Not too long ago, our family put together a puzzle. One thing that was frustrating was to think we had a particular piece in place, only to discover a while later that it didn't actually belong there. Have you ever noticed that a puzzle piece can actually fit so close together with another piece that at first, it appears to belong in the place where you've put it? It can even connect with other pieces on the table. But, upon closer examination, (and often when you get to a place where you're stuck and can't go any further), you take a closer look at the board and realize that something was out of place. How long did you skip right past that piece, trying to make other pieces fit together and nothing came together the way it should? It looked almost right, it even fit into the right spot - but it wasn't a perfect fit. Sure, you could force it into place, but it wasn't actually designed for that place in the picture. No wonder the other pieces couldn't come together right! When things were adjusted even a tiny bit, suddenly the picture came together and everything fell into place!
It's like that in the body of Christ, too. God has designed each one of us to fit into a particular place in the big picture. Sometimes we put ourselves in a place and other times someone else puts others in a position, but...it's apparent something is missing. Usually, it's the anointing. When people are not in the place designed for them, the anointing doesn't flow freely. It gets bottlenecked or blocked. Sometimes we are not in the right place. At first, we may think so, but then we realize we are just stuck and it's obvious something isn't connecting right, or we can't go any further. The fruit we expected isn't happening or God just doesn't seem to be in it. Whatever the case, those situations call for a new step of action. Restructuring allows people to find their anointed place of service and ministry that produces greater fruitfulness. Many people have felt stuck and frustrated because they are missing some puzzle pieces in their lives. Key relationships are missing and without them, they cannot get to the next step. They need to be repositioned and for God to help connect them with the people HE has chosen for them. God wants each one of us to be blessed by covenant relationships, and that probably means a step of faith. It's time to ask God what that may be for you!
Covenant relationships are ones where there is a heart connection established by God – people that will support you in prayer, help you get through the right doors or those that play a distinct role in helping you carry out God’s purposes for your life. If we want to break through to a new season, then we need to do something new and different. We need to pray differently and be willing to step outside of our comfort zone because if we continue to do the same thing we’ve done in the past we will continue to get the same results. New seasons call for new strategies.
Praying in partnership with God and others will cause a ripple effect. God will be brought into many more people’s lives as a result, and He will begin to move people into strategic places and relationships.
We all need someone that actually has faith and is willing to believe God and pray GOD’s heart for the situations that affect our lives. I do want to caution people not to try to pray their own will thinking God will honor it. It’s important to have discernment about those kinds of things because it makes all the difference between praying a prayer that God wants to answer, vs. a prayer that won’t go anywhere. Praying God’s heart for others, and praying unselfish prayers have a greater potential to be answered.
Our encouragement to each of you is to find a prayer partner for this next year – commit to praying with someone that has faith to believe God for the answers you both seek. If you’re praying with someone, then it’s important they have real faith to believe that God will intervene, no matter how challenging the circumstances may appear! Find someone who will agree to link up with you and pray in agreement; let’s see how God moves!
We have developed a new web page called PrayTogether2018.com . It's an invitation to go deeper with the Lord in 2018 and to also commit to praying with a prayer partner every day in the New Year. If you expect great things to happen, your expectancy draws God to you. If you keep running towards God, and your prayers of faith draw Him to you, sooner or later the two of you are going to collide! That’s when the breakthrough happens! We look forward to hearing some great praise reports so that we can celebrate your answers to prayer!
