“Hands tied” and loving it! Happy intercessors are among the most powerful people on earth. Why? Because they “see” God doing incredible things. Notice, however, that I said “happy.” Long-faced Christianity is a sure sign that someone isn’t connecting with our Source of joy and strength. You can only be happy about things that you can’t fix, if you have succeeded in fixing your eyes on Jesus—and have fully given your problems to Him.
Few people come to Jesus politely. In my case it almost always takes the impolite pressure of unwanted events (and problem people) to push me where I need to go in Him. Lately, it has been onto the Mercy Seat, praying away for situations He (so far) seems reluctant to change. But remember Jesus’ parable about the unjust judge? His “no” doesn’t always mean no. Often it means “press in.”
Are Your Hands Tied?
When your hands are tied, your power in God is force multiplied. It doesn’t feel that way, I know, but that’s because we are so used to drawing our confidence from seeing results. Let me ask you this, whose prayer is likely to have more authority before God? Someone who has no “skin in the game”? Or the person who is being oppressed, but who’s praying FOR his/her oppressor? If your hands are tied, know that God is “honor bound” to move upon your prayers.
How can the Lord work to save the reprobates around us, if He always insulates us from their pain? Sure, He may coax some prayer for them out of us in our quiet times. But it is nothing compared to what the pressure of irritating entanglements squeezes out of us, if we are willing. The “tricky part” is letting us see the awful nature of someone’s sinful self and still stir us to pray for them with a heart of mercy, rather than just write them off as jerks.
But please don’t miss this point: The Lord’s secret purpose is our liberation. He is training us to soar above any situation with the wings of faith He has given us. The goal of all prayer is to get the burden out of our hearts and into His Hands (see “Praying Through to Peace“).
God definitely wants to work on our issue of concern, but He wants ALL of it in order to finish the job. He knows when we are holding back (don’t you hate that?). He desires that we learn how to get free BEFORE THE ANSWER COMES!
Ready for Liberation?
Here’s how to power up when your hands are tied:
1) Fix your gaze on Jesus until you see something in Him that encourages and delights you.
2) Pry your clenched fingers off the problem and seize hold of one of His promises instead.
3) Thank Him that He has (in part) allowed this situation to help you grow in faith.
I’m not seeing all the outward results I yearn for, but I am seeing the inward result of a heart set free. All you “happy intercessors” out there know what I mean…
To see this concept illustrated follow this link to “The Silent Killer” at our website for healing.
About the Author: Steve Evans
For over a decade Steve Evans and Healing Streams have been helping people recover inner peace and freedom. Through Forerunners4Him he has been showing how we can be saved for heaven and teaching the way to live a Spirit filled life on earth. Go now to receive a completely free primer, Getting to Heaven and/or an introduction to Living in the Spirit at forerunners4him.org. 
