Fervent
Priscilla Shirer
24 min
9 Key Points
4.6 RateWhat's inside?
Explore the power of focused prayer and learn how to strategically target your prayers for maximum impact in your life and the lives of those around you.
You'll learn
1. Why prayer matters for women2. Making a game plan for prayer3. Beating spiritual roadblocks4. Boosting your faith and God connection5. Living the Bible in everyday life6. The power of passionate prayer.Key points
01Don't just pray casually, pray with intensity if you want things to change
Priscilla Shirer's words, "We must not play nice with prayer if we want things to change," is a rallying cry for all believers. It's a call to arms, urging us to approach prayer with a sense of urgency, seriousness, and strategic precision. In her book, Shirer makes it clear that prayer isn't just a casual chat with God. It's a powerful tool in our spiritual warfare. She encourages us to see prayer as a strategic battle plan. We need to identify where we think the enemy (that's Satan) is causing trouble in our lives and pray specifically and passionately about these areas. Let's say you're dealing with feelings of insecurity. Instead of just asking God for help in a general way, Shirer suggests you pray specifically against the spirit of insecurity. Use the truths found in the Bible to fight against the lies of the enemy. This is what she means by praying with precision. It's a focused, targeted approach to prayer that matches up with your real-life situation and the truth of God's word. Shirer also stresses the need to be persistent and relentless in prayer. If you don't see immediate results from your prayers, don't be disheartened. Keep praying passionately, trusting in God's promises and His perfect timing. She also warns us about the sneaky tactics of the enemy. Satan often tries to make us feel like our prayers are unimportant or ineffective. But Shirer reminds us that prayer is the main way God chooses to work in our lives. So, we should never underestimate its power. In a nutshell, "We must not play nice with prayer if we want things to change" is a call to action. It's a reminder that prayer is a powerful weapon in our spiritual warfare. We need to use it strategically and persistently to fight against the works of the enemy. So, let's not play nice with prayer. Let's get serious, specific, and strategic.
02Be strategic in your prayers to tap into Jesus' blessings
Priscilla Shirer's book emphasizes the power of prayer, but not just any prayer. She talks about prayer that is intentional, specific, and strategic. It's like having a direct phone line to Jesus, but this isn't a casual chat. It's a purposeful conversation with a clear goal in mind. Let's say you're facing a tough situation. Instead of just saying, "God, please help me," you get specific. You pinpoint the exact problem you're dealing with, admit that you need God's help, and ask for it in a particular way. Maybe you need wisdom to make a tough decision, strength to get through a hard time, or help meeting a specific need. Shirer also talks about how prayer lets us "grab hold of Jesus and of everything he has already done for us." This means that through prayer, we can tap into the victories that Jesus has already won on our behalf. If you're dealing with guilt or shame, for example, you can pray and claim the forgiveness and freedom that Jesus has already secured for you through His death and resurrection. In the Bible, Paul the Apostle paints a picture of this in Ephesians 6. He talks about the armor of God, which includes things like the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. These aren't physical weapons, but spiritual ones that we can use in our prayers. Paul also stresses the importance of praying "in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." This means we shouldn't limit our prayers to certain times or situations. We should be praying all the time, in every situation, and for all kinds of needs. In a nutshell, Shirer's book encourages us to pray with purpose, specificity, and strategy. It reminds us that through prayer, we can connect with Jesus and tap into the victories he has already won for us. It also challenges us to keep praying, knowing that this is our most effective weapon against the enemy's attacks.
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03Understand Satan's tactics to better defend yourself through prayer
04Keep your passion alive, even when things get tough
05Don't let the enemy's attacks on your identity and family stop you from praying
06To pray passionately, let go of guilt, shame, and regret
07Stay strong and avoid sin to beat the devil's strategies
08Turn your bitterness into forgiveness to win against the enemy
09Conclusion
About Priscilla Shirer
Priscilla Shirer is an American author, motivational speaker, and actress. She is known for her Christian-themed books and teachings, and for roles in faith-based films. Shirer co-founded Going Beyond Ministries, which provides biblical teaching and inspirational messages for women.
