WIND FOR YOUR SAILS 119for friends, for ministers—even for nations.
Let me warn you. It is impossible to move into
intercession with a snap of the finger. It does not come
instantly because it is a partnership with God that requires a
deep and intensely personal relationship. You see, the Holy
Spirit leads your prayer life step by step. With me, it did not
happen on the first day, or the second, or the third. It was at
least six months before I was moving into the depths of
prayer. Scripture teaches that if we are faithful with the
little things, God will give us more. That's what He does.
He's the perfect Father. The perfect teacher.
But what happened next was worth the travail. The
sixth step in prayer is thanksgiving. As Paul wrote, "But
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:57). I always spend time
giving thanks to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit.
Finally, step seven in prayer is praise. Sometimes I
sing. Sometimes I speak in a Spirit language. But from the
depths of my being I burst forth into total praise. It is the
purest form of prayer I've ever experienced.
You may ask, "Benny, do you always include all seven
steps?" My answer is "Yes!" And here's what's so
wonderful about the Spirit: If you allow Him to work
through you in prayer, you'll discover that you are not
doing much of the praying. He seems to be doing it all.
Even in intercession, as painful as it is, the arms of the
Spirit are lifting you up, giving instant refreshing when
your praying is through.
Paul was right when he said, "Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit" (Eph. 6:18). He knew
there was more than one kind of prayer.