Bouncing Foxhole Prayers Off The Ceiling

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end” — Hebrews 3:12-14 (NKJV)

How many of you have sat in your seat during a Wednesday night prayer service and wondered why it seems that what you’re doing only results in your prayers to God just endlessly bouncing off the ceiling? And don’t tell me I’m alone in this because when the praise report is being asked for its almost as if you can hear a feather slam onto the floor after it has floated ever so gently to the ground. It’s as if no one is getting any answers to anything they’re asking of God? “Make your request known, hmph.” Oh,well, maybe not in your church…sorry.

Anyway, not to sound too text-bookie here but constant, earnest prayer keeps faith alive and makes certain the receiving of every one of the qualities which make us in the image of God. So, there’s that, but sometimes we tend to forget that, in prayer, you’re asking for God’s purpose first, not yours. Aunt Betty needs surgery, and the congregation gets it, but telling Him what you think the doctors should be looking for and then saying that Aunt Betty has so much left to do here may not fly. After all, Aunt Betty could have a heart and a walk like Enoch’s so maybe YHVH wants her home. Just sayin’…

However, I can say of late, that when I’ve taken myself off the request list during my own morning prayer time, God does God sized things that I never woulda asked for. That doesn’t mean I ain’t asking Him for His peace, protection and provision for my life, it’s just that asking Him for anything beyond the daily bread seems senseless these days. Besides, the ripple effect of lifting others in that earnest prayer mentality has had its benefit. I lift my son and daughter-in-law up to His Throne every day and the benefit of that will greatly change my life. Let’s just say that praying through Psalm 128 has had its increase……and when they let me, I’ll tell all ya’ll about it.  ‘Nough said there.

 

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” — Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

 

Doesn’t it seem logical that when our faith in an invisible God begins to take shape the first reaction would be to talk to this God? Now, I’m sure there are many of us who had that God-size faith in a foxhole prayer said when we were in a jam and we needed some sorta divine intervention to save us from ourselves, right? Yeah, so, we ain’t talking about that kinda faith, that kinda faith seems so, kinda, pulled up to a drive through window and ordered a #1 to go kinda faith. And a word of warning, those foxhole prayers are the ones that bounce off the ceiling and lands back at ya in a God-size way with a God-size offer of salvation. So, if you really aren’t interested in a relationship with a loving God, don’t do the foxhole prayer, you might get saved. Just sayin’…

There are two things to glean outta that Hebrews 11:6 verse once you get the notion that its impossible to please God without faith. “Must believe that He is” and “he who comes near”. The first is of a stronger faith, more than the foxhole, an Enoch kinda faith, one that says you believe Him beyond His existence kinda faith. The second is kinda more special, if ya wanna double check on this (Bible Gateway will back it up) but in the RSV translation you’ll read, “he who draws near to God”. Now it doesn’t have any more punch than “he who comes near to God” but somewhere in the Book of James you’ll read, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Apparently drawing near to God, as viewed through the lenses of Hebrews, is the goal of life.

So, all of this adds up to say that most of us really had that “human faith” in those foxhole moments and when what we were asking for seemed to be in the will of the Divine…presto change-o…they happened. But if the true God actually revealed Himself in those moments where you knew it was a distinctive presence, it just may have been a gift freely given, something you knew you didn’t deserve, a revelation that El Elyon wants to establish a relationship with you.

I was drinking my last drink and ingesting my last substance when it happened to me. I had no clue of Psalm 128 at that time, but I went in that foxhole with nothing but human faith and came out equipped to pray through His word when the battle has grown too mighty or when life is about to change. Either way, pray, Amen?

 

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris is a child of El Elyon, a son, a husband, and a father. He has an education in Biblical doctrine and is a graduate of The Colony of Mercy, 11/2003. He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008. You can email him at cphughes515@verizon.net.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “For the word of the Lord is right, And all His work is done in truth. ⁵ He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” Psalm 33:4-5