The Power of Prayer

 “Prayer is where the action is." John Wesley

Why do we so often feel like our prayers go unanswered? The bible clearly tells us: “those who ask shall receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.” 

1Peter 3:12-

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers.

But in the mist of our loud and chaotic world, we feel far from the Lord. It often seems that the daily traffic drowns out our prayers. (Especially in New York City) Looking around, there are so many broken people crying for help; why would God be concerned with my “insignificant” requests when there are so many others to worry about? 

Growing up, did you ever play “ding dong dash?” I can remember playing this game with the neighborhood kids. This game was only fun for the first ring or two. On the third or fourth ring no one would answer the door because the home owner caught on to our childish game. This is often how we view prayer… we dock on the door but we do not truly intend on entering. We ask for blessings but we do not really expect them. Our prayers so often align with the “run away knocks,” but Jesus shouldn’t be expected to answer these kinds of requests. 

So many of us have become accustomed to “unanswered” prayers- or maybe the answer is wait or no- we begin praying with only a faint hope that God will act on our behalf. This is exactly what the enemy wants us to believe. Satan wants us to doubt prayer because he knows the true power it holds. 

1 John 5:14-15

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

God wants me to ask expectantly. If I truly believe in a God who created the world and in Jesus who died on a cross for me, then why do I doubt his blessings? I believe He was joyfully willing to take my place on the cross, so why is it so hard to believe He will answer my prayers? If I truly believe, why can’t I trust his answers, even when the answer is: WAIT? Doesn’t he know best? 

In January I joined a prayer focused bible study. These women are prayer warriors! I have been involved in several small groups, but this is the first group that has emphasized the importance of prayer. Every Monday evening we meet to discuss our weekly devotionals, the insight these ladies give leaves me with chills; but it wasn’t the commentary that drew me to these women, it was their prayers. At the end of our time together, we spend a solid 30 to 40 minutes just praying for one another. The first few weeks in this group, I was too shy to pray out loud. I thought my prayers did not sound as “holy” as theirs, I was not as strong as them. 

Even when I am alone, I find myself at a loss for words. I have all these emotions but I don’t know how to present them to the Lord. I can’t verbally speak my feelings all the time. Just last night I was speaking to a friend and could not explain the emotions I had, but I was painfully down about a few circumstances. Just like my friend understood without my words, the Holy Spirit knows exactly how we feel. 

Romans 8:26-27

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

 

You don’t have to have all the right words, or sound like a biblical scholar… God just wants you to sit still and be in his presence. He knows your heart and he knows what you are going through. No matter what you are upset about, your feelings are not insignificant! 

Luke 11:9-10

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?  Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Today, I am going to trust in the Lord. I know he has heard my prayers and He is working on my behalf because I am his daughter. He loves me so much and He wants what is best for me. Even if I have to wait, I know he wants to bless me with more than I can imagine!