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Prayer paralysis is a phrase I use to describe the act of praying and praying but never getting up to do what the Lord reveals during prayer time.
It sometimes sounds spiritual to say, “I will pray about it,” even when it is clear what action we should take. When my children ask me the same thing over and over again, it is because they are looking for a different answer. I don’t like to admit having this kind of inclination myself, because it can reflect negatively upon me. But that’s exactly why I wanted to give it a name, so that I could find a cure.
Physical paralysis can be permanent, but prayer paralysis can be temporary—if I am aware of its spiritual nature. Fear of the unknown can keep me from acting in faith. Although prayer is an act of faith it means nothing if there is no demonstration. The scripture in James 2 verse 17 says that faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Wow, what a wakeup call. I don’t want my faith to be dead.
Several years ago, I wanted to complete an advanced degree program, so I prayed that God would open a door for me to go back to school. Through connections I found the right school, but I held on to the materials for a long time because I suddenly had cold feet and started to make excuses. My husband and daughters were supportive, but procrastination had settled on my back. All I could see was the possibility of not finishing the program.
God had clearly answered my prayer, and I knew that if He gave me the strength to start He would also provide everything I needed to bring it to completion. Fear was raising its ugly head. Fear is not a fruit of the spirit and therefore I did not want to cultivate it in my life. In order to overcome it and break through the barrier, I needed to complete the application. I did just that, received my acceptance letter and now many years later I am grateful for the experience.
My prayer point today is that God does answer prayer; prayer is not something we do just to relieve tension or pass the time. Prayer is necessary to connect with God’s thoughts and intents so that we can then do the will of God. My challenge for you is to look at the things you have been praying about and see if there is an element of fear keeping you from obeying God. It’s true that we need to wait on God and be clear on what He wants. But we also need to take the time to “go and do what you know the Lord wants from your life.”
God bless you!
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Rev. Dr. Peola C. Hicks manages all prayer, volunteer and partner programs for OurPrayer. OurPrayer is a Christ centered ministry that receives and prays for over 750,000 requests on an annual basis through the web, phone and Facebook. Peola is an ordained minister and has a profile on Facebook as Peola’s Prayer Points.
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Be anxious for nothing, make your petitions made known to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding will encompass you. God doesn't give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and he also gives authority, by speaking the name of Jesus. Speak to the spirits of misery, lack, infirmity etc. bind them and send them away from your home and body. We have this power given to us by God, say Spirit of Lack I bind you and loose you, be cast into the sea...then speak what you seek.
I pray for peace and comfort to you and offer this "Jesus Prayer" as follows, and say it whenever you feel the need.....Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner. Make haste to help me. Rescue me and save me. Let thy will be done in my life.
Things will be changing for you soon. Bless you.
WBB
never feel led in giving amount wise to church or any christian org. or anything at thispoint just give out of guilt, and he knows it am really mad at God. please Lord give me on more chance, youve spared me so many times and i never even appreciated it, and now im near death . please give me one last chance . i know i deserve hell for unbeleif and lack of faith and trust, please have mercy on me. . and evry day my horrible life just keeps playing over and over in my mind the abominable sins ive comitted against you. god choose not to heal me from all the substance abuse and smoking i did becuse i just cant breath deeply and evry time i try to do a little bit of excercise i get winded and gasp for air and feel like im going to throw up and pass out.i have to have an upper gi coming up soon , i hate hospitals and have such a dry parched throat and feel nauseated all the time from all the worry and fear and meds and probably toxins that have built up in my body since ive havent been able to get around . im sorry and have done my best to repent from fear doubt unbelif doublemindedness, broken allmost all the commandments i have done against you. and i get sicker and weaker every day. ive asked evryday for 5yrs nowto be transformed and healed and for Jesus and HS to come into my life . suicide attempt left me incapacitated and brain damaged. still have bullet in the brain. i never felt the presense of God or HS at any of the good bible churches i went to. my body is now really feeling the results of my sin. i cant even look at the bible or go to church , or be around people,just makes my skin crawl like the nerves are on fire . lived with parents all my life and dont know anything else . nothing else goes thru my mind but the thought of them getting sick or dying . i just cant handle this. this is what i have fear of commitment and trusting jesus fear of driving , have had seizures, and am to out of it and cant feel my right foot. step outside the house and just start to panic i cant tell whats real and whats not i feel like a little baby left in the middle of a highway, terrified . please save me lord i know time is getting short for me and the world. ive asked god to help me with the the basic skills i need to function in life . i try my best every day but just feel sick and nauseated evry day when i wake up and dread every day. ive asked
