The Right Prayer Partner

[ElectricQuest]

Sometimes people aren't healed because the right faith-filled person did not prayer for the answer to the need in question. Anglican mystic, Agnes Sanford, has written several books on prayer and spirituality. In her classic, "The Healing Light," she tells the story of her dying baby grandson. Doctors had doomed the baby to imminent death. She was caring for the boy and organized prayer vigils to pray for healing--to no effect. She prayed constantly for healing without success. Then one day, a young first-year Bible school student dropped by, saying, "I heard you have a dying baby here and I've come to pray for his healing." Agnes said she felt indignant at his presumption. Didn't he realize that she was an expert on prayer and that the room was prayer-saturated? The arrogance of this inexperienced young man! But she couldn't bring herself to deny his request; so she grudgingly complied. She watched as he picked up the baby with joy radiating from his face as he lovingly prayed for the boy's recovery. She saw the baby gloriously healed before her very eyes, and was properly humbled by the realization that this young man was the right person at that time to serve as God's instrument of healing.

She was too ego-invested and too agitated to be God's instrument of healing in this case, and the Bible school student's calm divinely instilled confidence was exactly what God needed to channel full healing. Such anecdotes could be multiplied.


Mystic, Nov 11, 2015 Report

[firstandlast]

To me, that isn't limited to prayer-- It's a story about working together, even if their view point seems rather different from ours, be it less "expert" or a different form all together; a matter of unity within the differences--

If one limits this to the "right" prayer partner, one might limit ones solutions to that of prayer, when perhaps that isn't the right partner for the situation--

[ElectricQuest]

By "the right prayer partner" I don't mean an "expert." On the contrary, The New Testament teaches that the right prayer or faith partner will often seem like the least likely prayer warrior. As Paul puts it, God often gives the greatest honor to the least likely member of Christ's body. Thus, there is generally no room for ego aggrandizement. But petitionary prayer can be ineffective until "the right prayer partner" intervenes, so believers must remain alert to the need to discern who should be engaged in prayer intercession. That is the insight I hope to demonstrate in this thread.

A More Recent Testimony: Dave is in our small prayer group, He suffered from a massive blood clot that extended from his foot to his groin. Doctors expressed the hope that this clot would eventually calcify, removing the risk to his heart. The massive clot was very painful, but Dave defied doctors advise to move sparingly. Dave and his wife Patty's prayers did nothing to change his condition. Then one day they ate at Mavericks, a restaurant I can see from my residence. An unknown young couple approached their table, asking, "I hope you don't mind my asking, but do you have a serious physical condition that needs prayer?" Dave was initially taken aback at this intrusion, especially with other customers overhearing the question. Though a tad embarrassed, he told them about the massive clot. They nodded relief, and felt that their "word of knowledge" they had clairvoyantly received was confirmed. Then the couple asked if Dave wanted prayer for his condition. He consented , but was again taken aback, when they prayed loudly for his healing. It turns out the couple were young missionaries about to leave for some African country. Subsequent x-rays confirmed that Dave was completely healed. Dave realizes he would never have been healed unless God brought the right prayer partners. Nor would he have been healed if his pride prompted him to decline their request to pray for him. So this healing provides a great parallel to Agnes's dilemma at the presumptuous Bible school student's request.

The faith lessons? (1) As in Agnes's case, true humility is a great asset to effective faith. (2) Real faith takes risks, risks I would typically lack the confidence to take. (2) I would have been more polite and prayed quietly--and my prayer would have had no effect. I would have been hedging my bets to prevent myself from looking really bad! I later learned that gifted faith healers do not pray softly in situations like that, because they want the healings to serve as a witness to God's power. (3) The younger generation is jumping out of the windows of mainline churches, because these churches are "holding to the outward form of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid them (2 Timothy 3:5)!"
Thus, Paul says of his rivals: "I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people, but their power. For the kingdom of God depends not on talk, but on power. (1 Corinthians 4:19-20)."

[Deepsoul]

Ive done some outrageous things in the name of Jesus and had healing from it ,which reminds me to remember Him always, He is so beautiful ,so pure and so much more radical then people realise ....He is the epitomy of duality as love..Thanks for the great healing stories Electric Quest

[Deepsoul]

This is my favourite prayer ,an old Jesuit one:

Jesus I love You
Jesus I worship you
Jesus please help me

[Baile]

Is this anecdote meant to communicate and support the value of Christian Bible study? If so, there is a Christianity Forum for that.

[IamSoul49]

Hello All


Yeshua who is Christ,has a lot to say about prayer - but not once does He advocate using another to intercede on your own behalf...NEVER that at all...Complete opposite - we are to have a personal and ever present,open connection,direct to the Divine - available at all times - not just when we "stop to pray" - indeed,every minute is to become a prayer - a communion - but not a "religious" prayer as we have been taught - never that either...As usual,they teach us nothing useful,not even how to connect in this direct manner,how to "pray right"...

