Praying It Forward
Posted on November 13, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Victory Call
In mid-Febrary 2019, my husband and I are in the midst of another 40-day prayer journey which we started January 1st. The prior year when we did this as part of Bill Welte’s challenge, we had some amazing, miraculous answers to our prayers. You know those prayers you pray with absolutely no idea how God would answer them? Yes, we prayed those kinds of prayers and saw the movement of God in our midst.
In the process of our 2019 prayer journey I was reminded that our prayers never expire, not even with our own deaths. That got my husband and me thinking. In addition to praying for our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, we have a precious gift to give to the family members that we have not met, that have not yet been born and that we will not likely ever meet. Our prayers on their behalf to the God Who hears and never forgets.
God is outside of time and He is the Alpha and the Omega – He already knows those children to be born that we have no knowledge of – and He hears our prayers of faith on their behalf.
John and I started with general prayers of blessings for generations to follow but we are also stepping out in faith and praying specifically about their healthy growth in the womb, safe birth, and development as children, family relationships and friends. We were praying for their salvation and spiritual walk with Jesus. In faith we were trusting Jesus to keep them pure and undefiled by the culture they grow up in – whenever and wherever that may be. We were praying for their spouses (of the opposite gender) to be strong believers committed to a Christ-centered home to raise their children in. That the women will respect their husbands and the men will love their wives all the days of their lives. We prayed their disagreements will be few and that harmony will characterize their home. The more I prayed, the more excited I got.
As we age, we all experience a lessening of our physical abilities – it takes longer to do things we used to do with ease. YET, perhaps more importantly, our spiritual life grows deeper, richer and stronger.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16
How perfect.
Our bodies will expire but our prayers will not. They will outlive us. I asked John to pray for me when I become an old lady (many years from now). If he predeceases me, I will know I am still covered with his prayers which he has prayed in advance.
This has given me a renewed passion to pray for my children and grandchildren but also for generations to come who may never know my prayers are covering them.
Who knows what prayers cover us now that were prayed long before our birth by people we never met?
And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. Matthew 21:22
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
This is exciting. Come on girls, we have some serious yet delightful prayer-work to do. What a blessing to know that we will have influence and impact for Jesus Christ long after we have left this world and are in His presence – He will still be answering the prayers we offer today!
Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.
Think About This: “Our Shepherd intends that we experience his love every day, by living a life that is FREE FROM FEAR … There is not a single day in your future when God will not be seeking you out to give you goodness, to give you love, even in those times, when you walk through the darkest valley. David doesn’t say that there won’t be pain; he doesn’t say that there won’t be trouble and distress, but he DOES say that there will always be goodness, there will always be love, there will always be kindness, hot on your heels.” ― David Knott
The Daily Bible Reading: Mark 15, Luke 23. You can download our 2022 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Hebrews 12:14-15
