This is the Truth Network. Encouraging prayer. God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything. On Encouraging Prayer, Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling Prayers for Prodigals and many other books on prayer, provides weekly biblical insight to help you learn to love to pray.
And now, here's James.
Well, today on encouraging prayer, we have something new and exciting as we're going to go over this. New acronym that James has as he heads off to Wisconsin. For a uh A prodigal Sort of A conference For parents that are in that realm and and uh You know, it's kind of cool that he has. Got this information, and we get it here first. Before anybody else gets it, we get it here on encouraging prayer.
And so you know, may know that as the idea of an acronym is you take each letter from the word prodigal and you use that to try to hone in on them. A way to do things. And so, with that said, James, give me a pee. All right. All right.
So, here's how this starts: Someone I love is a prodigal. And they need me to.
So you said, give me a P. Here we go. Pray. For them. Because only God can change a heart.
And you know how that is.
Sometimes, you know, we can talk and preach and, you know, try our best. to change someone's heart, but Unless God does it. It isn't going to happen. And that's why we need to pray.
So that's the first one. Yeah. It's above our pay grade, so that's why we better pray.
So give me an R. All right, run. To my father. Again. And again Because Jesus is a friend of sinners.
And he has had mercy on me. And that's really our starting point. You know, we need to know that, that, that he. Is so kind and so loving, and he came to seek and save the lost.
Well, I love that. I do. And so, James, give me an O.
Okay. Yeah. So Obey. God. in my heart each day, so that I may stay close to him.
and receive His wisdom. as I walk through life with those who love. You know, there's a psalm that says, If I had cherished sin in my heart, God would not have heard my prayers. And I need to stay close to him because this is spiritual warfare. And I need my prayers to be effective.
So I I've got to obey him.
so that that can happen. Yeah. All right. So, James, give us a D.
Okay, delight. Delight in my Saviour and wait upon him because He gives new strength each day and he lifts my heart when I praise him. Another psalm says in the King James Version, God inhabits the praises of his people. And we need to praise him. Our own hearts are lifted.
When we do. And, you know, otherwise, we can just be so consumed with. the moment and and things that are happening in the life of of in the lives of those we love. And so delighting in the Lord. helps us stay strong as as we're praying for others.
Well, that's absolutely beautiful.
So, James, give us an eye.
Okay. Ignore. Here we go. Ignore the voice of the world and the evil one. who tell me that nothing will ever change.
All things are possible with God. And we need to remember that. I can think of, as my son was in addiction, so many times where I just thought, well, he'll be on this road. for the rest of his life. And of course, you know, he was mainlining heroin, and he's a pastor today.
in the same city where he once bought and sold heroin. All things are possible with God. Yeah, I love that because It's so easy to get discouraged and I love that. Understandably, it is so easy, and that is why we have to take our counsel from God. I love it.
So James, give us a G.
Okay, guard my heart by staying daily in the Word of God.
so that I may not waver and be discouraged. God's Spirit moves through His Word like any other place. unlike any other place. And because of that, I need to be where the Spirit is. Is speaking to me and reaching me in fresh new ways.
That's beautiful. And you think about the prodigal father and Jesus' story of the prodigal is that man clearly had guarded his heart because he was living from his heart as he ran. towards this sun absolutely Amazing, right? Just beautiful.
So, James, give us an A.
Okay, a lie, a lie, myself. with God's people in prayer. Because there's great power in praying together. Parents of prodigals often suffer in silence. and they feel like they're the only one going through it.
They are not. They are not. And there is encouragement in in simply you know certainly with discretion but um going to others who have been down the same road because they know how to pray. I love what Ruth Belle Graham said, when you love one prodigal, you love all prodigals. And we've got to pray together.
And Jesus promised us his presence when we do.
So, you know, we've got to draw close to him through doing this, even though. It might humble us a bit. Oh, that's always a good thing with God. Yeah, isn't that that's beautiful. Absolutely.
So I kind of love that I shouldn't use that word. I kind of am excited about this.
So, last letter.
So, give us an L, J. L is for love. Yes. Love my prodigal with the love God alone can give. Because God loves my prodigal even more than I do and will give me new love and strength and wisdom each day.
And I've got to get that love from Him. You know, that I can't do that. There are times where you know. You know, I mean, we all struggle in those ways. But when we get a fresh infusion of God's love.
Through his spirit all. Then we can go the distance, and he will make the difference. Yeah, love is such a fascinating word. in that it has so many aspects to it. Because You know, there's tough love.
And that's required with protocols in lots of ways. Yeah. It is just filled with different ideas. Um that again, I think You know, as we abide in Christ. You know, he can show us what aspect of love we need in any given moment.
Well, and here's the thing: love also has to be tough on us. And you think about how Jesus loved us and went to the cross for us. He loved us sacrificially. And so only God can show us. You know, when it's time to set boundaries.
Uh when it's time. uh you know to go the extra mile And that's why, again, we've got to stay close. And the way we do that is through staying in prayer and staying in His Word. and just crying out to him for those we love. This would be a good thing for us to do right now.
Yeah, let's do it. Father, you know, you know. Oh, Jesus, we thank you that you are a friend of sinners, and we pray. Lord, that you will help us to pray, that you will empower us to keep coming back again and again as long as it takes. And we praise you that even then our prayers outlive us because you are that good.
So, oh Lord, we pray for your blessing from generation to generation. and we look forward to it. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
You can hear more from Pastor James by visiting his website, jamesbanks.org, or by visiting Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.
