Prayer

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student prayer

From February until just before Easter 2007, all of our campus chapters in the Northwest region took part in forty days of 24/7 prayer – some schools for the whole month, some for just a week. Each chapter learned, grew, and experienced the Holy Spirit in new ways. At the University of Washington–Seattle, a student named Jessica began her shift in the prayer tent that her InterVarsity chapter had set up in the center of campus. She was anticipating a quiet few hours to journal and pray.

As she prayed for her campus, a young man timidly entered the tent. He introduced himself as Robert. As he and Jessica talked, Robert admitted to her that he felt emotionally empty. “How can I know more about God?” he asked. Although nervous, Jessica felt God giving her words to speak about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and what it means to know him.

Jessica prayed with Robert, asking Jesus to fill him. When she finished praying, he looked up and said, “Thank you.” Robert then left, still wanting time to wrestle with what he had learned. And Jessica prayed that he would soon become a Christian.

A few days later, during Jessica’s second shift in the prayer tent, Robert came back and they prayed together for over an hour. Robert was drawn to a verse posted on the tent’s wall, which read, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jessica explained that Jesus wants us to give him our troubles. After repeatedly praying the verse, Robert exclaimed, “I need Jesus!”

God used Jessica during the time of prayer, teaching her to respond faithfully to the Holy Spirit’s direction to share the gospel. Jessica and other InterVarsity students learned to pray, proclaim the gospel, and rely on God for words and actions.