The Power of Prayer

The power of prayer isn't easy to describe. It's not something that one can measure, like the power of an automobile engine. It's more of an inner power, the kind of thing that gives you confidence and strength as you live your life. Following this introductory section, we present to you an article by a Christian woman who ministers to others online, about her views on the power of prayer. Prayer is a form of communication between us and God. Those who pray naturally believe in a God who is not just a creative force, but a personal God who has a mind like ours and is able to hear and respond to our prayers. Most Americans believe in God and many believers are Christians. There are many resources for Christians on the web. A great starting point is OnePlace.com. There you will find links to some of the greatest ministers of our day, including Hank Hanegraaff (the Bible Answer Man), Charles Stanley (in Touch Ministries) and Dr. James Dobson (Focus on the Family). If you are interested in studying the Bible, visit The Bible Gateway. They are a free service for reading and researching Scripture online with advanced tools you can use to search the Bible by keywords or verse, as well as other tools to enhance your study of the Bible. For information about God, Life and the current culture we live in, visit the website of Relevent Magazine. This website and magazine target a young savvy audience and bring them a modern discussion of issues encountered by Christians in today's world. If you seek fellowship with like-minded Christians, visit one or more of the Christian meeting places that are online. One of the largest is Christian Forums. They provide a "multi-denominational Christian forum message board community uniting all Christians as one body." These hundreds of topics are visited by thousands of people daily. Another popular site is Manna Cabana. They also have message boards and a chat area. This site is especially popular with young people who like to communicate with others of their own age. If you are a believer in the literal account of creation as presented in the Bible, you might want to visit the Creation Science Evangelism (Dr. Dino) site. Read "how Science actually gives glory to God by supporting the Biblical account of creation." If you're still researching religious topics such as how the universe and the Earth and man were created, and whether Jesus Christ is really the Son of God, here are some books that will help you in your spiritual quest. The Case For Christ - Lee Strobel A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. The Case For a Creator - Lee Strobel A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points toward God. Life's Origin - J. William Schopf The Beginnings of Biological Evolution. A collection of scientific articles on the latest theories about the origin of life on Earth. An excellent book that discusses and contrasts the two major world views in play in the 21st century - Humanism and Christianity - is "How Now Shall We Live" by Charles Colson. This book instructs us and inspires us to take our religious world view into everything we do.

The Power of Prayer

by Heaven's Rain   1/6/05

Did you know that prayerlessness is a sin? I Samuel 12:23-24 states this, "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; Consider what great things He has done for you." (NIV) This teaches that if we as Christians don't pray faithfully, it is considered sin. The Lord commands us to fear Him and to place our trust in Him.

Prayer is one communication tool God uses to connect to us. Reading His Word is another way that God speaks to us in a personal way. It is a very high honor to be able to speak to the Lord, who created us. Just as God expects us to speak to our earthly fathers, He wants us to commune with Him. Prayer promotes unbroken fellowship with God. He calls His children to His throne by way of prayer. God loved us enough to send His only son to die on a cross, so that we would be able to separate from sin and enter the kingdom of heaven through prayer. He sent the Holy Spirit to comfort us, and lead us to God when we have strayed.

Prayer gives us the power to do the work He has called each of us to do. While in prayer, one can sometimes sense an answer to what they ask. But we must remember that God does not always answer immediately. Prayer is one way that God uses to communicate to us what He wants for our lives. Colossians 4:2 says, "Devote yourselves to prayer; being watchful and thankful." (NIV) The Lord also reminds us that in everything, through prayer and supplication, we are to make our requests known to Him; which can be found in Philippians 4:6. (NIV) God is constantly guiding us back to Him using His tool of prayer.

James 5:16 reads, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (NIV) When we surrender our lives to Christ, in completeness, we are able to pray fervently and constantly. The Lord knows that we can never be perfect, but He honors the prayers of a sincere, contrite heart.

Recently, I was asked to complete a survey about prayer. I was given the names of two people to pray for on a daily basis, and I had to log how many days I spent in prayer. It was interesting to note how praying for two complete strangers affects your life in a positive way. The power of praying for others gives a feeling of peace. It is truly amazing to watch God work in someone else's life when you pray for them. Back in the beginning of the year, I began conversing with my best friend who was struggling with her husband's death. He came to know the Lord before his passing. Throughout the months, I have been in intercessory prayer for her, and I have rejoiced in the knowledge that she has drawn closer to the Lord. Is there someone in your life that you wonder if God is asking you to minister to? God places people in our path, so that His light will shine through us and our actions so clearly that they will not help but notice Him. Don't be afraid to reach out to that person and offer words of encouragement or praise. Ask God to give you the wisdom and the words to speak. You will be shocked; if you remain in silent prayer while you are in a conversation with that individual, suddenly the words just come flowing from your lips. That is GOD! Allow Him to just take control, for He would never let anything vile come from our lips when He is the One speaking.

When asked the question, "What does prayer mean to you?", a friend of mine recently said that prayer helps her focus on being humble and causes her to seek God with all her needs; deepens the present relationship she has with God. Prayer should be the very breath of the church and we should have the deep desire for private moments with our Creator. Whether it be through deep intercession, solitary prayer, or in a large group, we should long to hear from God, and fellowship with Him. Jesus prayed even though He really did not have to. Should we do any less? Make prayer a priority and watch your life change. I leave you with the challenge from I Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing!"

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