The Power of Prayer

 When you think about prayer, you might wonder if it is just a mental exercise or does it really have any power?  What is the purpose of prayer when ultimately God is providentially in control anyways?  Does God really hear our prayers or is does he care to hear about the little things like being late for work or finding our lost keys? 

The apostle Paul penned a few prayers that can guide us in our own prayer life and they hint at many of the questions we may have regarding prayer.  Why do we pray?  How should we pray?  What should we be praying for?

Ephesians 1:15-21 

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 

This prayer is so rich and full of depth, I had to highlight it in 4 colors - when I pray it aloud I have to pause and consider the meaning of each phrase.  Why does Paul pray for the Ephesians?  That they may draw near to God and know Him personally.  The essence of prayer is not a transaction where I put in my request and God pops out the answer; no, it is a relationship.  It is talking to God, listening to Him, leaning into Him and spending time with Him.  The purpose of prayer is to develop a relationship on a deeply intimate level with the Almighty God of the universe who cares for us with the tenderness of a Father.

Ephesians 3:14 - 19 

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Through prayer, we begin to know God's heart, to know how deep His fatherly love is for us, to attempt to comprehend how great beyond measure is His compassion.  Paul's prayer is that we might know God, really and truly and be overwhelmed by His love for us.  His love is more precious than what we sometimes imagine.  Remember that His love for us cost us the life of His Son.  The more we recognize that we are desperately in need of His saving, how far away from God we truly are, the greater we understand the depth of His love for us.  I once had a professor who told us to pray that God would overwhelm us with His love and as I have prayed for this, my eyes have been opened again and again to God's grace, forgiveness and His eternal plans which are all based in His amazing love.

How should we pray?

I often pray through scripture when I am praying for someone I care for - I pray these two prayers of Paul's word for word, asking God to open the eyes of your heart.  If it's in scripture, then I know it can't be outside of the will of God and I can follow the beautiful example of godly men and women who have gone before me.

The prayers in scripture usually include these important components of prayer:

• Glorify God's Great Name (Romans 16:25-27 is an example).  Remind yourself of God's attributes, praise Him for who He is, recognize His nature and character.  This is the foundation of prayer - to whom are you speaking?  The One who deserves all the glory.
• Pray with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6) Even in our trials, we are to find things to thank God for, the gifts of creation, the salvation He freely gave to us through His son, or ways you've seen Him move in your life.  
• Prayer includes praise, worship and joy!  (Philippians 4:4)  If it's starting to feel like your prayer life is a drudgery, I suggest starting with your favorite worship music or sitting outside in God's glorious creation.
• Pray with confidence (Hebrews 4:16)  Jesus has opened up the throne room of heaven for us to enter in and speak directly to God.  We have already been forgiven and we can come to God, knowing that He hears us and He will answer.  

You can pray anywhere, any time, any way that feels comfortable to you.  Prayer is not confined to a silent space with candles lit; it could be in a car (eyes open please!) with kids screaming in the back seat or at your desk at work.  It could be on a prayer walk or in a fishing boat.  You can pray sitting down, kneeling, raising your hands to heaven...that doesn't really matter as much as where your heart is and what makes you able to focus on God.

What to pray for?

The list is not exhaustive by any means, but I have a few ideas of what we can pray for, knowing God wants these for us too.  

1.  Growth

Prayers for growth, whether for yourself or for someone else, is always a good place to start.  I pray for my own children to grow in exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Do you need an extra dose of one of these today - ask God to fill with you with that!  God's purpose is to continue the good work He started in you, so He wants to bring growth in our lives. (Philippians 1:7, Galatians 5:22-23, Colossians 1:9-12)

2. Wisdom/Vision

We can't always see the best way forward, whether through a challenging situation or in developing goals for the year.  God is eternal and therefore His vision and perspective are just what we want so that we don't end up stumbling through life aimlessly or wander about in confusion about what He is doing (that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened).  Ask Him for discernment, for wisdom, for the mind of Christ and for the knowledge of His will (Philippians 1:9-11, Colossians 1:9-12, James 1:5)

Praying for Others

When a friend, family member or colleague comes to you with a concern, how can you pray for them?  One thing I've learned is that it's better for me to pray right then for the person (if possible) instead of saying "I will pray for you."  There is a ministry in prayer that can bring comfort in that moment by going to the Father with those concerns immediately.  Prayer draws us near to God, it gives us a perspective bigger than our narrow focus, it reminds us of God's love for us and it allows us to release our grip on our worries and lay them at His feet. 

How can I pray for you today?  

May you grasp how wide and deep and high and long Christ's love is for you today and may you be overwhelmed by this love,

Heather