Power of Prayer
- Oct 18, 2024
- 5 min read
Remember last week I quoted Max Lucado: “The power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”
Lucado is right. The power of prayer is not the result of you and I praying. It’s in the power and love of God. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him."
Prayer is powerful because we gain access to the omnipotent, all loving and just God, who has promised to not only hear our prayers but also to answer the prayers of His people. It’s coming with an open heart before Him, humbly realising who our mighty God is and being filled with awe and wonder at His feet.
Think of it like C. Spurgeon when he said, “Prayer is that slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.”
Or as Paul states,“to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us” (Eph 3:20).
"We must not conceive of prayer as overcoming God’s reluctance," says Archbishop Trench, "but as laying hold of His highest willingness."
Wonderfully we are also empowered through prayer. Isaiah 40:31 encourages us: "But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
There’s power in our prayer, because we come as children of God, asking our Father, the ruler of the universe, to act on our behalf.
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.”
The power of prayer is found in that you and I have the privilege of going boldly before the throne of grace. We have an audience of one, in the very throne-room of heaven.
If there’s power in prayer, why are we not down on our knees more often? Why do we not prioritise it?
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16).
The New Living Translation states, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results."
If we come to the throne of grace and bring our praise and thanksgiving together with our requests, what power can be unleashed by our Father in heaven?
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: "There is nothing tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life…”
First notice in our text, it’s the prayers of a "righteous person." The righteousness referred to here is Christ's. The bible makes it clear that no one is righteous (Rom 3:10-12). In prayer, we must seek first to be right with God, coming in repentance before Him.
The Psalmist knew, "If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened" (Psalm 66:18).
Also, "Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god." (Psalm 24:3-4).
"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer" (1 Pet 3:12). When we repent and confess our sins, God will listen to our cries, we will then find we’re in that place for God to hear and answer our prayers. When we pray, we do so in Jesus' name, claiming His identity, His righteousness and His authority.
This kind of prayer can't help but to have power and be effective. James, referring to these two aspects of prayer, acknowledges the energy put into praying, and the other is the effect of those prayers.
Watchman Nee says, "Our prayers lay the track down which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails."
Start laying those tracks! We can pray big prayers! Jesus said "that if we have faith and do not doubt, we can move a mountain." (Matt 21:21). We can, and ought to, pray for big, even impossible things. With God, impossible things are made possible.
John Piper puts it this way: “God has ordained that prayers cause things to happen that wouldn’t happen if we didn’t pray.”
Prayer is powerful! That doesn’t mean we get exactly what we want, nor does it mean that unanswered prayer happens because we didn’t have enough faith, or weren’t righteous enough. But, the closer we are to God, the closer we will be to wanting His will above all else.
Let’s draw near to Him
All the time, we must remember prayer is communion with God; trusting Him for all that we need and not just using God in prayer to get things from Him!
Such a prayerful communion with God can be expressed in words, or in song. There have been times, and perhaps the most powerful times in prayer, when I have found myself in His presence, which seems to transcend words or any other action from me.
God is sovereign and will answer our prayers exactly as He wishes to do so.
George Mueller founded the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol. He cared for over 10,000 orphans throughout his life. Mueller records of the many ways God answered prayer. On one occasion, the orphanage was out of money and food. Having been informed of the situation, George asked that the 300 children be taken to the dining room to be seated ready to eat. He then prayed, thanking God for the food, and waited. George believed that God would provide food for the children. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. “Mr. Mueller,” he said, “last night I couldn’t sleep. Somehow, I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.” Then there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.
There is power in prayer!
Take the simple request made in the Lord’s Prayer, "Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Wow! Have you ever stopped to think what this would mean for you, your family, your church family, your work etc?
Just imagine what can happen today and the days ahead when we simply tap into God’s limitless power.
F. J. Huegel shares: "It has often been said that prayer is the greatest force in the universe. This is no exaggeration. It will bear constant repetition. In this atomic age when forces are being released that stagger the thought and imagination of man, it is well to remember that prayer transcends all other forces."
Let me ask, does your life reflect this amazing belief in the power of prayer and of a trust in the goodness and sovereignty of God? If so PRAY!
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