Every now and then, I like to post a prayer that I hear on YouTube. This one was (and is) powerful for many reasons, but the reason that stands out is that I’ve been a lot weaker spiritually than before. Just like the narrator from “Grace Oasis” (the channel upon which I found this prayer), I’ve found myself in certain types of storms that really weakened me in ways that I didn’t think I could have been weakened. The lines that got me are as follows:
This journey has taught me something profound, that not every hardship, not every storm, is here to break us. Sometimes the difficulties we face are actually blessings in disguise, shaping us, molding us, and preparing us for a greater purpose. Yes, some situations hurt deeply, but in the end, those trials can become steppingstones to something beautiful, something far greater than we could have imagined.
One key area that I still wrestle with is why I ever moved
to the house in which I lived from three years ago until this past summer, and
my chief gripe about the experience was that I could directly point to my immense
weakening to the storms that I faced specifically during this time period. But,
gradually, things have been revealed that line up with the above quotation
taken from the prayer below. One such item came when I recently caught up with
a friend I hadn’t spoken to in a few years. He went through a particular
difficulty that, despite his best efforts and understanding, still happened. His
situation spoke to me because I still wrestle with temptation in a certain area
myself, and it was only during my time in the aforementioned house with the
aforementioned housemates that forced me to really make a hard turn in this
area. I certainly became strengthened in this one area. Another area in which this
situation proved to be a blessing was for someone else, where my enduring what
I endured provided opportunity for me to speak truth about what I saw that they
might never have otherwise noticed.
I do believe that I am currently in a season of gradually
rebuilding – of course, God is doing the said rebuilding! But I’m also aware
that at any point, future challenges will arise, and I’m certain they will be
challenges that I never expected to face and will not know how to solve it on
my own strength. (…yay…?) But, the point to be driven home is that God is
bigger than any type of challenge, and for me to stand in that faith.
Morning Prayer from Grace Oasis:
Before we pray, I’d like to share a short message from the Bible, and then we’ll pray together.
Sometimes, life surprises us in a way we never expected. We step into each day with hopes and dreams, believing things will go smoothly, that our plans will work out just as we envisioned. But then, unexpectedly, we find ourselves in a different place. Instead of a smooth road, we encounter rough patches. Instead of support and companionship, we find ourselves alone. We look around searching for someone, anyone, to help lighten the burden, yet all we see are our own troubles staring back at us. It feels like the world has gone silent, leaving us to wrestle with our fears and struggles alone. This feeling is something I know all too well. I’ve experienced countless battles, facing one challenge after another. Life has brought me to a place where I’ve had to fight, not just in one part of my life, but in many: within my family, in my health, and even in the deepest parts of my mind. Yet here I am, still standing. And I want you to know there is hope. I am here today not because I am strong on my own, but because Jesus Christ has been my strength. Through every trial, He has been the one Who has carried me, renewing me with a strength that isn’t my own. His joy fills my heart even in the darkest moments, and it’s His joy that has kept me going when I wanted to give up. I am here because I serve a God Who is bigger than any of my struggles, Who is more powerful than any force that tries to pull me down. This journey has taught me something profound, that not every hardship, not every storm, is here to break us. Sometimes the difficulties we face are actually blessings in disguise, shaping us, molding us, and preparing us for a greater purpose. Yes, some situations hurt deeply, but in the end, those trials can become steppingstones to something beautiful, something far greater than we could have imagined.
The Apostle Paul speaks to this in Philippians 3:12-14. “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Paul’s words remind us that perfection isn’t the goal, but growth is. We’re called to keep moving forward, to keep striving toward what lies ahead, and to leave behind the things that once held us back. God has a purpose for each one of us, and it is our calling to press on, to keep pushing forward, even when the road is hard, and the weight feels heavy. May the Holy Spirit touch your heart at this very moment. May He open your ears to hear His voice, and your eyes to see His truth. Let us come together in prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Your love and kindness are beyond words. You are not only granting me strength over the enemy, but also promising that nothing in this world can harm me under Your care. You have wrapped me in Your promises, Lord, covering me with the truth of Your word. Right now, with the authority that You have blessed me with, I declare freedom from every curse that has ever been spoken against me. I call on the power of Jesus’s name to break every negative word, every harmful intent, and every spirit of darkness has tried to disturb my life and my purpose. I cast out anything from the enemy that tries to distract me away from Your divine call on my life. With You by my side, who can stand against me? You, Lord, who commands countless angels are my protector and my strength. You are the Lord of hosts, the God Who has never been defeated, the creator of all things. I trust that all power, both in heaven and on earth, belongs to You and You alone.
Lord Jesus, how can I thank You enough for Your perfect sacrifice? Because of Your love, I am now able to stand with boldness and courage in my faith. It is by Your blood that I am protected and cleansed, and I declare today that the kingdom of darkness has no power over me. In the name of Jesus, I cancel every plan of the enemy, and I declare that the devil has no hold on my life. By the authority of Jesus Christ, I speak against the enemy and proclaim that he is a defeated foe. He will not succeed. He will not prevail, because Jesus has already won. Jesus Christ has overcome death, hell, and the grave, and in His victory I am free. My Lord, You have put the devil to shame, stripped him of any power over me, and given me freedom through Your love. Not only for myself, Lord, but also for my family. I declare protection and victory over us all. Because of You, we are shielded and covered, resting in the shelter of Your presence. It is only because Jesus rose from the dead that I am walking in victory today. His resurrection is my victory. His triumph is my strength, and it is by His power that I am an overcomer. It is because of Your grace, Your love, and Your mercy, Lord, that I am victorious. I worship You, Jesus, and I lift up Your name above all others. I magnify You, Lord, because You are greater than anything I face. You are my King, my Redeemer, my Savior. I look to You in every moment, trusting that You are with me.
This battle, Lord, is not mine, but it belongs to You, and You have already won. I will call on Your name, Lord, in every season of my life. When my heart is full of joy, I will call on Your name. And when I feel weighed down by sorrow, I will cry out to the Great I AM. I trust in You to rescue me from every trouble and to hold me close today. I bless Your holy name, Lord, and I give You all the glory. For I know that You hear my prayers, and that You answer me with love and grace. In the powerful name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.