How God Uses Your Prayers to Move Heaven and Earth
In both small groups that I’m a member of, we’re diving into Dutch Sheets' book, Intercessory Prayer. This is a deeply thought-provoking read that opens up a powerful understanding of how God utilizes prayer to enact change in our lives and the world around us.
Often underestimated, prayer is one of the most powerful tools available to believers. Prayer is a spiritual practice and a direct conduit to God's heart and transformative power. In his book Intercessory Prayer, Dutch Sheets unveils the profound truth that prayer is not just a conversation with God but a sacred partnership where we work alongside Him to manifest His will on earth. Through prayer, we are invited to partake in God's redemptive work, altering circumstances, shattering spiritual strongholds, and even reshaping the destiny of nations.
Are you ready to deepen your prayer life and experience how God can move heaven and earth through you? Let's explore key biblical principles, Dutch Sheets' insights, and intercession's undeniable power.
1. Prayer Aligns Us with God's Will
One of the fundamental truths about prayer is that it is not about convincing God to do what we want but rather about aligning ourselves with His will. 1 John 5:14-15 reminds us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know we have what we ask of him." In Dare 2 Share’s article “How to Pray with Confidence”, they discuss how prayer fuels ministries.
Dutch Sheets explains that prayer is a divine transaction in which we enforce God's will on earth. Jesus Himself modeled this in the Lord's Prayer: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10) When we pray in alignment with God's purposes, we become conduits for His power and authority, ushering His kingdom into our circumstances.
How to Align Your Prayers with God's Will:
Study Scripture to understand God's promises and plans.
Pray with faith, believing God hears and answers.
Surrender personal desires and seek God's direction.
Stay persistent in prayer, trusting His perfect timing.
2. Exercising Spiritual Authority Through Prayer
Many believers are unaware of the immense authority they wield in prayer. In Luke 10:19, Jesus declared, "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."
Sheets emphasizes that God has delegated spiritual authority to His people. This means our prayers are not weak or ineffective; they have the power to bind and loose (Matthew 18:18), pull down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4), and enforce Christ's victory on earth. Just as Adam was given authority over creation, we are given authority in prayer to bring heaven's realities into our lives and communities.
3. Prayer Releases God's Power
The pages of Scripture are filled with accounts of individuals who prayed and witnessed miraculous outcomes. James 5:16 proclaims, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." Elijah prayed, and the rain ceased for three and a half years; he prayed again, and the heavens opened (1 Kings 17-18). Moses interceded for Israel, and God relented from judgment (Exodus 32:11-14). The early church prayed, and Peter was miraculously freed from prison (Acts 12:5-11).
Sheets argues that prayer is not just a religious exercise but an act of spiritual legislation. It invokes God's power to accomplish what we could never achieve in our strength. When we pray, we invite divine intervention, setting miracles in motion and shifting circumstances according to God's plan.
A Personal Testimony of God's Power in Prayer
Our family has seen firsthand how prayer moves mountains and opens doors no man can shut. When my husband and I pursued adoption, we faced obstacles that seemed impossible—but God intervened in miraculous ways. For instance, when we were struggling with financial issues, we prayed for a solution, and a job offer came unexpectedly, providing the needed resources for the adoption process.
Breaking Down Barriers of Family Hurt: For over 20 years, silence and distance separated parts of our extended family. However, God orchestrated a reunion at my cousin's son's wedding that only He could have designed. Healing and restoration broke down walls that had stood for decades.
God's Perfect Timing in Adoption: The breaking down of barriers led to the adoption of our son just a few months after our family reconciled at the wedding. God used my cousin, a high school teacher, to help a pregnant student who was uncertain about raising a child at such a young age. Through divine connections, this young mother chose to make her baby available for adoption, and we were blessed to become a forever family.
God's Provision: During the adoption process, my husband's company consolidated departments, forcing us to decide whether to move across the country to California. God provided connections, leading to a job offer closer to home and financial stability, which was just in time for us to meet our son.
Failed IVF led us on a path to adopt internationally: Although we were disappointed that in-vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts failed, God had another plan to bring us a child. He provided a job for me to help us fund the adoption and keep my securities license and placed adoptive families on our path to inspire our Chinese adoption.
Healing for Our Daughter: Before we adopted our daughter, she battled pneumonia. Doctors were concerned about her health, but through fervent intercession, God provided miraculous healing. By the time we were able to adopt her, she was strong and ready to join our family.
These experiences solidified our belief that prayer truly moves heaven and earth. God not only hears our prayers, but He responds in ways beyond what we can imagine.
4. Prayer Lifts the Veil of Spiritual Blindness
In 2 Corinthians 4:4, Paul explains that unbelievers are blinded by the god of this world (Satan), preventing them from seeing the truth of the gospel. Sheets describes this blindness as a spiritual veil that intercession must lift. This 'spiritual veil' is a metaphor for the spiritual barriers preventing people from accepting the gospel's truth. Through intercessory prayer, we can ask God to remove these barriers and open their hearts to His truth.
This explains why two people can hear the same sermon and react differently. A believer may be deeply moved, while an unbeliever remains unmoved or hostile. Through intercessory prayer, we wage spiritual warfare on their behalf, asking God to remove the veil so they can perceive His truth.
How to Pray for Unbelievers:
Ask God to remove spiritual blindness (Ephesians 1:17-18).
Intercede for divine encounters in their lives.
Pray against deception and distractions.
Speak blessings and truth over them.
5. Shifting Nations and Events Through Prayer
History is full of examples of how prayer changed the course of events. The Great Awakenings, revivals, and political shifts have often preceded intense prayer movements. Sheets highlights that God seeks intercessors who will stand in the gap for nations (Ezekiel 22:30).
One of the most striking biblical examples is Daniel, who prayed and fasted for Israel's deliverance (Daniel 9). His prayers triggered angelic activity and led to the fulfillment of God's promises. Today, believers can intercede for their cities, governments, and world events, knowing that prayer can bring transformation at every level.
Conclusion: Pray with Confidence
At Connect Home Life, we encourage you to embrace the power of prayer to navigate life's transitions faithfully. Your prayers can lift spiritual blindness, bring revival, shift nations, and enforce Christ's victory over darkness.
Prayer is not passive; it is a divine calling. So, pray boldly, persistently, and with great expectation—because God hears you and is ready to act.
Take Action:
Download our The Path to Purpose to deepen your intercession through journaling.
Join our online community for encouragement and faith-building resources.
Share this article with someone who needs to be reminded of the power of prayer.
For more faith-centered encouragement and guidance, visit Connect Home Life.
This article was written with my personal experiences and insights, with AI assistance from ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2024) to refine key concepts. All reflections and faith-based encouragement are my own.
References
Cephus, K. L. (Year). Praying strategically until you see breakthrough. Kisha L. Cephus Ministries. [E-book]. https://kishalcephus.com/products/pray-that-through
Dare 2 Share Ministries. (n.d.). How to pray with confidence. https://www.dare2share.org/gospel-advancing-ministry/value1-prayer/how-to-pray-with-confidence/
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Feb 28 version). https://openai.com/chatgpt
Sheets, D. (2016). Intercessory Prayer: How God can use your prayers to move heaven and earth. Bethany House.
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