The Power of Prayer

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 NIV.

Imagine never being anxious about anything – home life, job, school. We all have opportunities for anxiety. Paul gives us the answer to “not be anxious.” Turn our worries and fears into prayer. When those worrisome thoughts creep in, begin to pray. Worry less? Pray more!

Most of us have certain times we routinely pray, whether upon rising, before meals, at bedtime, or at other times of the day. The scripture tells us not to be uneasy but to take it to the Lord in prayer; take everything to him by prayer and petition. A petition is a formal message requesting something, a reverent petition to a deity. When we are burdened by anything, we must pray to God, whether mundane or emergency, with anything and all things. If our affairs are distressed, i.e., overwhelmed by debt, family issues, political woes, or strife, we must ask God for wisdom, guidance, and support. We are to have a dialogue with God, a conversation between two people, not a monologue, like making a speech to yourself.

God already knows our needs and the desires of our hearts. The point of prayer is to communicate our neediness and dependency on Him, solidifying our relationship. In return, we will receive the peace of God. Transcend – to exceed, surpass, go beyond; to be superior or better. The peace we attain is beyond our scope of understanding. It will keep us on the straight and narrow as a shield between us and sin. Prayer works. It heals the wounded spirit and the faint of heart! Thank God for prayer! It is our salvation!!!

“After this manner therefore pray ye: ‘Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name, Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.’” St. Matthew 6:9-13 KJV

Jesus gave us instructions in “The Lord’s Prayer” on how to pray, as revealed by the Apostle Matthew. Luke gave a similar account in chapter 11:2-4. It clearly states what we should pray for. It outlines things that should go into prayer as we pray in our own words. We should prayerfully worship the Lord, put our trust in Him, make requests, ask for protection, and for His will to be done. Someone said we must pray from our heart, not by rote. Don’t underestimate the power of prayer because it truly is powerful! It points to the glory and mightiness of our God. It is sad to hear it said, “We’ve done all we can. The only thing left now to do is pray.” Prayer should be our first resort, not our last resort. It is our communication – a conversation with God. We must be intentional in our prayers, focused on God, undistracted.

Sincere prayer leads to emotional and spiritual good health. The power of prayer is real and can be felt. What a wonderful gift from God that makes talking with Him possible. Prayer opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. It changes minds and hearts. It reverses opinions. It opens eyes and sheds light where there is darkness. Prayer lessens our sorrows and builds our hopes and joys.

Don’t overlook intercessory prayer, either. Interceding on behalf of others in need or those going through difficult times requires one to take on the burden of those. Pray for the Church and its leaders. Pray for the leaders of our nation. Pray for the victims of human trafficking and those suffering from emotional and physical abuse. There is an abundance of prayer needs with every breath we take. So don’t allow prayer to be your last resort – let it be your initial response.

We must ask for wisdom in all prayers and let them be frequent, unselfish, and focused but always filled with praise and thanksgiving to our Savior.