Big Brother-In-Arms.

Although an assailant may overpower [prevail over] one person, two can withstand him. (Ecclesiastes 4:12a)

Have you ever felt like your prayers weren’t getting past the bedroom ceiling?

There was an occasion some time ago where I felt that my prayers were caught in a bottleneck. I mean, I was pouring it on full-force. Praying, fasting, watching, solitude, silence, I was rocking those classic disciplines… and it seemed that nothing was happening.

During a conversation with a minister, I casually mentioned my prayer concern. We prayed together for less than a minute, then went about our separate business. But after that short prayer, I felt that God had stepped in to act on behalf of my petition. The next day, I got to see His answer to my prayers.

Am I saying that God didn’t hear me the first time I prayed? No, that’s not what I mean. But I am saying that, from time to time, the answers to our prayers seem to have more ease of transit when a person of higher spiritual rank is involved. Consider:

-Hannah and Eli (First Samuel 1:1-20);
-The Shunammite woman and Elisha (Second Kings 4:8-37);
-The unnamed messenger and Michael (Daniel 10:12-13).

The Daniel 10 example is particularly interesting because it gives explicit detail of why Daniel’s prayer went “unanswered” for three weeks. The unnamed messenger was opposed by the prince of the kingdom of Persia for twenty-one days. Michael, an archangel known as a fighter, had to step in and tip the scales in favor of the kingdom of God. And during this unseen conflict, Daniel continued in prayer.

So, when we pray, we can be encouraged in knowing that the Lord hears the prayer of the righteous. Even the conflict is an encouragement! It is a sign that we are on the right track, and the enemy is seeking to discourage us by causing divine delays of one sort or another.

But, although we are encouraged, the Scripture also gives us precedence to exert additional force on behalf of the kingdom of God. Hannah and the Shunammite woman, partnering with spiritual leaders, received swift answers to the prayer of their hearts. And the unnamed messenger, partnering with Michael, broke through the spiritual conflict in order to reach Daniel.

In the three examples above, the accounts reveal that Daniel, Hannah, and the Shunammite woman were devout people. They exemplified the opening passages of Matthew 6: they prayed, they fasted, and they gave. Moreover, their devotion was not contingent on their prayers being answered! Hannah faithfully worshipped God even though her rival tormented her year after year. Daniel worshipped God even though it meant he had to spend a night in a den of lions. The Shunammite woman built an addition to her home for Elisha to use, without knowing that she would get anything in return.

Are your prayers seemingly going unanswered? Perhaps it’s time to call a superior.