Blog

• prayer
• IronRoseSister
• obedience

Prayer in and of itself is an act of obedience and submission. We are commanded to pray continually (1 Thes. 5:16). Jesus taught us how to pray (Matt. 6:5-15; John 17). His examples of public and private prayer, personal prayers and prayers on behalf of others, heartfelt prayers as a cry for relief, and simple prayers of thanks demonstrate that there is no one way to “pray continually.” It is better described as a life of prayer or a constant communication with God.

This month, we are grateful for those who have joined us in prayer on behalf of Iron Rose Sister Ministries. As you pray for us, I ask that you also pray for me personally and the ministry as a whole to be obedient to God’s calling and vision for us.

Late last year, I was given the word “obedience” by the Spirit. I believe it was in preparation for the current project of the book, Single and Lovin’ It, Mostly. As I have continued to work obediently and prepare diligently for this task, the temptation to quit has been strong.

Trust and obey. For there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

The chorus of that hymn echoes in my mind as one part of me wants to shy away into a shell of self-protection. Another part of me wants to shout from the mountaintops of all God has done in the lives of many awesome single women.

Yet as I am tasked with imparting God’s wisdom and sharing it from the perspective of single women, I am humbled and recognize that I can, in no way, speak for others and tell their stories. I cannot speak on behalf of all single women to give practical advice for how to address some of the challenges faced by single and single-again women in our church.

God has not asked me to speak on His behalf nor to speak for all single women. He has asked me to be obedient and to be His instrument.

I am grateful to not only be able to speak from my own experience, but also from the experiences of others with whom I have walked. I am even more grateful that God sits at the head of the table where we all sit to have this conversation.

As we draw our focused month of prayer to a close, and as we pray together for the project of the current book, I encourage you to pull up a seat at the table. Join in the conversation and pray with all of us that God will help all of us to be obedient.

Thanks for being obedient prayer warriors with us!

3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:3-5)

• prayer
• IronRoseSister
• ironrosesisterministries
• battle

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, refers to the spiritual battle we each face. As his final admonition, he encourages the Ephesians to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11).

Paul was familiar with the challenges and struggles of spiritual battle. Whether being stoned, beaten, or snuck out of town to avoid another flogging, Paul’s faith was tested often. Even by writing the Ephesian letter from prison, we affirm that Paul was no stranger to spiritual battle.

At times, we hear Paul reflect on the weariness and weaknesses he felt in spiritual battle... Know what helped him get through? What a key source of his strength was? The prayers of others.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Eph. 6:18-20)

At the end of the description of the spiritual armor (Eph. 6:11-17), Paul reminds his readers of the importance of prayer—the glue that holds the armor together in the midst of the battle.

Jesus affirmed this truth as well. Throughout His time on earth, we see Him place a priority on the time in communion with His Father. He would even spend all night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Jesus was keenly aware of the struggle that came with every spiritual battle. On the cusp of one of the biggest spiritual battles He faced, not only did He spend the night in prayer, but He also asked his inner circle to keep watch with Him and pray (Matt. 26:36-38).

No matter what we face, like Paul and like Jesus, we are strengthened in the spiritual battle when accompanied in prayer. It is an important part we play in the spiritual battles of others.

Thank you for being a prayer warrior with us! Please know that we join with you in prayer as well.