From Stuck to New Doors & Opportunities
Discover how offensive prayer helps makes sense of the chaos in our world and empowers our spiritual growth journey.
Are you on the verge of a new opportunity or wish you were?
Even if you try to stay out of all the turmoil going on in our world, you still notice the shaking in political, economic, social, and even religious areas.
You may wonder, “How am I going to make it through all this shaking?”
Or “What kind of world will my kids and grandkids grow up in?”
As a small word of encouragement, all I know is that when I shake my rugs, all the dirt flies out.
Then my rug is renewed, ready for use again.
God is working even when it looks like dirt or dust is flying!
So, even though it is a hassle to go through, the shaking is good.
Shakings Make Way for New Opportunities
When situations move and shift around during a shaking season, it makes room for new things.
The shaking brings new doors and opportunities for God’s people.
God created us to keep learning and growing in our knowledge of Him and His kingdom.
We were not created to stay stagnant. We were created to grow, physically, emotionally, and spiritually!
As we grow, we grow into new things and outgrow some old things.
In a recent visit with my grandson, he informed me none of his pajamas fit anymore and that he needed new ones.
I immediately pulled up my shopping app, and we looked for and ordered new jammies.
Natural growth brings a shifting and changing of things. It also brings new doors of opportunity.
Growth Brings New Things
Yet, to move through new doors and greater opportunities, we must confront fears. We must let go of familiar things to embrace new things.
When going through the wilderness, the children of Israel had a tough time letting go of old ideas and patterns of behavior.
God was pulling them into the new things He had for them, but they were stubbornly holding onto the old things.
I have an aunt who still goes by her daddy’s house every day. She refuses to sell the old, falling-down house or go forward in life!
And her dad died almost 20 years ago!
We all hold on to things we need to put down.
When we loosen our grip, we can welcome Christ into that area.
We tend to hold tightly to hurt, offense, disappointment, and ideas of what we wish could have happened.
God wants to comfort us, heal us, and move us in a new direction.
But we must loosen our grip on certain people, places, things, and ways of thinking.
It is helpful to ask the Holy Spirit to show you if you are holding on to something that you should let go.
Going Forward is Fraught With Difficulty
Every new venture I have undertaken in life required persistent prayer and dogged tenacity—every job, every child, every house move, every church move.
In fact, every opportunity of any kind required overcoming obstacles—especially in new seasons!
Paul wrote in 1 Cor 16:9, “A great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.”
For every amazing door of opportunity before us, many giants shout, “You can’t go through this door!”
My daughter has found a new house, and we know it is the right thing, but it seems like everything under the sun is trying to hinder her going forward.
You too may have areas of new opportunity or possibilities but feel intense opposition.
Yes, friend, I know the opposition is real.
We are the image of God in this world and have an enemy who wants to destroy that.
He will try to stop or hinder us every step of the way.
Even when we know going forward is the right thing to do, we will still face difficulties until the prayer is complete and victory enforced on the situation.
Offensive Prayer Principles
I was praying after a difficult situation one day, and I heard the Lord say, “You need to learn offensive prayer.”
I didn’t understand at first. However, when I began to look at Jesus’ life, I saw that many times He obtained victory beforehand in prayer.
For example, He prayed all night before He chose His disciples, and He prayed before Judas came with the betrayal kiss.
He lived a life of prayer and was able to win in the spiritual realm before the situation came in the physical.
Of course, we get caught on the defensive sometimes.
However, when we live from an offensive prayer stance, the enemy’s plans are cut off before they come to attack us.
A life of consistent prayer opens stuck doors and prepares us beforehand to sail smoothly into new opportunities!
Even if you don’t know how to pray, just simply start. God sees your determination and He will lead you!
Even when we don’t feel anything, we pray in faith, believing in the goodness of God.
By your faith you overcome the evil one (1 John 5:4)!
Then you can march step by step through doors you didn’t even know were there to find amazing blessings God has stored up for you!
May God Bless You Abundantly,
Thanks for reading friends!
Cynthia Johnson
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Why Do I Still Hurt? & A Prayer to Heal Painful Memories
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