How Prayer Can Change Your Life Series

Probably the most amazing verse in the Bible is John 14:12-13. Just before it, v. 11, Jesus says, "Believe Me when I say I am in the Father and the Father is in Me or at least believe the evidence of the miracles themselves. v. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing." Have you been doing what Jesus has been doing? Have you been raising any dead lately? Healed any sick?

I think that’s the hardest verse in the Bible to believe. He says, Vs. 12 "Anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing... And he will do even greater things than these because I’m going to the Father."

I’d have to admit to you, as your pastor, if there is any verse in the Bible that I have a hard time believing, it’s that verse. I don’t see myself doing greater things than Jesus. Do you see yourself doing greater miracles than Jesus Christ? I doubt it. That’s kind of a hard verse to believe. But He says it. "Anyone who believes in Me will do what I’ve been doing and even greater works."

I honestly had a hard time accepting that verse until one day I got smart and read the verse right underneath it and all of a sudden it made sense.Vs. 13 "And I will do whatever you ask in My name so that the Father may bring glory to the Son. You may ask Me for anything in My name and I will do it."

How is it possible to do greater miracles than Jesus? Simple. Through prayer. By prayer. When we pray, it can do greater things than Jesus Christ did while He was here on earth.

You say, "How is that possible?" Simple. Prayer is not limited by time, nor by space. It is limitless in scope. When Jesus Christ was here on earth, He voluntarily limited Himself by becoming a human. By God coming in human form He said, "I can only be at one place at one time and I can’t be in the past, the present, and the future at the same time. I can only be at this time and in this place." He was limited to do the miracles within the vicinity where He was.

But prayer is not limited by time or space. Prayers are not limited by time. The prayers of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago are still being answered today. The prayers I pray today can be answered three weeks today. They’re not limited by time.

Prayer is not limited by space. You can pray and it’s like sending a missile. I could pray for somebody in Washington D.C. and it’s like sending a missile directly to that guy’s heart and I never leave California. I can pray all over. I get up tomorrow morning and go into my study and spend fifteen minutes in prayer and I pray for missionaries around the world. My wife comes and knocks on the door, "What are you doing in there?" I say, "Nothing much. I’m just going to Africa, Asia, behind the iron curtain..."

The prayers are penetrating behind those places. It is limitless in its power. People may reject your appeals, reject your arguments, reject you as a person, but they’re totally defenseless against your prayers. They have no defense system. They go straight to the heart. The Bible says, "The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord and He turns it whether soever He wishes." Like a river. God can change the course of history by prayers.