We all know that prayer is an important part of our lives. However, most of us do not pray like we should. Our prayers have become watered down, hurried statements for what we want, myself included. We have turned them into half-hearted, desperate words that we expect to be answered right away.
What happened to our prayers? Prayers like Elijah praying for the drought and it happens or for rain and it rains. Look at his prayer in 1 Kings 18:36-39. 36 "And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the profit came near and said, 'Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel, let it be know this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have I have done all of these things at Your word. Hear me, o Lord, hear me, that this people may know that Your are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!'"
These prayers are not "Well, you know Lord, maybe if you could..." These are fierce prayers. These are emphatic statements saying "This is God and I am His servant, this will happen". But guess what? There is a God and I am His servant. We that believe in Him and on Him and through Him are His servants. If you want something or need something claim it in prayer. Pray for your family and spouses. Pray for your children and their friends. Pray for your finances and pastors and do it boldly.
Praying for your children is one of the best things that you can do for them. I love what Mark Batterson writes in his book "Praying Circles Around Your Children". He states, "Prayer is not about our agenda for God at all; in fact, it is about God's agenda for us". How do we know how our children will turn out? We pray for them. We speak life over them. We boldly tell satan that he cannot have them, that they belong to God and are for His glory.
Want to know how one persons prayer can change the world? Let me reintroduce you to a mother that is often overlooked in the bible, Hannah. Hannah was not a mother yet when she prayed to have a child. But she was praying so hard outside the temple in 1 Samuel 1:14 that Eli the priest thought she was drunk. Hannah soon had a son and she named him Samuel. Samuel became the prophet that anointed David as king. Through David's lineage comes Jesus. One persons prayer. A mother's prayer.
I have a new found passion for prayer. I believe that through prayer our needs are met. Even in the conversations that God and I have I can feel how close He is. I have found that the more we pray and listen to His voice, the easier it gets to hear Him. And when it is easy to hear Him, it is easy to act on what He wants us to do. On Sunday, I had the impression to talk to a lady during church but I do not get a chance. Then out in the parking lot, my wife and her strike up a conversation. In the car later before we pull out of the parking lot, I tell my wife that I had the feeling that we should talk with her and she said that she had the same impression.
I fully believe that our prayer life is a mussel and the more we exercise it, the stronger it gets.
Pray boldly
Here are some great resources on prayer. I am an amazon affiliate, meaning that a portion of the payment will go to me. Thank you for looking.
Battle Plan for Prayer
Mark Batterson: Draw the Circle: 40 Day Prayer Challenge
Mark Batterson: Drawing Circles around your Children
Stormie Omartain: Power of a Praying Parent Book of Prayers
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