Words that change our hearts and the world! Part 1
Everyone knows we should pray but the idea of prayer to many is boring or only used in a crisis or perhaps frustrating because we have prayed and our prayers seem to have gone unanswered.
I had shared this on facebook last week Daniel’s habit in prayer
“But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.” Daniel 6:10
He prayed 3 times per day everyday. As you read about each of the great men and women of God we find them in prayer often.
Very quickly today I want to share with you what the Bible says about prayer
1) How often should we pray?
Daniel prayed three times per day as I mentioned earlier is that what we should do?
Paul said in his first letter to the Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Pray without ceasing what is that about?
As a Christian you have the “ear” of the almighty God, the one with the power of all creation. We simply get frustrated with the learning process, the process of knowing his heart and reacting to his heart
Prayer builds that relationship just like talking and spending time with a friend or spouse builds that relationship as well.
Don’t know how you could pray all of the time?
2) Prayer is not negotiable it is a command of God
Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Matthew 6:9 “Pray then like this. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”
Matthew 9:38 “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Luke 18:1 “And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” (woman and unjust judge and Pharisee and tax collector)
Mark 14:38 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
God would not ask us to pray if our prayers did not change things
3) Prayer has power
Here is one very powerful example 1 Kings 18:36-39
At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” 38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”
Elijah could pray this prayer because he knew God,
Psalm 103:7 says this
He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.
Here is my challenge for you this week.
– 15 minutes a day in prayer
but also….
– every time you begin to worry stop and pray,
– every time you begin to get angry stop and pray
– every time you begin to feel out of control stop and pray.
Pray for Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and Gary Johnson that they might come into a real encounter with the Lord
Believe as you pray that there is power in your prayers to change the world!