In continuation of our studies on contracting and conserving a continual burden, we looked at the nature of burdens in the last study. We discovered that burdens don’t always begin as overwhelming heaviness in the heart; but once nursed, could grow and make the carriers grave and sober. It could make them despondent and cynics if not well managed.
Just as brooks, ponds, streams or even rivers lose their waters, so a burden also could evaporate, become light, or get lost completely if adequate measures are not taken to conserve it. A burden could become light in one’s heart, or get completely lost before it is fulfilled.
No fire burn forever. Either when the sources of the fuel or the logs are burnt out or water is poured on it, fire could get extinguished. But when ashes are swept out and the logs pushed in or fuel added constantly, the fire will keep on burning.
In the same way, a burden could dissipate or lose its weight in the burden bearer’s heart. This depends on when, where, how and who you share your burden with.
In this study, we shall carefully examine how to conserve a burden that you have received (no matter how long) and how to make it grow and glow in your heart until it is fulfilled.
CONSERVING THE BURDENS
1. Keep it within your heart.
Neh 1: 4-4; 2Tim2 13- 14, Ps 32: 1-5 lsa 62:1.
Keep the seal so that the pressure within can increase by the day. A tale bearer dissipates and disseminate secrets which are only meant for the secret place.
2. Share the burden with ignitable men of like passion
Dan 2:16-19; Esth. 3:13-14, 4: 1-16, Acts 4:23-24; Lk 1:39-45; Neh. 2:11-18.
Do not share your burden with men who are not passionate about God; about His glory, and about his vision for His church. Do not share a burden unless you are sure to bear it together with the fellow into the place of prayer. Do not share a deep burden just when you are about to close a pray meeting. You would destroy your burdens in that way. It will only be issues for discussions in the cars or taxis. Burdens are sacred trust God gives to you. They are the molecules of your prayer life. Do not scatter them on the street.
3. Build up your burdens
Lk. 2-25-38, Jer. 35:5-41, Matt.6:24, Lk. 2:19.
Build your burdens as though you are storing money in a bank for a project. Burdens are cummulative and they build on top one another. Learn to create links and connectivity with several aspects and objects of burdens that come to your heart. You cannot bear burdens that are disjointed, just as it is difficult to carry firewood on your head if each stick is not bound together in bundles with a rope. Your heart only works optimally when it focuses on one thing at a time. For you to be an effective burden bearer, you must bind all the burdens into a bundle that you can pick up at once. Usually it is not several disjointed prayer points that increase a man’s prayer life. It is rather the increased bonding of the bundles of prayer burdens that have become homogeneous in your heart.
Do not seek to be a general prayer contractor. Your prayer life must bear a focus. It must be narrow enough for it to be sharp and penetrating. Most effective burden bearers would say “One thing have I desired of thee O Lord and that will I seek after….”
4. Keep a company of agreeable fellows.
a. Where two or three company.
Matt 18:18-20, Prov.27:17.
The Bible says if two or three of you shall agree as touching anything on earth for which they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my father in heaven. This is very crucial in conserving your burden. You need the basic two or three with whom you can stand together in perfect agreement as regards whatsoever thing you will ask from the father.
b. Elijah missed this opportunity.
Matt 18:18-20, Rom.11: 2-5
This company is to keep you in check lest you fly off at a tangent of revelation into falsehood, wrong doctrine and hallucination. It is important for fellowship, lest you fall into the snare of “Aloneness syndrome” that actually finished Elijah. But the team must be fellows you are growing together with at the same pace in faith, in conviction, in understanding and in consecration to obey God. The team must be such persons you are free to open your life to in confidence that they will rather pray for you and with you. They will be willing to watch with you in the hour of travail.
c. Daniel.
Daniel maintained that team of three friends. Dan.2:16-19.
They were the four that stood together in that half night vigil to seek the interpretation of the king’s forgotten dream.
d. Jesus
Mk. 14:32-35, Matt.17-1-5.
Our lord Jesus sought the company of Peter, James and John in the place of prayer. Though they were His disciples, He shared Hits prayer burdens with them. He allowed His tears to flow freely before them, so they could pray with Him. He took them to the high mountain apart to pray with them and it finally became their mount of transfiguration. He took them into the place where He prayed particularly to raise Jairus’ daughter.
e. Moses
Ex.17:8-13, Num. 14:1-10
Moses had Joshua and Caleb around him at the time of severe burden bearing in his ministry. All who succeeded with God had a team of agreeable fellows with whom they bore their burdens.
f. Married couples
Ecc. 4:9-12
For married couples, I believe this is one main reason you are brought into matrimony. Maximise your relationship and invest it in this place of responsible burden bearing for God in your own generation. Build an agreeable relationship with your spouse from the onset, so that you can reap this glorious fruit of effective prayer life. 1 Pet. 3:7 presumes that this is the reason for your being married. You are partners and joint heirs in receiving the grace of life.
g. Singles.
1Sam.18:1-4; 20: 1-4, Num.27:1-9.
Brothers who are not married should seek friendship with other brothers that can translate into this agreeable prayer team. Sisters should build such a fellowship with other sisters: Not of tale bearers who chat and discuss the affairs of other people in the name of praying together.
h. Leaders.
Acts. 6:1-4, Amos. 3:3.
Leaders in God’s work must build teams of leaders around themselves purely for this purpose. While administrative responsibilities may be added, the team must be basically an apreeable prayer team. This agreeable team must be selectively built. “Can two walk together except they be agreed?”
There are basic issues to raise:
In deciding who to share our burdens with, we must consider the following:
1) Is he or she passionate about what I am passionate about? Does he esteem the values I esteem in life? Is he a person that stimulates and inspires me to a deeper walk with the Lord? Does he go in the direction of the vision God has given me? Are his private friends the kind of men I would want to associate with?
2) Does he have the same love I have for the word of God? Can he create time for us to study the bible together privately, so we can discover God’s will for our lives? Does he run after such men of God that will likely ruin my integrity if I should follow him there?
3) Do we have communication flow with each other? Is he a person I enjoy listening to?
4) Does he seek always to edify with his his words? Is he a jester or one who speak with grace in his heart?
5) Can he asses my performance honestly without cajoling me, and it will be in love?
6) Can I weep before him and will not be ridiculed? Is he also open to receive input from me? Is he teachable or he desires to always teach?
By the time you honestly subject your relationship to these tests, you will find (even as you pray God to lead you) a team of persons you can share your burdens with and together you will do exploits for God in the place of prayer.
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