Prayer and its power!

It is another morning where many simultaneous thoughts bounce back and forth with no clear direction, not as yet anyway. I will silently sit, listen and pray until I find some bearing…

(James 5:6) “…The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

What would be the benefit of a Christian’s life if he had no access to God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son with God the Holy Spirit as our guide and teacher? We might just as well call on some dumb idol or totem pole or look at some superstition like looking for signs from angels walking around looking for feathers and hopefully they are white and not grey. The blind leading the blind and both will fall into the ditch if they haven’t already. Strong words you may say, but nevertheless true!

There is no place for idolatry in a believer’s life; Horoscopes and the like are nothing more than idolatry; God demands to be acknowledged for who He is, the only true God! He has given us everything in Christ, praise His holy name! But let us be careful to acknowledge Him for who He really is, an awesome God who in one hand holds the access into heaven in and through Christ because He is love. Yet in the other hand He is a consuming fire and He will ultimately destroy all who oppose Him.

“Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.” (Jeremiah 13:16): - This then a stern warning; let us look to be free of all in our lives that does not glorify His name and His name alone! “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” (Thessalonians 5:6)

If we have that understanding as our foundation and a springboard from which to launch our relationship with God our Father, let us then consider the importance of prayer and how it frees us to serve Him. It is the means in which God has chosen to allow sinful men once they have found repentance through the Lord Jesus to communicate with Him. What a privilege and what power!

I am not sure we understand the weight prayer carries for the believer, it is a great gift if use skillfully. Think about this, as a photojournalist I often meet influential and important people and at times I have stood face to face with many a great man, take Nelson Mandela for example; we exchanged words and many people seem to envy me for the opportunity I have been afforded. Yes he is a great man and he has achieved much, but in comparison to the almighty God he is but a man, a sinner in fact, no different to any other, as in need as any other to be set free, to find forgiveness in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Every Child of God has the opportunity to call out through prayer to their heavenly Father, Jehovah God, the great I AM, the same God who created the universe, the One who walked and talked with Adam in the garden of Eden and let us never forget why we have this pleasure, it is only because of the Lord Jesus’ obedience, praise His name! Nothing else will do and no other way will give a soul access to God through prayer.

How then should we prayer is the question we should be asking?

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:5-8)

If God knows what we need before we ask Him why then should we pray? It is the Facilitator through which we can deepen our relationship with Him; God has so willed it, praise His name! It is a means whereby we are able to gain strength to overcome any given trial. It is the way in which we find grace and obtain mercy in time of need. The Lord Jesus taught us this very plainly in the way in which He lived whilst here on earth; it is our greatest weapon if we are to overcome. We must not rely on our own will power to overcome but find grace in time of need through prayer to overcome.

Here is the greatest of examples…

“And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation."” (Luke 22:39-46)

Let us therefore remember to pray as it is only through pray whereby we will find strength to overcome.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) 

Signing off

Tyrone