Daily Wisdom 09-19-2002 The Most Powerful Prayer You'll Ever Pray

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The Most Powerful Prayer You'll Ever Pray

When you've been sick in bed for six weeks, you can get pretty desperate for things to do.. And that's why, during an extended convalescence some years ago, my wife Karen spent so long just watching a frustrated lady bug. Karen had been sick long enough, okay? The kids and I were at a conference where I was speaking, all of our closest friends were out of town, and Karen - well, frankly, unbeknownst to us, she was struggling with her situation. And then along came Ladybug. She was trying to climb up our bedroom window when she came to this little metal strip. Karen described to me how that ladybug tried to come at that bump from every direction, but she just couldn't get over that tiny obstacle, even with her most heroic efforts. And Karen just lay there thinking, "Why can't you get over this little thing?"

Struggling with her attitude on a lonely bedridden weekend, my wife suddenly saw herself in that frustrated little ladybug. It was as if God was saying to Karen what she was saying to that insect, "Why can't you get over this little thing?" And in that moment, she just gave up the fight to the Lord. Minutes later, a bouquet arrived at the door - as if the Lord Himself had sent the flowers.

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Mark 5:24. "A large crowd followed and pressed around Jesus. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors, and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."

This dear lady had tried everything she knew to find a solution. She had given up on doctors, on buying a cure ... she was desperate. And in her desperation, she knew there was only one hope left - lunging for Jesus. And it's that kind of desperation that gives birth to a miracle - for her ... for you.

Which leads us to the most powerful prayer you can pray. "Lord, I give up." It could be those three words are all that's keeping you from a supernatural answer - "I give up." You've been like that frustrated ladybug my wife watched for so long trying to climb our window. You've reached an obstacle that you just can't get over. And you've been struggling so hard to find or concoct an answer, that you've limited yourself to you getting yourself over this. You've come at it from one direction, then another, only to end up frustrated and unsuccessful every time.

Your Lord is saying, "You've tried everything, My child. None of your schemes, none of your efforts has done it. You've got your fingerprints all over everything from trying to make it happen. And now you're tired and you're frustrated. You're out of options. Are you ready for Me to take over?" Sure, you've been praying about it, but not that impassioned prayer of total desperation, of total surrender. And desperation is the heart condition with which God can do the most. And as long as you think you can do it, you'll never be desperate enough to surrender and leave it totally up to God.

It's time to finally get out of God's way and let Him do what He wants to do, what only He can do. You may be on the edge of experiencing His power in a greater way than ever before. And that power comes right after, "Lord, I give up" - the most powerful prayer you'll ever pray.

Today's Daily Wisdom is written by Ron Hutchcraft, based on his popular radio broadcast,"A Word With You"."A WORD WITH YOU" daily devotionals are now available via e-mail. To subscribe send a blank email to:awordwithyou-subscribe@hutchcraft.com,or to request the "Yours for Life" booklet, fill out the form on this site:http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/yours/yflorder.html. Ron Hutchcraft Ministries has been on-line with Gospelcom since February, 1996, providingpractical answers to real life issues. (c) 2000 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.PO Box 400, Harrison AR 72602