Discernment...

Be careful who you ask to pray for you. You must be selective. Why? Because while people mean well, many, many people have NO POWER in their prayers. They're just mumbling mere words and they don’t believe what they are really praying themselves; therefore, when they go before God with your request, they are ineffective, can’t get a prayer through and it falls on deaf ears. God isn’t looking at what we do, how we look, the fact that we are intellectual and can quote scripture. He is looking at our hearts. Don’t believe me? Well, maybe you will believe 1 Samuel 16:7 OR try 1 Peter 3:3-4 OR what about Matthew 5:8? Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart (Proverbs 21:2, ESV).

Merriam-Webster’s definition of discernment says, “the ability to see and understand people, things, or situations clearly and intelligently.” 1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (ESV).

So, what’s my point? My point is that we must all DISCERN false prophets from those who live in TRUTH. Therefore, when you ask for prayer, ask the Lord to point you to those people who have POWER in their prayers. Ask the Lord to point you to those people who not just mean well, but whose hearts are pure and ask Him to show you those who BELIEVE what they say. It only takes one.