Becoming a Holy Spirit Hot Spot Part 4: The Power of On-the-Spot Prayer – Just Do It!
As we concluded last time, by being “full of the Spirit” workers in a casual marketplace setting, the Scripture shows amazing things can happen in what seem to be very secular settings. We can be the visionaries that help take the organization to the next level. We can integrate our spiritual lives and prayers into what seems to be the “secular” lives and businesses we work in. Because Jesus wants to project the same message through us.
The kingdom of heaven is near.
Let me share the journey I’ve had about knowing how to be a Holy Spirit Hot Spot not afraid to use one of the greatest powers He’s given us to manifest the Kingdom in our Marketplace midst—the power of on-the-spot prayer.
A Closet Christian
Yes, I admit. I was at one time a closet Christian. I grew up as a Greek Orthodox Christian in the Protestant South, and being too verbally open about being a Christian seemed both “Bible Belt” unsophistication, and frankly, embarrassing.
Even after I became a pastor in a Bible-preaching church, I remember hiding not only my Bible and my religious materials in my desk at work. I’d had the greatest offensive weapon the Lord has given all of us Christians—the power of the Word of God shared with others in on-the-spot prayer.
That’s right. I said “on the spot” prayer. When did I first make that breakthrough? I remember going through a Billy Graham evangelism class at a church convention one time that gave me the courage to share the gospel as I best understood it. But I found an even more effective means of sharing the Kingdom of God, almost by accident. It was the day I discovered people actually
would welcome on-the-spot prayer.
I tried it out in church one day, feeling that someone would just feel more blessed if I told them I’d pray for them now, rather than later. The comfort in their eyes from hearing the words God inspired on the spot made a palpable difference in the moment—and in me too.
But I didn’t try this with non-Christians until I began to study the Jesus of John. I saw how more than once, with people like Nathaniel and the woman at the well, he could morph the moment into a spiritual one. Not having the spiritual insight to tell someone “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree” (John 1:48) or guess how many partners somebody has lived with miraculously (John 5:18), I tried the next best thing.
I simply wanted to pray with, not just for somebody. And more than once, it bore results.
One story comes to mind. It was a snowy winter day. I was sitting in the basement of our church watching the snow fall, getting ready for a Sunday service on a Saturday afternoon. I noticed that a plaster repair truck was parked at one of the houses I could see from the window where I was sitting at my desk preparing a sermon. We needed plaster work done in the church, so I chose to seize the moment and be the friendly neighborhood pastor. I figured if Jesus’ thirst was part of his motivation for approaching the Samaritan lady, it was ok for me to use the “need” the church had to strike up a conversation with the neighbor. Christ needed water. I needed a plasterer. It seemed a logical stretch and reason enough to initiate a friendly neighborhood chat.
After an initial conversation about the plaster, the Lord began His work. Something was going on in the family that was troubling her. The neighbor was grateful to be able to unburden her concern. Prayer was offered, and she sincerely welcomed it. Christ was present in the prayer and the moment. The next day, this neighbor and her mate showed up at the door of the church.
Does it always work like that?
No.
But I’ve never had anyone say “No thank you. That was awful.”
Almost always, I’ve seen faces softened. Smiles were brought forth. And true gratitude was expressed. It’s amazing what you can say to people or with people when you both have your eyes closed and are directed toward the presence of God.
And it’s amazing how a relationship begins in which they come back and ask for more prayer, or comfort, or insight, or advice When Jesus was around, being the Holy Spirit hot spot he was, people would know the “finger of God” was near (Luke 11:20).
And Jesus is around in your workplace.
Through you. So don’t forget one of your greatest offensive weapons in your arsenal for claiming new territory for the Kingdom of God—on-the-spot prayer.
Trust me—just do it! And you’ll see some amazing results.
Next time, we’ll talk about how to increase your “signal” level, as your live and give the Trinitarian life of God in the marketplace—one person at a time.