Because Of Prayer

Because of Prayer

I feel I need to spend some time reviewing prayer. I want to look at its place in the life of a Christian. Its power, its purpose, its effect, its availability and its simple beauty as a means of communicating with Almighty God.

Im sure there are many instances in your life when you have called out to God in prayer. They may have been prayers of thanksgiving, prayers that were requests or petitions and prayers of brokenness and discouragement.

Prayer for the Christian is the spiritual language which we use to address our God. It is a kind of communion or coming together with God that no other medium provides. It is not a letter or a phone call, it is not an invitation or announcement, and its not a statement or a poem.

But sometimes it is poetic in what is communicated. It is a unique and personal language that your God shares with you. Prayer very much represents the words of your heart as you pour your thoughts, your hopes, your fears, your dreams, your goals and your willingness to be a servant before God Almighty.

It almost seems a strange thing that we should pray when God in fact knows what we are about to pray for before we even open our mouths. Yet it is our Heavenly Father who desires that we exercise this kind of communication with him.

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

In praying we realize that we are not as independent as we might think. We come to realize that there are so many things beyond our control and personal will that we have no other alternative but to cry out to God to hear our prayer. By praying we honor God and recognize His Sovereignty over us.

We can do nothing without Him. This is precisely the point. Our Heavenly Father rules over ALL things. He rules over Heaven, Earth, the seen and unseen world and the world to come. By praying we humble ourselves before the Creator of all things yet He wants to hear us because he cares for us.

When I think of prayer I think of Daniel in the lions den

Daniel 6:10 NIV

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Daniel 6 NIV

16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"

19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"

21 Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."

Daniel was under attack by men who wanted to expose him as a law breaker and as a person who prayed to a false god. They were proven wrong and ended up in the pit in his place.

Pray when you are under attack or when people are attacking you for your beliefs.

Samsons last act of redemption.

Judges 16:28 TNIV

Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "Sovereign LORD, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes."

For Samson Love was blind it quit literally cost him his eyesight and his God given strength. He was humiliated because of his pride and his folly as he did not value what God had entrusted him with and so for earthly pleasures he broke a vow to God. He made one last redeeming prayer and in his death took over 3,000 Philistines with him.

Honor God all the days of your life so that you do not need to make a dying request to be redeemed.

Hannah praying for a son Samuel.

1 Samuel 1:13 TNIV

Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk. 15 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.