm glad you're listening because what we're 17 00:01:14,090 --> 00:01:18,870 Speaker 1: talking about today is that very thing. Before we jump in, 18 00:01:20,030 --> 00:01:23,500 Speaker 1: This week's verse in day 32 of my book, Praying 19 00:01:23,540 --> 00:01:27,220 Speaker 1: Through Life's Battles. If you're doing the Bible reading challenge 20 00:01:27,260 --> 00:01:31,619 Speaker 1: with us this month, then you're in the For the 21 00:01:31,660 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: Warring section. We're in part two. If you don't have 22 00:01:34,860 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: the book yet, you can get it at battleprayers.com. Today's 23 00:01:40,140 --> 00:01:43,270 Speaker 1: hard question is, how do I pray over something in 24 00:01:43,310 --> 00:01:47,390 Speaker 1: my life that feels dead? And I wanted to open 25 00:01:47,450 --> 00:01:52,350 Speaker 1: to Ephesians 2. Paul starts that chapter by reminding the 26 00:01:52,390 --> 00:01:56,690 Speaker 1: believers in Ephesus that they were dead in their transgressions 27 00:01:56,890 --> 00:02:01,730 Speaker 1: and sins. And that's strong language. And he really means it. 28 00:02:02,030 --> 00:02:05,639 Speaker 1: In verse 4, he says, But because of his great 29 00:02:05,780 --> 00:02:09,740 Speaker 1: love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made 30 00:02:09,940 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 1: us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions. 31 00:02:14,130 --> 00:02:19,060 Speaker 1: It is by grace you have been saved, even when 32 00:02:19,660 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: we were dead. I love that grace so much. God 33 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: didn't wait until we had a little bit of life 34 00:02:25,419 --> 00:02:29,300 Speaker 1: in us. We looked a little more alive. He made 35 00:02:29,340 --> 00:02:33,090 Speaker 1: the first move when we had nothing at all to offer. 36 00:02:34,060 --> 00:02:36,710 Speaker 1: And right before that, at the end of chapter 1, 37 00:02:36,710 --> 00:02:42,530 Speaker 1: Paul prays that we would understand God's incomparably great power 38 00:02:42,630 --> 00:02:46,250 Speaker 1: for us who believe. And he says it's the same 39 00:02:46,389 --> 00:02:50,910 Speaker 1: power God used when he raised Christ out of the dead. 40 00:02:51,010 --> 00:02:53,740 Speaker 1: So when you and I pray, we're talking to the 41 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,940 Speaker 1: God who has already raised the dead before. He's done 42 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,340 Speaker 1: it before. So what do you do with the thing 43 00:03:01,430 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: that feels dead? I think you start by telling God 44 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:08,419 Speaker 1: the truth about how you feel about it. You know, 45 00:03:08,460 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: when Jesus told them to roll away the stone at Lazarus' tomb, 46 00:03:12,700 --> 00:03:16,179 Speaker 1: Martha spoke right up and said, But Lord, this time 47 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:18,940 Speaker 1: he probably stinks. He's been in there so long. It's 48 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: been days. What she said is what everyone was standing 49 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,250 Speaker 1: there thinking. And Jesus didn't get after her for it. 50 00:03:26,410 --> 00:03:30,290 Speaker 1: He had them move the stone. I think that's precious. 51 00:03:30,350 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: You can say, Lord, this feels dead to me, and 52 00:03:33,620 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: I don't see how it could ever come back. And 53 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:43,370 Speaker 1: He can handle that prayer. Take it to Him in 54 00:03:43,410 --> 00:03:48,490 Speaker 1: the name of Jesus and let Him decide what happens next. 55 00:03:48,510 --> 00:03:50,830 Speaker 1: I can't tell you whether the thing you're praying about 56 00:03:51,010 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 1: will come back the way it was, but sometimes God 57 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,780 Speaker 1: gives us back more than we lost. And other times 58 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:03,530 Speaker 1: He does something We would never have thought of, we 59 00:04:03,570 --> 00:04:06,589 Speaker 1: would never have thought to ask for either. You can 60 00:04:06,630 --> 00:04:09,470 Speaker 1: take it to God either way. Thanks so much for 61 00:04:09,530 --> 00:04:13,390 Speaker 1: listening to this segment of Questions in Hard Spaces. We'll 62 00:04:13,430 --> 00:04:16,900 Speaker 1: be right back after a quick word from our sponsors. 63 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,460 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening in to that word from our sponsors. 64 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:27,580 Speaker 1: And now for this week's segment of Pray More, Worry Less, where... 65 00:04:28,060 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: I encourage you to take just one prayer principle, and 66 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,659 Speaker 1: this week's prayer principle is, dead things come alive in 67 00:04:35,700 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: the name of Jesus. Now, I want to be careful. 