It is solitary,secretive process He said - an inner journey we must continually take...Not a shared ,congregation ,communal worship - never that - avoid that at all costs He said....Far too busy paying mind "out there" to a priest or religion,we will miss the inner connection entirely...Such public display is done only for public status He warned - done so that we may claim to be pious and thus gain respect and status from fellow man - but Our Father sees the truth,that which we do in secret

Prayer - is communion - is directly,taking this thinking mind here,and entering into the Divine Presence - or of course,inviting the Divine Presence,to come down here,among us...Thus,He instructed that when we wish to pray,enter this communion,we should avoid publc gathering,and shun the temple completely - no more babbling prayers like pagans He said - no rituals,no begging,worshipping,incessant repeating of words and phrases that do no good at all..Stop all that He said,and instead,go alone,in secret - find a place where you can shut the door and isolate yourself...A secret,inner journey...

The aim is to have this communion,all the time - to realise,that actually,there is no seperation between that Presence called forth in that state of mind,and the part of Self that abides here and now with this state of mind - One and
the same Being - find it,seek it always,become it....Prayer - connection to the Divine,is to become permanent...

And He said to Thomas ;

"Where there are three gods, they are all gods,but where there are two or one, I am with him."

Understand then - He is speaking about merging MINDS - always,mortal to Divine MIND...In a crowd of people (crowd of minds),there is no Divine Presence - all are equal (gods little g),and none have the Divine Presence with them..BUT - where there are only TWO or ONE MIND,then He CHRIST can be with that ONE.. (and see here - at present,we all have two minds,do we not - thinking part up top,and subconscious part below - merge these,the jourmey begins)...He is saying that to make the mind here whole,one mind,allows and facilitates this Presence to come forth..

And He said;

"If two make peace with each other in this one house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move Away,' and it will move away."

See..?.Now we know the basics,it becomes ever more easy to understand - always,mortal mind,taken to the Divine mind..

And also,He said;

"Blessed are the solitary and elect, for you will find the kingdom. For you are from it, and to it you will return." "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?', say to them, 'We came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its own accord and established itself and became manifest through their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the elect of the living father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your Father in you?', say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"

Here,He speaks of the actual inner process..As this inner union occurs,a light shines forth into a void and empty mind here - establishing itself as the living Presence..The sign that this has happened - is motion and rest - the motion of the turbulant upper mind here,finds the tranquil secret silent void that lays deep within..Whenthe two meet,this Light does indeed,shine forth - a "tunnel" forms - a gateway opens within..

And He said;
[quote] "It is to those who are worthy of my mysteries that I tell my mysteries. Do not let your left (hand) know what your right (hand) is doing." /QUOTE]

Those who are worthy - are those who have entered this gate - those He also terms,have ears to hear...Be secretive He warns - for this is not the public religion that the world makes you cling to - the two cannot mix for they are wholly incompatable truths

And likewise;

"Many are standing at the door, but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber."

This bridal chamber - often mentioned - is the place where this marriage occurs - the union of mortal and Dviine - true Holy Matrimony..The chamber is indeed,the empty void mind,secret silent place within..

(literally now ,in a physical sense,this process,this bridal chamber,is very real indeed - can be experienced directly,as it happens..The chamber,is the brains 3rd ventricle actually - energy from the body,come sup through the lower chakras,fuses with Divine energy entering from the Higher chakras,throat and above - this infusion causes the pineal and pituatary glands to function,and thus,a new energetic form is created in the brain,here in this empty chamber,the physical 3rd ventricle - its not just mumbo jumbo - but esoteric truth and wisdom - parayer - deep meditation - literally alters the function of the physical brain,and this is easily shown)

They said to Jesus, "Come, let us pray today and let us fast."
Jesus said, "What is the sin that I have committed, or wherein have I been defeated? But when the bridegroom leaves the bridal chamber, then let them fast and pray."

As long as we hold to this Presence so called forth,then there is no need to "stop and be spiritual" - do you see..?...It is ever Present - we always have its guidance...Only when we slip again from that mode,into lower mind - when the groom leaves the chamber - then there is a need to "fast and pray again"...Find it,BECOME it He said..

Not a public,shared endeavour - but a secret inner journey,always...Prayer,is the act of taking the steps on that journey - and as we never cease to Be - so too,the journey is continuous,moment to moment...Hold that Presence constant then - seek it within - it cannot be given to us by any Other He warned - it is ours already but we do not understand it,do notknow we have it...Not found in book or temple or words form man - but experienced directly by the Self for the Self - an inner living Self realisation that comes direct from the Source of creation itself..Find it,Become it He said,save your Self..

[Deepsoul]

Very Cool Iamsoul49, I'm working with it...