The Power of A Prayer Life

The prayer life of a believer is extremely important to their growth as a born again Christian. Prayer manifests the Holy Ghost in the presence of the believer and makes intersession to God on behalf of the believer. This means that prayer without the presence of the Holy Ghost are prayers going unheard by God.

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26.

People who are not born again are considered by God as unbelievers because they have not received the gift of the Holy Ghost, mainly because they do not believe in it or have not learned about it. Born again believers are true children of God, therefore, those who are not born again are children of the devil.

“In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” 1 John 3:10.

Righteousness and love are New Testament commandments of God and comes through the power of the Holy Ghost to convert the believer into the image of Christ. If the believer refuses to submit to righteousness and love, they can never serve God correctly. “…because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7,8.

Once born again, the believer should pray in the power of the Spirit for God to increase their righteousness and the love in their hearts. Praying for anything else would be in vain simply because love is the fulfilling of the Law. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10. Every time the believer goes down in prayer, asking God for love means asking God to fill their soul, heart and mind with himself.

The Lord also gives instruction to the believer as to how to pray and by what means. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6.

This message is meant to keep the believer humble in their walk with Christ. Praying in the privacy of the home or in any private place is better than praying out in the open so people can see and believe they are a “good Christian.” This is called hypocrisy.

“And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: which devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.” Mark 12:38-40.

The above passage describes the arrogance of the religious leaders and followers in public. God wants His children to be humble and in accordance with the righteousness of the Word. The Lord also gives specific instructions on what to pray for when the believer prays. The following prayer covers tremendous ground for the walk of the believer and is effective during anytime of their ministry.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be 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.” Matthew 6:9-13.

This prayer has it all. Honoring God as the Supreme and All Mighty, asking for His will to be done instead of our own; taking daily care of our every day needs and those around us; forgiving us of debts, trespasses and sins against others, protecting us from the temptations of the devil and lust, and keeping us protected against all kinds of evils in the world. It ends with once again acknowledging God as the ultimate power and glory forever, so be it.

The believer should pray for godly and heavenly things, not earthly things. God already promises to take care of our earthly needs if we trust and depend on him. What He wants is for us to get to know Him and His will so we can walk upright and righteous in the world. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” St. Matthew 6:33.

After we pray, we cannot expect to receive an answer right away, no matter what the situation; whether it’s an emergency or a simple request. However, God answers prayer in His time and according to the believer’s circumstances. Things happen according to His will for the believer’s life.

In other words, God knows what’s best for the believer and what will work in their life and at what period of their life. God will not answer a prayer on anything that a nonbeliever can get by working at a job or earning on their own. Nor will He answer a prayer based on an unethical desire on the believer’s behalf. If it is not God’s will, He will not answer. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: But the prayer of the upright is his delight.” Proverbs 15:8.

“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22. This passage is true as long as the believer ask according to the will of God. Be it deliverance, protection, strength, security, love, trust or anything that comes from God, the believer should receive as long as they believe it.

We should also have patience that God will deliver according to His will if we pray. Trust also is the key to receiving an answered prayer. In times of weariness and frustration, we need to trust Him and wait. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28. So the believer must love God over all things for their prayers to be answered.

In addition to prayer to help strengthen the believer, they should always pray for others of their brethren and born again believers, whether they know them or not. Believers need each other’s prayers as they grow together as one in the body of Christ. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. James 5:16.

The church prayed for Peter when he was in prison and He was delivered because it was God’s will that Peter be free to carry on the gospel. “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” Acts 12:5

It is God’s will also that we assemble and pray together so the church can stay strong against the evils of the world. The apostles’ and many of the believers came together daily to pray and learn about the Lord. The ate together, studied together and prayed together. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42.

As the church grew larger, members came to the apostles with personal problems and quarrels but the apostles’ found they did not have the time to handle all the smaller problems and expand the church at the same time. They knew it was important that the church had powerful and dedicated leadership so they created the office of the deacon to handle every day issues among church members while they attended to prayer and the study of the Word. “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:4. 

The devil gained strength in persecution of the church and many false prophets rose up who also preached Jesus Christ. This began heresies in the church and the apostles had to learn to fight off the false prophets while keeping the gospel of Christ pure. Prayer along with fasting helped them gain strength for spiritual warfare against the devil and his false prophets.

Jesus taught the disciples about warring against the devil after a disciple tried to cast out a devil but could not; and they came to him and asked him why, and he said: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21. The apostles taught the church about spiritual warfare and how to keep their prayer life strong against the devil. In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul encouraged the church saying: “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” verse 18.

Prayer is vital to the life of a believer if they want to stay in the will of God. There is no set time or place to pray because we should always pray without ceasing. Our earnestness is what counts and whether the prayer is God’s will or not. In the end, prayer brings peace, patience, and the strength of God’s love, which is power, to the believer. “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” Luke 18:1.