So I've been working at Walmart for the last few months have made one very realization over that time, that it's the best ministry that I can do right now. The opportunities I get even just being a cashier really startle me sometimes.
Like I said, I'm a cashier so I get probably 100+ people through my check out on any given shift, maybe more if it's busy or less if I work a short one. I've been a cashier before at a few different businesses but never took it as an opportunity like I am this time. Through the things that people purchase, say, and wear I take the opportunity to intercede for them.
It's definitely not a 100% thing because that would wear me out so much, but maybe 1/15 or 1/20 that I end up really praying after. Yesterday, for example, I had a customer come through that was buying some weird vampire/demon looking toys for his daughter, I'm assuming daughter cause they were dollish and pink. I used the trigger to pray against the influences of satan in that girl's life, to bind all the lies that the enemy may be speaking and asked God to continue working in her.
It's simple but I've seen what prayer can do and while I won't ever see in this life the result of many of these prayers I don't plan on stopping. It's a war and I'm going to stay right on the front line of it.
So for the first time I'm getting steady pay to do ministry to people. I really haven't said anything about Jesus to anyone, yet, but it's still very possible to happen. All I'm doing is influencing them on a spiritual level and trusting that this mysterious God that I know will continue to work through these simple prayers that I offer up.
how does prayer = influence?
ReplyDeleteor maybe I mean to say, how does prayer "work"?
It's still something of a mystery to me in that regard, I should really do a bible study on it. From my experience I have seen it in my life and in the lives of those around me.
ReplyDeleteGod is always with us. He knows what we do, and think but prayer is an intentional practice which brings Him into the situation. He's already working in our lives...or at least desiring and trying to but it just does. I will do some study in scripture about it and reply again later. Thank you for your question.
yeah, that is something I am having a hard time understanding which means I am having ahard time praying. I find myself praying for some of my friends, "God you know what she needs, so make it happen if you can please". and I think if God already knows what is best, why would he wait for me to ask it before he does it?
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I do like hoe you see your job as a ministry. that is something I to try to do with life.
This is what my prayer class teacher said when I asked her about it:
ReplyDelete"The simplest answer that I think to give you is that prayer works because of who God is! His nature as Father causes Him to love doing things and giving good things to His children; and the reason He asks us to pray is that prayer, at its essence, is the means to connect/relate with God and to receive His grace. Prayer isn't for the purpose of getting things done but is for relating with God who will get things done. By our needing to ask Him, we draw near to Him and He loves that! And so prayer is simply religious and vain exercise if it is an isolated activity apart from relationship with God. You could say that prayer doesn't work, God works; but He works in relationship with weak humans who draw near to Him and ask Him for things that He already wants to give them. This takes the focus off of how well we pray and onto how eager God is to hear and answer our very pitiful prayers – it's about relationship rather than performance.
I'm not sure if it answers exactly your question but the book "Teach Me to Pray" (which is the textbook I had you use for the Kingdom Lifestyle course) has a LOT of great stuff on prayer and you may be able to find more help there…?
Scripture that comes to mind is Matt. 7:7-11 where Jesus instructs us to ask and He does it in the context of talking about a loving father."
That may not make complete sense but does fit my view too.