Honey I Got Your Back...Story

We don't always need backstories to effectively pray. (Long dramatic pause) As I look through the ministry of Jesus I notice a trend. Jesus didn't generally get backstories before He helped people. It was because it simply wasn't relevant. People came to Him with a specific request. I'm sick. I'm blind. My child is ill. Heal me. Heal them. Then He addressed it. Done. Yes there are times He went over someone's past like the woman at the well. Yet, that actually aligns more Him revealing Himself as Messiah. More revelation than information.

Let's take ourselves to a place of honesty. Do we need the backstory to pray or do we actually lack confidence in our ability to pray? Without a novel of information do I feel I just can't pray for my brother or sister? Do we need the backstory to pray or do we doubt God's ability to give us words of knowledge and a word in season? Do we always need the backstory?

Another question to pull from this is, what do we do with the backstory after we find it out? Do we continue to pray or find the first believer we can tell? Do we storm heaven or text Kevin? What we disguise as spiritual can be no more than an inner desire to feed the flesh. Gossip and slander; I'm telling everyone your business or I FINALLY got the WHOLE scoop! Jealousy and envy; I'm secretly happy your struggling because I feel you had too much anyway.

Going back to the ministry of Jesus, one story fits perfectly. It is a great example for this concept of backstories. In John 8, the religious teachers brought an adulterous woman to Jesus. They told Jesus her backstory. What did Jesus do with what they told Him? In a very plain way, He ignored it or didn't take the bait. He did not engage in their accusations to further defame her. Jesus covered her. After they all left in defeat, He simply told her go and sin no more. Earlier in this chapter it said they brought her to Jesus to trap Him. Realize Satan tries to bait us all the time even with spiritual things. He is constantly looking for a way in. In this story it was symbolic of the "church" exposing sinners with ungodly motivations. The church exposed her, but Jesus covered her.

Proverbs 10:12 says "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. " Now hatred is a strong word. How am I hating my brother? I'm just praying for them. Mark 12:31 says "The second is this, "Love your neighbor as yourself... " If I'm not loving you, I'm hating you. If I'm not trying to cover you I'm exposing you. Do I need to know all your business before I'll seek God on your behalf? Do I only want to know because I'm baiting you because my flesh is baiting me? Or will I only take what you are willing to uncover without pressuring you?

On this same note, I've been seeing a lot of this in online Christian prayer groups. It gets me beyond annoyed. People are already broken. They're going to the "church" for prayer and a boost of strength. Instead they are met with ridiculous questions and end up having to defend why they need prayer. Some, practically end up begging for prayers. Some end up in a war of words with other believers. Can you feel the strife Proverbs 10:12 mentions? If that's what it takes to get prayer these days then I'm taking a hard pass! That's not love. That's not the body of Christ Jesus envisioned and commissioned us to be. Stop digging for information and storm heaven. Stop asking leading questions for selfish ambition and drop to your knees in intercession. Stop taking Satan's bait!

I also realize I'm not immune to this. I tend to over share in my quest to avoid more questions or justify my prayer need. That is also wrong. Since when are we justified by man? Last I read we were justified because of Jesus' work. Not mine. Not yours. Even recently I asked for prayer only to get inundated with advice. I asked for prayer not advice. Don't misunderstand, there is room for words of knowledge and God truly using you to bring some revelation and help by sharing more than what they asked. I'm not referring to those moments. I'm referencing how people read what they think I wrote and respond to what I didn't write. We make people's words fit the burning advice on our lips. The advice our flesh is urging us to give. In contrast, our spirit is saying "Nope. Don't do it!"

I don't write this because I'm perfect. I write this as a repeat offender! However, the Holy Spirit is leading me to some truth. I have spent too much time talking and not enough praying. I've been keeping a record of knowledge I come by under a false spiritual pretense. I'm really just trying to feed the fleshy, nosey, gossipy parts I'm leaving unchecked. No more! I'm marking this moment to do better and be better. I want people to share with me because they chose to and not because they feel have to. People shouldn't think oversharing is the only way they can get their need prayed for. I don't have a monopoly on prayer!

Moreover ,I don't mean for this to get confused with people we personally have relationships with. There is sharing in friendships. There is a back and forth and revealing of knowledge that's involved. I ask my friends questions to know more because I'm invested in them. Yet, there is still again opportunities satan will look for even amongst friends.

I used to always hate when people would say "unspoken" as their prayer requests. I'd quip "Well how in the world do I pray for that!". I see now that those unspoken requests cause me to seek God more to pray. I stop longer to ask God if He's speaking anything specific as I lift up that request. I prefer that to a long drawn out overshare prayer need. I can't unsee or un-hear all those words. Unfortunately, it sometimes puts too much influence on what I'll say. Without staying vigilant, I end up praying what "I" think they should do. But I'm no one's Holy Spirit.

In closing I think we should be aware of temptation of backstories in regards to prayer. Am I needing backstories because I lack confidence for God to hear me without all the details? Do I need it because I am secretly feeding the flesh? Does knowing just how bad that person's got it make me feel better about myself? Do I need to uncover someone to feel covered? Do I use backstories to provide a 10 second prayer, but a weeks worth of gossip? Do I really need the backstory?