for direction, and to be freed from this torment but dont see hear or feel anything . please Lord help me to let go of the things of this world i idolize money , possesions fear of allmost everything. i have never enjoyed life except while being under the influence of booze and all kinds of drugs . i quit shortly before i shot myself . now im dependent on anti anxiety meds and they dont have any effect any more . ive tried suicide many times and had some accidental brushes with death also. now im tormented day and night by insomnia severe pain, partial paralysis muscle atrophy, and fear of everything am hallucinating and feel totally lost and disoriented just want to be free from all these torments and be healed totally from head to toe and be able to drive and go to church without torment and really experience the presence and annoiting of the holy spirit . and really be able to care for myself and let go of this awfull feeling of despair about losing parents its killing me more and more . i know it is Gods wrath for unbeleif . Lord help me trust you help me to beleive in youand totally trust in you. and totally love you its .please spare me and let melive and experience your true peace and joy, so many drs.and psych drs constanly i gag without water and have intense stomach pain and cramps, have to have a scope put down my throat into gut not allowed to eat or drink anything . this will be shearagony my throat is so irritated allready from the meds and acid from extreme fear . my ears are ringing allways and am in so much pain from atrophy ijust want it all to end. forgive me jesus. please come into my life and transform me .i dont want to die this way dont love gGod dont love myself dont love people , andfearing death and hell. is john 6 :44 why ive never never really experienced the peace and felt the annointing presence, and just cant beleive in my heart. so many places in the bible that say for those that love me for those that trust. i know you cant have the holy spirit in you without being saved. is predestination real ?he knows everything . he knows i dont love him or trust him , and am angry at him and the world. hate to be around people, makes my inner being want to run away he knows what a struggle evryday life is for me just trying to exist. parents are making arrangements to have me sent away to a group home if i dont end up in hospital from physical and mental breakdown again. cant take anymore of this torment and fear of life. most high god in heaven my creator you know evry evil thouhghti have . please unharden my heartand let me love you, the wicked shall have no peace or rest. please forgive me and heal me and renew my strength and mind. ireally depend on my parents . and live in constant dread of going to a group home or assited living center . cant work , have so many problems mentally and physically , and dont hear from god dont get anything out of the bible exept condemnation he knows i m greedy i dont love or trust him and dont wan tot commit my life to him because i fear being around people and leaving the house .i cant stand physical work because of the pain my body is in from not being used .icant even go outside because i hate the cold and heat and allways have to have water with me with then i have to urinate every 1/2 hour and bowels just have no set time and when i do have to go its immmediately .. i dread nursing homes and hospitals . and drs . i know he loves me and pray everyday to give me a sense of purpose. i know hes very angry and jealous beacause i just cant let go of parents and money, . and am a coward and ashamed of him ,heknows all these things . i pray to him everyday to change me and help me love people and for healing anda desire to return to work but just the thought of leaving the house and driving somewhere which im deathly afraid of cause my mind is so foggy from all the drugs ive done and still continue to use (prescription antianxiety meds) justcant get off of them . am an only child at 50 and have had a very easy life now its become a nightmare since i shot myself . mind is in constant torment over whos going to get the house when parents die and where im going to have to live before i go into eternal damnation. ive had a dream when i was a a child about being hooked up to machines and tubes and wires and it came true. been a sinner and broken allmost all the commandments. but how can you repent from unbeleif and fear. cant even leave the house to buy new shoes cause i get disoriented and feel terrified and lost and feeel like passing out. last time i went shopping i got so terified i had to leave and forgot where i parked and if it wasnt for mom id be in the psych ward . been ther many times . worrying and meds have tore my stomach and insides up so bad have to have an uppper gi done and am dreading it because i know what wory and fear do to your insides and organs from relase of toxins. meds cant heal me only god can am selling evrything i have . those who ar against him the wicked cowards idolaters shall have their place in the lake of fire. i know byond a doubt thats where im headed .i pray everyday for forgivenss and to change my heart and help me love people and god and jesus and to have mercy on my soul. just hang around the house wandering and fearing till its time to eat ,dont eat all that well have no appetite and have horrible foul gas .from things i do eat.can be around people yet thats what counselors and lawyertell me to volunteer or get a parttime job .they know i cant take care of myself so we went to lawyer,to get me into somekind of daycare , then some kind of nursing home. tell me to do. i prayed for years to tech me how to cook butmind is so overcome with fear i cant even function . mom is the only one that keeps me alive .and gods grace buthis patience is running out .for those he has chosen or predestined . keeps giong on over and over in my mind. the wicked shall not inherit the kindom . i wll have mercy on whom i will have mercy. keeps going thru my head . please pray for a miracle tranformation of body healing and thought and to love god and people withall my being and take away extreme fears annd torment my body is in,hemmoriods that pound and itch unbearably atrophy shotness of breath extrme fear and fatigue and verry angry and iritated and scared inside. hate people and life and church am totally lost in life and have no idea what is going to happen to me other than the worst possible consequence
Fear has kept me back alot in my life. But I thank God I prayed about it, and I remember one fear I had where while praying about it, I heard the voice of the Lord asking me to say "Father I feel safe in your arms" I said it and from since all my fears were gone. I've continued saying it from thereafter every time I pray or in doubt about something. Thank you Lord! "I feel safe in your arms"
I am a pastor of a Baptist church in Kenya, for a long time i felt that i could pray for things and that they would happen, but i fear if they would not happen. Today am praying and leaving everything to God, though getting a car, and owning a house has been a challenge to me for the last 15 years. When i pray for others they receive but mine is yet to come.
This is so true. I often have prayer paralysis when the problem is one of my own, and a good outcome is very important to me. It is so hard to pray at those times, and that is often when I ask others to pray for me. I know I need to push past the worst case scenario and just let God handle it.