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February 4, 2016

Helplessness Plus Faith

Dear Friends,

In my note to you last month I shared a challenge to bring impossible prayer requests to the Lord this year.  In the light of this, I want to add another crucial thought about prayer.

“Prayer is helplessness plus faith.”  Bill Thrasher

If we are not helpless it shows that we are expecting from God only what we could accomplish in our own strength, or unaware of the true nature of the difficulties that surround us.  If we are without faith we will dream without action, wait without preparation, and live without anticipation.  We will not persevere in the fight for supernatural breakthroughs and or beseech for a true outpouring of the power of God.

This week I sat with one of our gifted teams who has needed such a touch from God for some time.  The leader who had called the meeting mentioned, almost as an aside, that he had been fasting and praying for four days for a breakthrough.  “If it doesn’t happen today,” he said with a quiet resolve, “I’ll keep fasting until it does.”

The rest of us looked at him with a start.  “How long are you planning on going without food?” we asked.  He gave a quick smile and said, “I have no idea what our solution is, but I am fully confident in God.  He will provide, and I will keep fasting and praying until he does.”

Helplessness plus faith.

Knowing this busy leader was keeping a full schedule of responsibilities without any nourishment, I asked how he was managing.  He shared that the four days of fasting and prayer had actually been a great blessing, by increasing his sensitivity to the voice of God, focusing his attention on what really matters, and softening his heart to those around him.  This is one of the blessed byproducts of prayer.  As we press into the presence of God with requests that he change the world around us, he also changes the world in us.  You cannot remain the presence of God without being transformed.

That day we experienced the breakthrough that none of us could picture.  God moved, led, convicted, transformed, and did it all in a way that blessed each team member and brought unity.  At the end, my friend called his wife and asked her to set an extra plate for dinner.  God had answered.

I’m praying for a movement of God among the youth of Central and Eastern Europe, for thousands of young people to put their faith in Christ this year, and for many more leaders to be mobilized and equipped.  In the light of these huge needs I feel helpless. But because of faith I pray.

Thanks for joining in,

—Dave Patty, President, Josiah Venture

Dave Patty President

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