The Power of Prayer

Three times a day [Daniel] got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10

Prayer is often spoken of as a spiritual discipline, and rightly so. And yet, this insinuates that prayer is merely a task or a duty to a Christian woman. Actually, prayer is the difference maker in the lives of the greatest achievers in the Bible. Jesus modeled it perfectly Himself. In the lives of those both present and past who lived intimately with God, prayer is the first and habitual response, not the backup plan. They pray in power and in friendship with God. They pray with passion and with authority and with transparency.

Daniel prayed as if nothing else mattered. Moses spoke with God as a friend. Esther prayed and fasted. Paul prayed in song in prison. Jesus prayed and sweat drops of blood. We are instructed to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions” (Ephesians 6:18).

This is great in theory but difficult without careful discipline. We must be free of known sin and filled with the Spirit to do this. We must also keep our focus when bombarded with worries, cares, and distractions in our daily lives.

A Bible teacher once asked her students whether they would show up at a certain address every day if they were guaranteed a thousand dollars a day for themselves and anyone they brought with them. They all responded yes! And we would too. And yet power, comfort, and spiritual riches untold are offered new every morning and go unclaimed for ourselves and our loved ones because we are distracted, prayerless, and faithless.

In John 15:7 Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (nkjv). Abide in Christ today. Let His Word abide in you. Then feel free to ask boldly and receive God’s best for yourself, your family, your church, and your world.

Father, in Jesus’ name I approach Your throne. Humbly I ask Your forgiveness for my prayerlessness and puny faith. Teach me to know Your heart and ask accordingly. Develop in me a lifestyle of prayer without ceasing. Let me view you as the source of every good thing and my only hope. Draw me to my knees and let me pray. Amen.