Purposeful Prayer
Prayer is the conduit to heaven. Prayer provides strength and peace to our lives and covers our families with spiritual protection. So why don’t we pray more often?
Prayer takes time. Period. We have to create space in our busy lives for prayer. S.D. Gordon sums it up well, “Great people of the earth today are the people who pray. I do not men those who talk about prayer; nor those who say they believe in prayer; nor yet those who can explain about prayer; but I mean those people who take time and pray.”
In the Book of Acts, Paul repeatedly writes of the power of prayer.
All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. Acts 2:42 NLT
Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. Acts 3:1 NLT
When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
‘Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.’
“In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:24-31 NLT
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 8:14-16 NLT
Read Acts in your quiet time to fully appreciate the power of prayer. Take time to connect with Jesus. Believe in the power of the Holy Spirit within you. Wait expectantly for your prayers to be answered.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6 NLT
P.S. Here’s a link to my favorite book on this topic.
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller
© 2021 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.
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