Power in Prayer: Listen Closely

by Marilynn Chadwick

Thomas Edison tried unsuccessfully over ten thousand times before his final breakthrough invention of the electric light bulb. The Wright brothers experienced hundreds of crashes before their breakthrough in flight. And countless scientists performed endless experiments before breakthroughs in DNA research.

Breakthroughs in any endeavor require perseverance. Especially in the spiritual realm, when we seem to crash headlong into a formidable yet unseen enemy again and again.

If we want to experience power in our prayers, we can learn a lesson from the Psalmist and warrior-king David. Years earlier, he had conquered the Philistine giant Goliath. But here he is again, facing the Philistine army not far from the very site of his famous face-to-face encounter with the giant.

This time, the Philistines waged their attack in the Valley of Rephaim, which means "the valley of giants" or "the valley of trouble." Though a seasoned warrior, David pauses to pray, asking God for his marching orders.

So, David asked God, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord replied, “Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you.” So David and his troops went up to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “God did it!” David exclaimed. “He used me to burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So they named that place Baal-perazim, which means “the Lord who bursts through” (1 Chronicles 14:10, 11 NLT). The Philistines abandoned their gods and fled.

However, they soon returned to raid the valley one more time. Even with the memory of the first victory still fresh in his mind, David prays to the Lord and listens for his strategy: Once again David asked God what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” God replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” So David did what God commanded, and they struck down the Philistine army all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. David’s fame spread everywhere, and the Lord caused all the nations to fear David (1 Chronicles 14:14-17).

Good thing David was listening carefully, for God's strategy this time required a very different response. I'm reminded of the Lion Aslan's comment to Lucy in C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia series: "Things never happen the same way twice." God may act very differently than we experienced in our last challenge.

Persevere in your battle, my friend. Pray to God for guidance. Then, listen carefully for his instructions. Pause and really listen. You might be surprised at his answer. Then obey immediately. Seek God every time, before every battle. Approach him for wisdom daily. Humility is the mark of a good soldier. And remember, he rarely does things the same way twice.

I pray that your "Valley of Trouble" becomes the very place where you encounter Jesus, your "Lord of the Breakthrough."