Twelve Steps to "Praying Through"

          There is a way to fully release burdens through prayer 

This teaching on releasing burdens in prayer is a practical application that companions the lessons set forth in our workbook for personal transformation, "Matters of the Heart."  All of the 24 lessons will be helpful to the person seeking restoration and freedom and have been posted on this web site. They are available as a complete set in our workbook which can be purchased as a download or ordered through the mail. The lessons are also available on CD and DVD as 24, 1/2 hour teachings. All scriptures are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.
 

Inward release and heart peace

"Praying through" means that we persevere in prayer until the release and peace come from the Lord and the burden is so fully and finally lifted to Him that we see no reason to take it back—we  are actually at peace with the situation God has allowed.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.   Philippians 4:6-7
 

How the Lord cultivates a prayer life in us

1. God wants to do something in the world—my world and His.
2. He opens my eyes to an area of concern—typically I see it as a problem—my problem!
3. I take the concern to heart and begin to worry about it (don’t you?).
4. He reminds me to pray.
5. I pray but the worry remains and becomes a burden to me—I can’t trust Him with it.
6. He reminds me to pray through—to really give it to Him (not just tell Him about it).
7. I pray until the burden is lifted out of my heart into His Hands—I have momentarily let it go.
8. He gives me the peace that passes understanding as a sign He has “heard” my prayer.
9. Later I see the concern again, lose the peace, and take the burden back! (Been there?)
10. He reminds me to pray through until I fully accept whatever He may choose to do. I do it.
11. Now that it is finally in His Hands He can have His way with it.
12. Later, sometimes much later, He shows me how the answer has come.
 

God wants to go to work!

God puts the burden on our heart because He wants to act in the situation that concerns us, but if we hold on to it, we actually hinder His work. If we aren’t trusting, God often uses the “problem” to work on us—to restore us to surrendering all to Him (Psalm 51:10). When we are trusting, God acts upon that which we entrust to Him. When we wait in expectant faith, God works. Such waiting is not resignation—it is filled with hope in God.

For since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.   Isaiah 64:4

The main indicator of an effective prayer life is freedom to trust God with all the concerns of life—the peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7). This peace does not come to us without the surrender of our burdens and concerns to Him—as well as our graceless strivings to rescue the concern with our own hands. We have to commit it to Him for Him to take care of it. That is what praying though accomplishes and this explains why the enemy is so dead so on defeating us in prayer by getting us to hold on to the burden after we have prayed it. Praying through means that time and time again we will be in a position of having to "bet" our very lives and the lives of our loved ones on God's ability to come through for us. Like Paul we will need to learn how to commit our burdens to the Lord.

…nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.   2 Timothy 1:12

It is an act of pride not to trust God with our cares and concerns—and “trust” self instead.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.   1 Peter 5:6-7 

This does not mean we don't work, but that we are content to do the part we see that we can do (with His peace in our hearts) and are equally content to leave the rest to Him (rather than worry about it).  Ironically, it is only after we trust the Lord with our concern, that He is able to use us as His servants. 

Until we surrender to Him, we are secretly seeking our will our way--even if we are doing it in His name. Pray the way Jesus prayed when He was strongly tempted to take control of His life and of His loved ones away from The Father:

…and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."   Luke 22:41-42

“Praying through” is about two highly important things:
1) Our freedom of spirit  2) God's freedom to act
 

Interested in going deeper?

For further study and for help working these truths into your heart and life, see all 24 Main Healing Lessons and Head to Heart Guides posted on this site or in the store.

Or better yet, let us minister to you in person
     --at one of our Savannah Seminars...