Powerful Prayer Tip Tuesday – The Secret to Securing a Status Update from God

Welcome to Powerful Prayer Tip Tuesday!

I don’t know if you have ever thought about this or not but you can tell what people are thinking when they give status updates on social media, mainly Facebook. Status updates can tell the heart and mind of a person. We are not just sharing what we are doing and pictures of our kids, but we are also making statements on our feelings, faith and opinions as well. This thing we engage with in social media gives others special insight to our thoughts.

Wouldn’t it be neat if we could know what God was thinking??? Wouldn’t you like to just log on and get a status update on what He is doing with that unanswered prayer request of yours? Is He going to answer it? Will it be yes or no? How will He answer it? When will He answer it? Oh, if we could just get some insight!!!

Well, I’ve got a verse to help you….

Now the end of all things is near; therefore, be serious and disciplined for prayer. 1 Peter 4:7 HCSB

This scripture is my life verse on prayer, as it reminds me to have a sense of urgency, to have a somber attitude over serious matters, and to be alert when I pray (no falling asleep, please.) I love this scripture because there are so many varying translations of it that it really gives us many different views on this prayer charge.

As such, several translations use a form of the words “watch unto prayer” for “disciplined for prayer”, like this one:

But the end of all is at hand. Be prudent therefore, and watch in prayers. – Douay-Rheims Bible.

And this one…

But the end of all things is drawn nigh: be sober therefore, and be watchful unto prayers. – Darby Bible Translation

And this one..

But the end of all things is at hand; be ye, therefore, temperate and watch unto prayer. – Jubilee Bible 2000

What does “watch unto prayer” mean? The original idea is that if you are sober and alert, you can stay awake and be watchful – makes sense! But it also reminds me of when Elijah commanded it to rain after a drought, and he kept sending his assistant Obadiah to look for a sign of rain.

“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”
So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 1 King 18:41-46

Here is the secret to securing a status update from God – write down your prayers!

Why? When you write them down in an organized format, you can go back and update them. This is how we can ascertain what God is doing and get His status updates! When I see God moving in my prayer life, I get excited! I write it down, and like Obadiah, I may go back several times before I have an update or answer. Any little sign of movement, I capture in writing. And I continue to do so until the answer comes.

Regardless of the outcome, I have used this section of my personal prayer journal (The Prayer Closet Organizer) to learn more about God and His nature. I not only see the direction He is moving in my prayer, but I get a sense of His providence. A well-attended prayer will give the watcher more awareness.

When was the last time God gave you some insight into a prayerful situation?

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Award-winning author Gina Duke is a wife, mom and the Director of Women’s Ministry at her local church. With a B.S. in Organizational Leadership, she is able to bring a clear word for authentic Christian living. Through her book, “Organizing Your Prayer Closet: A New and Life-Changing Way to Pray” (Abingdon Press), she imparts 1 Peter 4:7 with the gift of structured prayer journaling. If you would like to schedule Gina to speak on prayer or host a prayer journaling workshop, click here for more information. You may also follow her on Twitter and Instagram @TheGinaDuke.

Check out my video for Organizing Your Prayer Closet!