68 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: I'm not saying that if we pray the right words, 69 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:48,130 Speaker 1: God has to hand back whatever we want. You've heard 70 00:04:48,170 --> 00:04:52,169 Speaker 1: me say before that God is not a cosmic vending machine, 71 00:04:52,910 --> 00:04:56,729 Speaker 1: and I still believe that, but Jesus' name isn't something 72 00:04:56,750 --> 00:04:58,750 Speaker 1: that we just tack on to the end of a 73 00:04:58,830 --> 00:05:03,230 Speaker 1: prayer that makes it work. What I'm saying is that 74 00:05:03,390 --> 00:05:08,390 Speaker 1: any life that comes back comes from Jesus. Ephesians 2 75 00:05:08,390 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: says we were made alive with Christ, so our life 76 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 1: is wrapped up in His, and that's why we pray 77 00:05:15,180 --> 00:05:18,860 Speaker 1: in His name. And make no mistake, this can be 78 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,669 Speaker 1: a battle. When something in your life dies, the enemy 79 00:05:22,730 --> 00:05:25,429 Speaker 1: would love for you to just bury it and never 80 00:05:25,510 --> 00:05:29,289 Speaker 1: mention it to God again. But praying anyway is how 81 00:05:29,570 --> 00:05:32,470 Speaker 1: you fight back. When you say the name of Jesus 82 00:05:32,610 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: over that marriage that you believe is dead or that 83 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 1: prodigal that you believe is never going to come home 84 00:05:38,380 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 1: or whatever dream you've set down, if you don't know 85 00:05:41,460 --> 00:05:44,300 Speaker 1: what to say, you can say something like, Jesus, you 86 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,140 Speaker 1: made me. alive when I was dead in sin. This 87 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,340 Speaker 1: issue feels dead to me, and you already know what 88 00:05:50,380 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 1: it is. I'm bringing it to you in your name. 89 00:05:53,810 --> 00:05:57,710 Speaker 1: Breathe on it however you choose. I trust with whatever 90 00:05:57,790 --> 00:06:03,350 Speaker 1: comes back to life. Amen. A few verses later, in Ephesians, 91 00:06:03,390 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: Paul says, For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ 92 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,500 Speaker 1: Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance 93 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,160 Speaker 1: for for us to do, and that verse has been 94 00:06:15,220 --> 00:06:18,729 Speaker 1: on my mind. I'll tell you why. For this week's 95 00:06:18,870 --> 00:06:22,110 Speaker 1: Answer Prayer Story, I wanted to share what God has 96 00:06:22,150 --> 00:06:25,409 Speaker 1: been doing with my very first book. It was released 97 00:06:25,490 --> 00:06:29,510 Speaker 1: in 2015. I wrote One More Step, Finding Strength When 98 00:06:29,550 --> 00:06:32,409 Speaker 1: You Feel Like Giving Up, and I wrote it out 99 00:06:32,570 --> 00:06:36,410 Speaker 1: of some of the hardest seasons of my life. I 100 00:06:36,470 --> 00:06:39,580 Speaker 1: lost my mom. I was walking with my daughter through 101 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: a terminal diagnosis. I had a brand new marriage, and 102 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,070 Speaker 1: I felt like that book was supposed to reach a 103 00:06:46,110 --> 00:06:48,890 Speaker 1: lot of people. It was my first book. I didn't 104 00:06:48,910 --> 00:06:53,050 Speaker 1: know how to mark it. And nine years passed between 105 00:06:53,089 --> 00:06:57,430 Speaker 1: my two books, between One More Step and Desperate Prayers. 106 00:06:57,870 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: And a friend reached out to me not long ago 107 00:07:01,220 --> 00:07:04,730 Speaker 1: and told me, you know what? I think there's a 108 00:07:04,850 --> 00:07:07,730 Speaker 1: great opportunity that I know of for you for your 109 00:07:07,810 --> 00:07:11,030 Speaker 1: One More Step book. And so I went for it. 110 00:07:11,610 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: And this summer, I filmed a five-session video-based Bible study. 111 00:07:18,420 --> 00:07:23,420 Speaker 1: While we were filming, my husband and the videographer had tears, 112 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:29,030 Speaker 1: and I was just so blessed by them. On October 6th, 113 00:07:30,110 --> 00:07:32,670 Speaker 1: One More Step, Finding Strength When You Feel Like Giving Up, 114 00:07:32,730 --> 00:07:37,870 Speaker 1: released on RightNow Media. And I was thinking about Ezekiel 37. 115 00:07:37,870 --> 00:07:41,510 Speaker 1: I literally read those verses this morning, that Ezekiel was 116 00:07:41,590 --> 00:07:47,180 Speaker 1: down in a valley full of dry bones, and God said, 117 00:07:47,380 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: make these bones live. And Ezekiel said, Lord, you alone 118 00:07:52,620 --> 00:07:55,940 Speaker 1: can know. The verse says, the sovereign Lord says to 119 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,580 Speaker 1: the bones, I will make breath enter you, and you 120 00:07:58,620 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: will come to life. And I want you to know 121 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,620 Speaker 1: that if you're holding something today that feels like a 122 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: pile of dry bones with no life in them, that 123 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,110 Speaker 1: God can answer the way that He did for Ezekiel. 124 00:08:12,730 --> 00:08:16,690 Speaker 1: Keep praying over it. And if you lead a small 125 00:08:16,750 --> 00:08:19,890 Speaker 1: group or a women's Bible study, or you know someone 126 00:08:19,950 --> 00:08:22,590 Speaker 1: who's ready to give up, I would love for you 127 00:08:22,630 --> 00:08:25,790 Speaker 1: to check out the One More Step video Bible study. 128 00:08:25,870 --> 00:08:29,500 Speaker 1: You can watch it on RightNowMedia.com. A lot of churches 129 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,700 Speaker 1: already have subscriptions, so ask your church if you're not 130 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,940 Speaker 1: familiar with RightNow Media. And you can get the free 131 00:08:36,420 --> 00:08:41,340 Speaker 1: leader's guide with discussion questions, session outlines, prayer prompts at 132 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 1: rachelwojo.com forward slash one more step. Hey, thanks for joining me. 133 00:08:46,460 --> 00:08:50,140 Speaker 1: I'm Rachel Wojo, and until next time, remember, God sees you, 134 00:08:50,660 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: He hears you, and He knows your needs. Keep seeking, 135 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:57,860 Speaker 1: keep trusting, and keep praying.