“Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it!”
~Maya Angelou
The Canaanite Woman
Her Story – Matthew 15:21-31
A Canaanite woman hunting down Jesus in the district of Tyre and Sidon. She cried out to him saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, my daughter is demon possessed.” Jesus did not answer her. She followed Him and the disciples and continued to ask for her daughter’s healing. The disciples grew weary and begged Him to send her away. He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
The woman bowed down to Jesus and begged, “Lord, help me!” Jesus answered her, “It’s not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She argued, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Impressed, Jesus said to her, “Woman, your faith is great’ it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed immediately.
The Bible does not tell us the woman’s name and we hear nothing else about her. It makes me wonder why this story was included in the scriptures. Perhaps we are reminded to ask for our needs. And her request was granted due to her great faith in Christ’s ability to do what she was asking. Do we? Do we have enough moxie to persistently hound Christ for the desires of our hearts?
The Power of Dangerous Prayers
Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed,
you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’
and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
~Matthew 17:20
Too often we find ourselves grappling for answers to a wide variety of challenges. We struggle under the weight of solutions as we lean on ourselves. And then only when we are exhausted, do we ask God for help.
The Badass women of the Bible prayed for all kinds of things: to conceive babies, for food and shelter, to win battles, to escape enemies and to discern truths.
They were bold, vulnerable, understood their strengths and who to align themselves with. Some were often broken-hearted, and some prayed in whispers, sobs or demands. Life taught them they could not do everything, but they knew who could. And boldly they asked!
Tips for praying dangerous prayers:
- Ask. We don’t ask, the Lord tells us we can.
- Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
- God wants to show us who He is, so I believe He waits until the answer can only be from Him to demonstrate His love for us.
- John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
- Pray. If you cannot pray about something or don’t want to pray, try praying “God make me want to want this.”
- Arrow prayers. Do not know how to pray or don’t think you have time? Pray arrow prayers…short, sweet, in the moment prayers. Facebook is a place where people ask for prayer often…rather than write it down and wait to pray, I pray right then: “Lord you know their need, please hold them in your righteous right hand and answer their request.”
- Rewrite scripture making it personal, by inserting the name of the person you are praying for.
- Do not let our prayers be repetitive, dull, boring, rote, or thoughtless. That is like praying in a rut. Climb out. It is time for change.
Do you want more? It’s time to pray, “Lord, change me into the kind of woman who can change the world. Allow my legacy to be one the world will remember. The kind that if the Bible were written today, my name would be included in it.”
Let’s start praying life changing, daring Badass prayers that transform lives, communities, and families.
Be forewarned, when we pray daring prayers, we may experience isolation, attacks, trials, pain, and hardships. Safe prayers are no threat to the enemy. Badass prayers bring about change that runs counter to the enemy’s plans and glorifies God’s. That makes us enemies to the enemy! They inspire others to put on armor and fight the good fight, too. When we pray and set an example of daring prayers, not only will we change, but the onlookers may just stop watching and pick up their swords to fight.
Come boldly to the throne of God. ~ Hebrew 4:16
What are we told we can do with our requests? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11
What does God want for us in Jeremiah 29:11? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
What does God’s word in Matthew 7:7 promise us? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now that you know what God’s word says, how will you add or change what you are doing with prayer? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
