It Starts Small

Amy Carmichael was known as a woman of prayer. Amy was a missionary in India and well known for pulling children out of ritual prostitution. Today’s devotional leads us to identifying ways we can become prayer warriors. God has called each of us to the mission field at home, in our neighborhood and communities.

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

James 5:13-16

Our prayers are to be heartfelt thoughts and verbal pleas shared with the Lord. We are called to rally around family and friends to join in prayer together. We are to pray for our leaders, even when we do not agree with them. We are to pray all the time in all places. We can pray while driving. We can pray while working. We can pray while exercising. We can pray in the midst of a consuming project. We are to pray over those God brings to us.

Irish missionary, Amy Carmichael, sailed to India and was overwhelmed to hear that children were being forced into ritual prostitution. Amy founded the Dohnavur Fellowship that has rescued thousands of children from this horrific fate.

She was called Amma, which meant mother, by the children. She made great use of her brown eyes and used tea bags to dye her skin in order to be let into Hindu temples. This is where she would rescue the children. Amy’s ministry success was credited to God and Amy’s faithful devotion to scripture and prayer.

Consider the following from God and learn to courageously pray with confidence:

• God promises to hear our prayers (Jeremiah 29:12)

• God promises to be near when we pray (Psalm 145:18)

• God promises to the Holy Spirit will help and intercede as we pray (Romans 8:26)

• God promises to answer our prayers (John 15:7)

God wants us to pray at all times over everything! There is great power in prayer as God hears and answers prayer.

Ask God to place one person on your heart that needs prayer. Make time to pray for this person and repeatedly pray for them throughout your day.

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