Prayer is one of my favorite things! That our mighty God allows us such a privilege has always been amazing to me and I take every opportunity I can to use it. I have had incredible times with my Jesus in prayer. I have felt His presence so near and heard the whispers of His heart as I lean into Him during those times. I have also seen very quick answers to my requests. It is like I have punched through the heavens and the answer avalanches down upon my situation. I can truly testify that God gives, finds and opens.
There are other times, however, that it feels like there is a barrier between my prayers and God’s response. I feel like there are certain things I am praying for that feel like they are hitting that barrier and then falling heavily right back into my lap.
This can make me feel so discouraged and I am tempted to give up. Are these prayers making a difference? Do I keep praying for this or just stop and wait? Am I doing something wrong? These questions, as I asked them in prayer, also felt like they were hitting a barrier, that is until yesterday when I heard the phrase “pinprick prayers”
A pin is a small thing that can cause a big effect. Just this morning as I was working on a new bulletin board at church I was poked in the finger by one of the stick pins I was using. I think it bled from that small hole for like 5 minutes. As I worked to stop the bleeding so it would not get all over my project I felt the Holy Spirit whisper into my ear that phrase “pinprick prayers”
That led me to remember a time when a friend of mine was on bed rest during the last few months of her pregnancy and she would often pass the time doing needlework. One day when I went to help out I heard her tell the story of how a little pin had made a big problem.
You see, she just did what I have done many times when fixing something using a needle; she stuck the needle in the bed beside her when she was done. The problem was, she was resting on a waterbed. It was not too long before she noticed a wet spot on her blanket. The needle had punctured the bladder and her bed was leaking. As this memory flooded my mind I heard the Holy Spirit whisper in my ear the phrase, “pinprick prayers”
God seemed to be saying that every prayer pokes the spiritual atmosphere and lets more of the answer out. Every prayer releases more of the powerful blood of Jesus into the situation. A flow of the blood of Jesus cleanses (1 John 1:7-9), overcomes (Revelation 12:11), and protects (Exodus 12:13). The blood of Jesus is just what my situation needs.
God also seemed to be saying that every prayer punctures the heavens and lets His living water in. Yes, a single prayer can start a flood! A flood of living water that gives eternal life, (John 4:14) heals, (Revelation 22:1-2) and gives faith to keep us believing, (John 7:37-39). Living water is just what my situation needs.
So I want to encourage you today to keep praying those pinprick prayers. Keep poking the spiritual atmosphere on behalf of your family, your friends and anyone else who needs more of the blood of Jesus.
Keep praying those pinprick prayers over your health, your finances, your hurting heart or anything else that needs a fresh flow of living water.
Now excuse me while I go and prick the heavens some more so that a little more of God’s Kingdom gets through. Will you join me?