I had a dream this morning of people being like the character Pilgrim in the great Christian book, Pilgrim’s Progress (by John Bunyan – a GREAT read!) who are carrying burdens that God wants us to give to Him. Specifically for prodigal children or unsaved loved ones, or for family that has been stunted in their spiritual growth. I actually saw the backpack and it held heavy black boulders inside of it.
Ol’ slewfoot knows what darts to throw at those of us who have either been the first in our family to become saved or have wayward children who have walked away from the Lord. I believe what the Lord was telling me was for us to prevail in intercession, but to make sure we are giving these burdens (and in the giving, trusting and believing and letting go of them) through prayer to the Lord, remembering that as much as we love the people we are interceding on behalf, HE LOVES THEM MORE.
Some of us have been travailing and the desire to see these become saved or grow in their walk and not fall by the wayside has been one where their burdens have become our own and causing us to “stoop” or “hunch down” because of the weight of it. That’s not what God intended for us. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30:
“Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
A telltale sign that you are carrying burdens that are too heavy for you to continue carrying is when your love for that individual(s) begins to dry up. When you become short tempered or respond in like manner to the way you are treated right back to that person.
Remember, Ephesians 6:12 says:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.”
We are not fighting those we love, we are interceding through prayer for breakthroughs against all that it describes in that scripture. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that when you are being criticized or disrespected or are dealing with spirits of “entitlement” or “rebellion” or other spirits. If you start feeling more pain and less love when thinking or praying for someone, it is time for you to give it (give them) over to the Lord in prayer and ask God for forgiveness for responding in the flesh instead of in the Spirit.
The thing that concerned me most was what the extent of harm the anxiety and worry was doing to the health and spiritual life of those who were standing in intercession. It was so burdensome that it was causing actual harm to the one interceding! God does not intend that to be the case! He has called us to pray! To be FAITHFUL in prayer, the rest is up to Him!
God calls us to intercede, but the REST IS UP TO HIM. We are “entrusting” those we love to Him. There is power in prayer, instead of looking at the situation, let’s keep our eyes on the One who is ABOVE it all, KNOWS all and is able to HANDLE all. Even when things feel out of control, He is STILL in control. Hey – if God was able to remove the scales off our spiritual eyes and change our very stubborn hardened hearts (and I am pointing at myself here), what makes us think He won’t do the same for those we love?
He IS God. He IS able. “Cast every care on Him because He cares for us.” 1 Peter 5:7 and that includes those we love too.
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