There will be many days when your priorities get out of line, you lose track of time, and stay busy doing all sort of other things, all while knowing that you have not served your calling as faithfully as you could. And we have all heard it said that “delayed obedience is actually disobedience.” Let me make you aware today that once you have accepted an excuse in your mind to delay obedience, it is a slippery slope and becomes progressively more difficult to get back on track.

Your assignment is to pray for this person. And the enemy and your flesh will distract you in a million different ways. In fact, your flesh can quietly begin to steer the direction of your life through your emotions and the enemy does not have to even get involved in your life or bring you any sort of attack. But let me tell you what he will be doing while you are distracted.

In a previous chapter, we learned how our prayers are affecting the life of your loved one. And one of the crucial things your prayers bring into their life is a system of protection. So as long as you are not providing that communication with heaven for the protection of your loved one, the enemy is able to exhaust and manipulate that person and keep them from making any progress towards freedom. He is a liar, and he will endeavor to place new lies in their minds, bring temptations into their lives, toy with their emotions and trigger their old wounds, and cause them to turn back to the old safety that they once took refuge in, like chemicals and unhealthy relationships.

When God has assigned you to this, Holy Spirit will patiently whisper in your spirit, reminding you to go before God and plead their case. He will never over-power your own will, and the more you ignore His voice, the more difficult it is to detect His leading. You have been assigned to them because they do not yet understand how to pray, or even realize that they can or should pray for themselves. Your prayers release that divine protection and covering so that Holy Spirit is free to work in their life without any hindrance.

While you pray God’s word, angels are sent to carry out the word of the Lord over their life. (Psalm 103:20) Jesus commands His angels concerning you and them (Psalm 91:11). Angels guard them and watch over them. Holy Spirit is gentle and never forceful, and your prayers that dispatch angels provide an environment for your loved one that is calm and peaceful, and favorable for the work of the Lord. Your prayers bring quiet their raging soul so that His voice can break through their feelings and thoughts and chaos in their minds. Seeds can be planted into their hearts which will one day take root and spring forth, producing a harvest of salvation and healing and freedom. So right now, your prayers are the only thing standing in the way of the enemy and his schemes over their life. And it just might be that the feelings you have to quit and give up are the very distractions that could keep a very important prayer from going through. At any moment that you have those feelings, that could be the very moment that everything turns around.