If you’ve ever experienced the terror of a panic attack, then you’ve undoubtedly prayed a prayer of distress. It’s a prayer that comes from the depths of a tormented soul. It’s not a superficial prayer or just a mouthing of words–it’s a cry of distress.

God considered King David a man after his own heart (Acts 13:22). Yet even David cried out to God for help when he felt afraid. I can imagine him groaning and weeping in prayer.

“In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears” (Psalm 18:6).

When David cried out to the Lord, something happened–something unseen. God not only heard David’s prayers–he sprang into action:

“The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook; they trembled because he was angry. Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him–the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning. The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them. The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:7-19).

The next time you are consumed with fear and cry out to God for help, know this: you may not see any immediate response to your prayers with the natural eye, but something supernatural has begun. There is a whole other world beyond your senses that has been affected by your cry for help. God does not simply dispatch a couple of angels to help you. He acts. He responds. He comes to save you himself.

What an amazing thought to know God cares for you so much!

Prayer: Father, release your wrath on my foe of fear. Thank you that you come to my rescue when I call on you; and help me not to doubt your strength or power, even when I think you are slow to respond.

As sheep, we have a Shepherd who guides us and leads us. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

God can “speak” many different ways. He can speak through the Bible. He can speak through prayer. He can speak through others. He can speak in visions or dreams. He can speak through our conscience.

But God is not the only voice speaking to us. The enemy has a voice. His voice can sound similar, but the words are not words of love–they are words of lies. Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).

God’s voice leads and guides.

The enemy’s voice pushes and condemns.

In his book Hearing God, Peter Lord talks about positive focusing and negative filtering.

Positive focusing denotes listening for that one special voice we want to hear. When our baby was born, we could be in a crowded room with a cacophony of noises, and my wife could hear the faint whimper of our boy. It was incredible! In the same way, we can develop a sensitivity for God’s gentle voice.

Negative filtering allows us to filter out negative noises.3 My wife and I lived underneath the flight pattern of the Dallas/Ft. Worth airport. Every 3 or 4 minutes, a jet would fly over. When we first moved there, it was quite annoying. However, in time, we were able to filter out those sounds. It was as if we didn’t hear them any more. Now, did the planes get quieter? No. We just developed negative filtering.

In the same way, we must learn to focus on God’s voice and filter out the voice of the enemy. By doing this, we will be led by love, by the very voice of God. Much of the fear and panic we feel is a result of the enemy’s voice. He speaks lies, doubts, fears and “what if’s” into our mind. We need to learn to filter those messages out and focus on God’s voice: “I love you, my child. I will take care of you. I will hold you. Trust me.”

Prayer: Father, awake my spiritual ears to your voice. As I hear you, help me to follow you as sheep follow their shepherd, never deceived by the wolf who threatens to lead them astray and devour them.

The phone rang. Stephen was expecting a phone call from the hospital. His sister had gone into labor a few hours earlier, and he was ready for the good news.

“Stephen, something is wrong,” quivered the voice on the other end, “Please come down to the hospital immediately, and bring your God.”

As Stephen and his wife came the hospital, the entire family was already there. The baby girl had been born brain dead. They walked into the room where the eerie silence was interrupted with beeps and bells of the numerous machines connected to the tiny infant.

“The doctors are saying there is no hope. They say if she lives, she will never develop her mental capacity. Can you pray? Can you pray to God and ask him to help her? Please?”

Other than Stephen and his wife, no one else in that room believed in God. The doctors gave the family no hope. The diagnosis of the specialists was not good.

Stephen placed his hands on the baby and prayed. As he walked out of that room, a deep conviction came upon him. “You call that prayer?” Immediately, Stephen and his wife went to the lobby of the hospital. They began praying harder–crying out to God. The others in the lobby must have thought something strange was happening.

They continued praying and interceding. They petitioned the Creator of life to give life to this tiny child. They cried out to God for healing and mercy upon this family. They interceded with prayers and requests for this newborn.

They finished praying and drove home. When they arrived home, a message was waiting for them on the answering machine. “Stephen, get back here quick. Something is happening.” They immediately rushed back to the hospital.

As they walked back into that hospital room, the little girl was wide awake and fully conscience. “When you left, she woke up and started pulling all the tubes out of her mouth and nose. The doctors can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.”

The little girl is now four years old and living a healthy, normal life. God intervened on behalf of this little child. The mom and dad gave their life the Lord after seeing his miraculous touch. God was glorified.

Prayer changes things. It’s not a ritual mouthing of words–it’s talking to God, our Father. It’s pressing in and not letting go until there is a breakthrough. It’s trusting God.

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16b, NKJV).

Prayer: Lord, you have called me to pray. Reveal to my heart the power of prayer. Help me set aside time to pray and call upon you. Protect me from falling into some ritual prayer that has no depth or meaning. Make me a person of prayer.

Prayer.

It’s our direct line to God.

Sometimes, however, I feel like my prayers just hit the ceiling and go no further. My pleas seem to be tossed about in the storm of doubt and despair. There are times when I wonder if God really does hear my prayers.

I ask. I beg. I plead. Yet so many times I hear nothing but painful silence. Have you experienced this?

Let me share a story about Daniel. Cyrus was the king of Persia. During this time, Daniel had seen a vision about a great war. He mourned because of this horrific revelation. For 3 weeks, he fasted and prayed. He chose not to eat any choice food or drink. On the 21st day of his fast, something strange happened:

“I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude” (Daniel 10:5-6).

An angel of the Lord had appeared to Daniel. The young prophet trembled and shook at the sight of this heavenly being. What is more amazing is what the angel said:

“Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them” (Daniel 10:12).

Did you catch that? “Since the first day . . .” Daniel’s words were heard by God on the first day he started praying and seeking God, yet there was no response for 21 days. Why? Read the next verse:

“But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia” (v. 13).

There was a war going on–a spiritual war. Heavenly forces were fighting to answer Daniel’s prayer. It wasn’t that God took three weeks to answer. God heard him on the very first day, but the supernatural struggle in the unseen world was holding back Daniel’s answer to prayer.

When you pray, remember the following:

1. When prayed with humility, your prayers are heard the first day you pray them.

2. Spiritual resistance is real.

We are in a heavenly battle. The enemy wants us crippled by anxiety and fear. Let me encourage you to “set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before God”. Then, be patient and steadfast in prayer, and your answer will be sent from heaven to earth.

Prayer: Father, thank you that you hear my prayers. Remind me to pray continually, never losing heart, patiently awaiting your perfect answer in your perfect time.

Prayer is the one hand with which we grasp the invisible; fasting the other, with which we let loose and cast away the visible.

If I worked hard and prayed even harder, anything was possible.

Set your inner compass on the road that leads you home, over rocks that bruise and tear through the night when no one’s there. Live your life a constant prayer.

Prayer: Lord, you are the only one who can make us strong when we are weak, for you are Strength and Hope. Lord, pour out your peace upon us this week as we place all of our trust in you. Show me how to rest in your love. Show me how to rest in your promises. Help me to offer the sacrifice of righteousness as I trust in you (Psalms 4:5). Lord, I ask all of these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.