IT BOILS DOWN TO PRAYER
"Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart…"
Luke 18:1
A woman was talking to her friend about a serious family problem. She said, “There is nothing left for us to do but pray.” Her friend replied with great alarm, “Oh no! Has it come to that!?”
Tragically, for many of us, prayer has become a last resort instead of a first priority. We can get so wrapped up in distractions and lesser things that we fail to see how tremendously vital prayer is to our Christian lives. As Adrian Rogers once said, “The devil laughs at our plans, he mocks at our schemes, but he fears our prayers.” Why is that? It is because God answers prayer. Furthermore, God purposely limits His work in our lives if we don’t pray. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”
Prayer is so powerful. Prayer links our nothingness with God’s omnipotence. Prayer can do anything that God can do … and God can do anything! When we pray—I mean really pray with focus, earnestness and even fasting—God begins to work. He changes us on the inside. He changes our outlook and attitude. And He begins to change our situation.
IT TAKES PRAYER
I want to challenge you to commit yourself to prayer like never before. In these spiritually dark days in which we live, prayer is becoming even more vital. Blinded eyes and hardened hearts are not opened through arguments. They are opened through prayer.
In 2 Kings 6, Elisha’s servant could only see the great army of the Arameans surrounding Elisha. He cried out for fear, feeling their goose was certainly cooked. But Elisha said, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” No doubt the servant said to himself, “Come again? Those who are with us are two: you and me! Listen Elisha, you are really good in theology, but you are terrible in math!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the servant saw the angelic cavalry—“horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
It is prayer that opens blinded eyes! It is prayer that makes the difference.
THE BOTTOM LINE QUESTION
Here is the bottom line question. Do you really believe God answers prayer? If you pray sparingly, distractedly, and powerlessly, your actions reveal your answer—no, you don’t really believe God answers prayer. But, if you pray earnestly, trustingly, and often, you reveal a heart that says, “I truly believe God answers prayer … and that is why I am praying with joyful expectation!”
Let me encourage you as I encourage myself: make a renewed commitment to prayer. There is no telling the things we will see God do as we spend time on our knees.
It is very interesting that the parable on prayer that Jesus told in Luke 18 ends with a question—“When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). When the Son of Man comes, will He find you trusting Him in prayer?
Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve,
From His Heart Ministries
Dr. Jeff Schreve believes that no matter how badly you may have messed up in life, God still loves you and has a wonderful plan just for you. From His Heart provides real truth, love and hope on over 700 radio stations each day, in 182 countries each week on TV, and is always available online. Pastor Jeff takes no income from this ministry. All donations go to furthering the broadcast outreach. As a listener/viewer supported ministry, we thank you for joining with us to help speak the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Go to www.fromhisheart.org for more information.
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