Questions

1. As a wife and Mom, how can I pray for my family?

Pauline prayer teaches us that when we earnestly pray for any dear one, God will NOT zap the problems away, nor will He send money to lighten someone’s load. Oh, but in our heart we all so want this to be how God will work… He is able… He can if He wants. Of course He can and wants what Is best for us, but He has a will for how He is working in this Dispensation of Grace.

The hard reality is we are called to suffer, being left in this evil world, but God chooses to use it: Romans 8:18: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Instead, He works these things for good as we believe, verse 28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Can we just trust Him?

So then, how can we be used of God and pray for a saint? What do they physically, emotionally, or spiritually need? As we pray, God uses the doctrine in our inner man to meditate on and stir up the love for the person for whom we are praying. God did this in Paul as he prayed for the Romans. (Rom. 1:9-12) God can use each of us, individually in the Body to meet needs. We are His Temple, and arms and legs. We have been “bought with a price,” by Christ’s own blood, and we are not our own. (I Cor. 6:19-20) Our great privilege is to minister to others, manifesting His love. This is putting Him on display in our mortal body.

To Do: How can you be used to help? Sometimes just pray, love, and be supportive; other times we can mentor, give money, or a meal. etc.

2.  How do I proceed when I lose my focus and find myself in the flesh?

In the roles we play as women, we have potential to have a strong impact if we function as who we are in Christ. Yet, when we allow the flesh or emotions to be in control, sin is manifest instead.

Since sin is in the flesh, it is ever present: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (I John 2:16) It resides in our flesh: “Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” (Romans 7:17-18)

Trying hard to change in the efforts of our own flesh will not work and will fall “short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23) Israel’s history proves the flesh is NOT ABLE. However, as we find ourselves in the flesh, there are some things that will enable and empower us to be approved of God to proceed wisely.

Since nothing good dwells in our flesh, we need something that will work in a powerful way. God is the only answer. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The answer is not in us, but God: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (Romans 7:24-25)

As we are humbled, we look to God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our only answer. We are to “dwell on” the Word of Christ by the Spirit to renew our mind. Read Romans 8:1-17 for yourself to understand you need to mind spiritual things, allowing them to dwell in you. This enables each of us to be led by the Spirit as adult believers to walk through any circumstance reaping fruit acceptable unto God; resurrection life: “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11)

When we find ourselves walking by the flesh, we can stop, think differently to yield unto God, and be empowered and enabled to walk by faith in the situation. God is then the power and wisdom in us.