Prayer

We conclude this desirously demanding time with more deeply personal questions on prayer.

Do we really know the Person of Prayer? Is not Jesus the Person of prayer? He is the Person, not just because He prayed to the Father daily, but also because He is the epitome, the embodiment of prayer. Just as the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, in a miraculous way also, prayer became flesh and lives with us. Will you, by faith, accept this truth? Is it not true that He who prays in you is the Holy Spirit? Is it not true that He teaches you in prayer? Is it not also true that very often, it is His voice, His groaning that Father God hears, in your stead? Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weakness. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8: 26. 

Remember the game! When the call is to be on the bank, why are you in the drowning river? Who’s the Person, in your body of prayer?

Do we really possess the Power of Prayer? Does our Church possess it? The power of prayer is as limitless as prayer is ceaseless. The power of prayer is evidenced in Jesus’ Works of prayer and His Words of prayer. So Omnipotent is our Lord, He is able to give His power, without adjustments, rationing or subtractions, to all who by faith, will obey His command to pray. Is He not the single power in prayer? Is His Name not the Power in prayer? Did He not say this to His disciples, His Church, you and me? And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16: 23 – 24.

Believer, too many of us, way too many of us, are like the children of God long ago, to whom He gave the Promise Land. It was theirs in name, but not in nature. The one problem was that they never went to possess, to take what was theirs, given by God. Too many things had them scared, afraid, timid and powerless. They had heard God, but were still in the river of fear and powerlessness. Only when they left the river of fear and stood on the banks of faith, were they able to fully obey God and take full possession of the Promise Place. Prayer is ours, given to us by God, but we are still in the waters of disbelief, uncertainty and doubt. Only when, like the children of long ago, we leave the waters of unbelief and stand firmly grounded on the bank of faith, that we will evidence power in prayer through the Name of Jesus, which will certainly please Father God.

Remember the game! When the call is to be on the bank of prayer, why are you in the chilling river? Where’s the Power, in your body of prayer?

Do you definitely have the Privilege of Prayer? Jesus has given prayer to all who will believe, but we must never take it for granted or be careless and slack about it. When you are given the privilege to go somewhere you never saw yourself visiting, thankfulness and gratefulness totally engulf you so that gratitude becomes your daily breath. You give thanks with words and in the silence of your ever thankful heart. But even more visible is the pure childlike joy that exudes from you, in un-hushed words and actions. Your manner is one of total praise, sincere appreciation and untamed joy. Is this how we ought to be with this privilege of prayer? Privilege takes over and takes full control for prayer, as we noted, is the Lord Himself. We are controlled by prayer. We do not control prayer. Prayer is not an entitlement, but an elected privilege.

In teaching about prayer, Jesus once said that we ought to pray and not grow weary. Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18: 1. Even when we think praying is tough and we are not being heard, remember, what you hold in your possession is a most undeserved and unmerited privilege given to you by God, without your asking.  Never give up on prayer, for to do so, is to forfeit your God-given privilege and denounce God in the process. 

Remember the game! When the call is to be on the bank, why are you in the murky river? Where is the Privilege, in your body of prayer?

Do you genuinely know the Pleasure of Prayer? Perhaps the first question that comes to your mind, as it did mine, was this. Is prayer pleasurable? Needless to say, if the understanding of the word, pleasure, is clothed with spiritual clothing and not just in carnal garb, our hearts and minds will joy in the pleasure there is in pleasing prayer. There is pleasure in the promises of prayer, as given by Jesus. He promised that, whatever you ask the Father in His Name, the Father will give you. Does this not bring you blessed joy? Here is your Jesus, your Lord, your Saviour and your God, speaking to you. Is there not spiritual comfort here?

Additionally, Jesus so knows our frailness, our tendency to become disheartened, discouraged and disappointed in prayer, when we do not receive as we expect that He has told us not to give up, to persevere in prayer. Now I ask you, is this not enough to keep your spirits high in prayer? Jesus is adamant that the Father will give it to you. To know that you will receive, is joy and hope that compel you to keep in prayer. Prayer does not become a chore, hard work, and an un-pleasurable exercise. When we know pleasure, purpose and fulfilled promises of prayer, we are then willing to engage in prayer with the joy and confidence of the Lord, whatever the situation or circumstance. Because of the Lord’s joy, which we carry in our born again of the Spirit lives, we can always say Thank you! Amen! Praise God! The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5: 16b. Do our prayers as a Church, or individually, avail much?

Remember the game! When the call is to be on the bank of prayer, all that prayer has promised will be yours.