It was 3:00 a.m., when the pain in my chest woke me up. I waited for a few minutes hoping and praying I wouldn’t have to call 911. I took my nitroglycerine pill, but it didn’t help. I took another one, but no effect. I had never been this close to calling an ambulance.

Then I went into a cold sweat, and I could feel myself beginning to panic. I got up and went to my prayer chair, and began to call out to the Lord.

I suddenly remembered the day I first gave my life to Jesus over 25 years ago. I had come to Him with my life all broken and out of control and asked Him to take it and do something good with it.

Here I was again, now it was my physical heart that was broken, and I couldn’t fix it. So I gave it over to the Lord and turned my attention to intercede for some missionaries I know in North India. As soon as I saw their faces in my mind’s eye, I was consumed with a deep intercessory burden. My struggling heart began to throb, I began to weep uncontrollably, and cry out for their breakthrough. The pain was intense, I remember thinking, “That’s it, my heart won’t take this, I’m going to die right here in this chair!”

Then suddenly, the pain disappeared, the tightness in my chest went away, the labored breathing cleared up, and I was able to pray with intensity for the needs of these dear brothers half way around the world.  I didn’t die, I didn’t call 911, I interceded and I went back to sleep.

The next day, I was talking with one of our intercessors, and discovered that God had woken her up at 3:30 a.m. with a strong burden to pray for me (thanks Barbara C.). That was precisely the time when I was having my cardiac episode and began to intercede for others.

This is God’s chain of intercession. As she lifted my burden, I was able to carry the burdens of others. And those I prayed for, were able to minister to others, and on and on. We are all interconnected, and whether you know it or not, you are part of a chain of intercession.

We all have our personal burdens; relationship problems, health issues, financial pressures, etc. I’m sure you have personal concerns that weigh heavy on your heart. But God has a solution. “Seek first His Kingdom and all these other things will be given unto you.” As you look to the needs of others, God assigns your burdens to someone else. What a cool system! We get to focus on serving, while we cast all our anxiety on him because he cares for us.

When you take up the burdens of others in the face of your own needs, it’s an act of faith that honors God, and a slap in the face to the devil. Satan is always trying to get you to think about yourself. Anytime you leave your concerns with God and reach out to others, he has suffered another defeat. His kingdom, (the kingdom of self) has diminished, and God’s Kingdom, (the Kingdom of love) has been expanded.

One of the best ways to do this is to have your own personal missionary. Adopt someone serving in the foreign field. Then every time your personal burdens start to press in on you, give them to God and pray for your missionary. Ask God to bless them, bind the devil’s assault against their family, declare God’s victory over their ministry. Pray for those who don’t yet know the Love of God. As you connect with God’s heart for the lost, He’ll connect His grace to your needs, the devil will be defeated, and God’s Kingdom will be extended.

Do you have a personal missionary?
Are you teamed up with someone on the other side of the planet? Do your kids learn geography from the adventure of missions? Are you investing in the Global harvest?

Don’t miss out on the grace and the joy of being connected to someone serving on God’s mission field. They need your partnership, and you need to be a partner. Find someone you can connect with personally. Put their picture on your frig. Pray for them with your kids. Support them with your giving. Link yourself up with God’s global harvest and you will never regret it.

If you don’t already have your own personal missionary, pray about adopting us? Our family is serving in South Asia as independent Missionaries, and we need people like you who will link up with us in prayer and giving. No pressure, but if you need a personal missionary, we’re available. Just ask God, if we’re the right link up for you.

If he says, “yes”, drop us a note at wayne@prayercentral.net and we’ll give you some tools to help you pray effectively for us and the work of the Gospel in this region.
We look forward to teaming up with you.

Wayne Dillard