Passing on a Spiritual Inheritance
By Chris Barratt
Several months after his mother died, Franklin Graham remarked, “I’ll never forget the first time my mother heard me preach. Standing at the podium and seeing her in the shadows, I realized just how much that moment represented an answer to her faithful prayers. To follow in my father’s footsteps, I had to go through my mother’s knee prints.”1
Ruth Graham’s giant “knee prints” are an amazing testimony of the way a life of prayer can leave a spiritual legacy. Many a night when the children crept past Ruth’s room, they found her, Bible in hand, kneeling by her bed, speaking to the Lord. When asked by the press how she raised five children with her husband (Dr. Billy Graham) frequently gone, she replied, “On my knees.” Her life reflects a mother’s heart crying out on behalf of her husband, children, and people all over the world.
This legacy of prayer is one I desire to pass along. But is this magnitude of influence only possible to those “great saints” who came before us—those with more time, more depth of spirit, and fewer distractions? Are we destined to shallow, on-the-run, rote prayers dampened by our hectic times? Can we only hope for little, if any, results from our quick intercessions in crisis times?
God’s answer to these questions is an absolute No. John wrote, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14). And God Himself promises this: “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (Ps. 50:15).
God’s Word gives clear examples of prayers that are sustaining, far reaching, unceasing and never unheard. And because that’s so desperately needed in the world today, why would we strive for anything less? Even as I examine my own prayer life, I believe we all need to be bold, open, intentional, and faithful if we want to leave a prayer legacy for our children and others who come after us.
Be Bold
Mark Batterson writes, “Bold prayers honor God, and God honors bold prayers.”2 It may surprise you, but God desires our bold, seemingly impossible prayers.
In our humanness, sometimes we forget (or at least our prayer lives reflect that we forget) that God really does run the universe and has control over it all. Certainly, it’s important to come to the Lord with our daily needs, but it’s usually those larger-than-life issues that keep us up at night as we think of possible scenarios and ways to “fix” them. Broken marriages, financial difficulties, health problems, wayward children, depression, anxiety—they can all appear hopeless. They seem impossible to our finite minds. I can’t tell you how often trials have plagued me to the point of making me sick.
Why didn’t I pray boldly and with faith—and then leave my requests with the Lord? Because as a “fixer,” I was determined to remedy the situation myself and achieve human glory. But what if the Lord allowed these trials so that I would surrender and realize I can’t fix everything—but He can? When I give a situation to Him, not only do I relieve my burdens, but He gets the glory. As it should be.
God wants our bold prayers, and the bolder they are, the more impact they have—for His glory. And when He shines through, the legacy we leave is that much more powerful.
Be Open
Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). What light shines brighter than prayer? And what could bring more glory to God than answered prayer?
Mary Slessor, Scottish missionary to Nigeria, once wrote, “My life is one long daily, hourly, record of answered prayer.”3 Bragging on God, she records ways He answered prayer regarding physical health, mental strain, guidance, finances, food, and a myriad of other things.
Rosalind Goforth, author of the book, How I Know God Answers Prayer, filled an entire volume with the miracles that comprised her life of service as a missionary to China. These believers, and countless others, tell of God’s provision in their lives when all human attempts had long been exhausted.
Openly sharing answers to prayer not only points others to the Miracle Giver but also provides hope in a world desperately searching for it. How many times has someone lifted your day with the words, “I’m praying for you”? When God prompts you to pray for others, tell them. And when He answers your prayers, pass along the results.
Being open about our prayer lives can make a limitless impact on our circles of influence. There are far too few mentors passing on prayer legacies to future generations. But being a genuine, humble, prayer warrior creates a great example to a hungering world.
Be Intentional
Leaving a prayer legacy involves intention. We can’t pass on anything we haven’t cultivated in our own lives. So, when do you pray each day? Are you cultivating a time of Bible reading? Are you adding prayers that are daily, hourly, and intentional? Do your children see you pray? If so, how much?
