I was doing it again. Like so many others, I was rushing to see the latest crude news report about a certain celebrity. Reports from various websites were crisscrossed to verify the facts. What I was seeing troubled me. So it worth report? I pondered this for a moment. If it was a big deal then perhaps I should comment from a Christian perspective? My thoughts drifted to the impact it would have on the blog. People would be drawn to read the article. Then it happened.

The Holy Spirit spoke up to correct me. He asked a question that absolutely embarrassed me.

“Do you pray or prey?”

I didn’t need to think on the question. The moment it was said I felt convicted. I definitely was preying. I was behaving like the paparazzi. Followed the celebrity around just to catch the person in a vulnerable moment and exploit it for my benefit.

My action lacked the love of God. The person is an individual just like anyone else. The same grace that would be offered to a needy person should also be given. I should have been asking God, “Lord I see this but what are you saying. What would you have me do?”

Just asking those questions would have opened prophetic insight into God’s will concerning the individual. More would have been revealed to me than I was seeing in the reports.

I felt ashamed of my actions and quickly repented.

What was I thinking? That was a poor lapse in judgment. How could I have thought about using this incident to influence readership?

Holy Spirit was not letting me off easily. He began to show me that it is wrong to simply enquire about what someone because one wants to know what is happening in their life. (Whether the person was famous or not). It was even worst to simply report on the things they do that are against Christian values without praying for them.

If one isn’t careful you will take on the role of a critic. All a critic does is to state their agreement or disagreement with the issue. When the alarm is raised and you talk negative about someone you are not helping.

God has given you a tremendous weapon. He expects that you use it for good. You can use your mouth to speak life over a situation. You can pray for the salvation of the individual. You can rally others to pray for our brother or sister. You had best believe that your prayer can cause things to change. Your prayer will release the wonder-working power of God. You dishonor your Father when you simply follow the masses. He wants you to pray.

If we spend more time taking heed to the Word of God we wouldn’t have to worry about the actions of a few. We would take authority over some of the things we see around us and through prayer and activism we effect change.

May I encourage you? Please ask God what is his plans for the people you see in the public arena. The profession does not matter. God has a plan for everyone. We charged to pray for them.

1 Timothy 2:1-3

First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that outwardly we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life and inwardly a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. For such praying is good and right, and it is pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior.

Prayer is a Lifestyle

God wants His saints to be committed to prayer. Your prayer can change the course of history. Your prayer can bring change into the lives of some of these public figures.

When you wait on God to receive the news that is beyond the news you will be able to prayer according to His will. You will move beyond the narrative. So many of the news we receive is sensationalized. Oftentimes things are blown out of proportion to fit a particular economic, social or political viewpoint. God is not interested in that. He will show you the honest truth.

He desires that souls be saved. He wants you to pray. Be stirred by what you see but do not simply follow the reports. Pray! Pray! And pray some more.

James 5:16-17

Confess to one another therefore your faults and pray also for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The earnest prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available.  Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months.

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