Are you tired of waiting and waiting and waiting for the answers to your prayers? I know that you know God is faithful, but do you ever wish He would just “throw you a bone” sometimes and show you that something is happening, even when you don’t see results yet?
If you feel adrift on the sea of waiting, and you just need to see a sign of land, I want to show you today from Scripture that you can ask God for this very thing. In fact, it is His will for you to ask Him! And when you ask God for the signs of land that you need, not only will He answer—but it will bring you great joy.
Have you taken your place on the wall?
Signs of land are a great joy to every intercessor.
We see the concept of “signs of land” in the Bible in Psalm 86:16-17:
Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son of Your maidservant.
Show me a sign for good, that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me (Psalm 86:16-17 NKJV).
Did you catch that earnest cry of David’s heart, inspired and breathed out by God the Holy Spirit Himself? David was crying out for mercy. He was beseeching God for strength when he had none! He needed help. And the help for which David begged was that the Lord would show him a sign for good—a sign that even other people would see; a sign that would make God’s favor on David’s life evident to all.
“Show me a sign for good!”
Friend, have you been praying for something a long time? Do you also need strength in the battle? Do you need God to vindicate you, so that all who look at you will see His hand at work in your life—and in the lives of those for whom you are praying?
If so, you also can and should join in with David’s prayer, inspired by Holy Spirit: “Oh Lord, have mercy on me! Show me a sign for good!”
I learned to pray this prayer a number of years ago. And over the years, I have found that our Father always answers.
A sailor who has been at sea for months yearns for that welcome cry of “Land, ho!” And even if he can’t see a full body of land yet, he gets encouraged when he starts to see sticks and leaves in the water! Why? Because those things could only come from land, so seeing the flotsam in the water is a clear sign that he is approaching land! The thing for which he yearns is near!
In the same way, when we pray, sometimes our spirit becomes desperate for a sign that something, anything, is happening in answer to our prayers. We need a sign. The sign we crave doesn’t even have to be the complete fulfillment of our prayers in order to be encouraging! No, anything will do. We simply need a love note from the Lord, showing us that He hears our prayers and He is working on it—and that the complete answer is not far behind.
So in what area do you need encouragement today? Ask God to send you signs of land! Ask Him to have mercy on you and show you a sign for good.
You can pray very simply like this:
“Abba Father, I come before You in Jesus’ name.
Father God, I have been praying and praying for _______. I know You hear me because Your Word says that You do. I know You have already said the “yes” and the “amen” to my prayers, for ALL Your promises are Yes and Amen.
However, Father, You see that I’ve been discouraged. I’ve been praying for so long, and I haven’t really seen anything move. Things have been hard, and I’m growing weary. So I’m coming to You. And I do ask You to strengthen me and give me rest, as Jesus said He would do. But also, I ask right now in Jesus’ name that You would turn to me and have mercy on me by showing me a sign for good.
Show me signs of land while I’m out here on this sea of intercessory prayer, Father. Send me secret messages that only You could send—messages You know that only I will understand. Send me signs that You are working and moving in this situation. And I am even bold enough to ask that the signs You send would be evident to others, and would vindicate the great faith I have in You.
Father God, in Jesus’ name, I do ask also that You would please help me to recognize Your signs of land and signs for good for what they are. Don’t let me miss any sign You send me. Help me to be observant. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see, and help me perceive and understand all You are saying and doing in the spiritual and natural worlds around me.
Thank You. I give You all the praise. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Does this word resonate with your spirit? Is the Holy Spirit bolstering your faith to receive signs of land? If so, please leave a comment below!
This article is part of a series. Find the other installments at the links below.
Part 1. The Intercessor’s Joy: Resting in Fullness
Part 2. The Intercessor’s Joy: Ministering to the Heart of God
Part 3. The Intercessor’s Joy: You Need a Covenant Prayer Partner
Jamie Rohrbaugh is the founder and CEO of From His Presence. She is the author of Getting to Know the Sevenfold Holy Spirit, and she seeks to equip you to carry His manifest glory everywhere you go. Her resources have been published by YouVersion Bible Plans, Charisma Magazine, The Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, and various other ministry outlets. You can find free mentoring on her podcast, Take Your Territory with Jamie Rohrbaugh, which is available through your favorite podcast streaming app. Download her free prayer tool, Praying the Names of God: 555 Biblical Names of God and How to Use Them in Prayer and Worship, here. Photo Credit: Canva.