Sadly, my own answers to these questions betray a lack in intentionality. And without fail, as soon we begin being intentional, the enemy will throw everything he can in our way to get us off track. Our own strength won’t be enough to counter the attacks. But God honors our attempts. When we show up, God’s strength equips us for the battle.
George Müller was a man of intentional prayer. It’s estimated he received more than $1,500,000 in donations, cared for 10,024 orphans, and established 117 schools that offered Christian education to more than 120,000 children—all through prayer alone!
A.J. Rendle Short, who compiled The Diary of George Müller: Great Man of Prayer, wrote, “The principle is that close obedience to the will of God, revealed basically in the Bible, and day by day in His providential dealings, is rewarded by the fulfillment of His promises. The life of George Müller followed this principle and was singularly consistent.”
The words, “day by day” and “singularly consistent,” are keys to Müller’s successful prayer life. Recorded in this volume are diary entries of daily, consistent prayer. What struck me upon reading his accounts is that Müller never doubted God heard him. Although he did become fearful at times—especially when they were down to their last few dollars or loaf of bread—he still took all his needs to the Lord, left them with Him, and waited. His strategy never varied.
It’s tempting to pass off his success by thinking he was a special case—saint and dedicated servant—so, of course, why wouldn’t God answer him? But, in reality, Müller was a scoundrel in his early life—a thief and drunkard, who even spent time in jail. He was on the level of all of us, a regular person. But he made an early decision to be intentional and depend solely on God for provision.
Although we know the outcome of George Müller’s story, we can’t see the end of our own. But one thing we can know for certain is that if we don’t pray intentionally, our lives will reflect our lack of dependence on God. James tells us, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (5:16).
Be effective, fervent, and intentional. Your legacy will reflect it.
Be Faithful
At times in our prayer lives, it may be tempting to throw in the towel. All of us—even those examples mentioned earlier—have moments of doubts and fears. We may fear our prayers are going no farther than the ceiling, cut short by the vast expanse of universe and peeling paint.
At those times, imagine a breakthrough just on the horizon. Think of the changes we could potentially witness as a result of our prayers for people around us—and even across the world. Think of the effect our prayers could have on a devastating cancer, a wayward child, a depressed husband, or some hopeless situation. Think of the ramifications our prayer lives can have with those who witness prayer’s impact daily, weekly, monthly, and year after year.
Prayer Legacies Over Time
That is the way prayer legacies are built. Little by little. Day by day. A whole lot of holy desperation leading to holy tenacity. Remaining faithful until fruitfulness comes.
Sometimes we stop praying because we don’t see results. But don’t go by what you see. Go by what God says. And remember that “the prayer of the upright pleases him” (Prov. 15:8).
Remember Elijah, who prayed for rain after a three-year drought (1 Kings 18:41–46)? God calls us to that kind of faithful, persistent praying even though we might not see anything happening. There may be a miracle on the horizon.
Never give up! God is for us, and He responds to desperate people. His response may not be immediate, but it will be eventual. Everything possible in Elijah’s day is also possible now.
If we remain bold, open, intentional, and faithful—and if we stay the course and never quit—then prayer will spread from one generation to the next.
Ruth Graham’s “giant knee prints” are still producing spiritual fruit long after her death. And that is a legacy worth striving for.
1Franklin Graham, “My Mother’s Three Passions,” Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. https://billygraham.org/story/my-mothers-three-passions-2/ (June 14, 2018).
2Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker (Grand Rapids: Zondervan; Expanded edition, 2016), 15.
3 W.P. Livingstone, Mary Slessor of Calabar (Whitefish: Kessinger, 2004), 247.
CHRIS BARRATT is the founder and CEO of Prevail Ministries, a ministry that helps believers live boldly and stand strong in turbulent times. Her work includes several publications and devotional books. You can connect with her at facebook.com/prevailministries.
This is taken from Prayer Connect magazine. For more articles like this, we encourage you to subscribe.
