Lausanne World Pulse – Effective Prayer
By John Godson
3. Prayer makes us dangerous for the devil and for the kingdom of darkness. There is nothing that is as dangerous to the devil as a Christian who prays. The devil will not bother with Christians who are lukewarm, prayerless and banal. They pose no threat to him. Praying Christians are the greatest dangers to the kingdom of hell. And the devil will do everything in his power to stop you or discourage you from praying. The devil loves those Christians who are too busy to pray. He hates those Christians who make time to immerse themselves in God’s presence. These are his greatest threats. Their presence cast out demons. Their words are like fire. They change spiritual realities around them because they pray.
4. Prayer changes us. Prayer not only changes situations and circumstances, but one of the most important reasons we need to pray is that God changes us in prayer. Jacob was a cheat and a deceiver and it was not until he really began to pray that God changed him. He was so afraid of meeting his brother Esau that he decided to set time aside to pray. He prayed all night and came out a different man. His name changed from Jacob to Israel. His destiny also changed (Genesis 32:24-28). Maybe you have struggled your entire life to be good but nothing seems to change. Prayer is the key. It will change you.
5. God does things in answer to prayer. God does answer prayer. The Bible says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:7-11).
Another verse says, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:3). God gives to those who trust him to the point of asking him. God is able to answer your prayers even beyond your expectations: “Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). No matter what your situation is, take it to God in prayer. He is more than able to answer your prayers. He wants to know that you trust him, that you believe in him to the point of coming to him with all that touches you. It is his joy to answer your prayers.
6. Prayer involves God in what we do. When we pray, we invite God into our situations. It is like bringing heaven into earth. It makes eternal values real. The presence of God in any situation delivers, releases and builds. It transforms the temporary and earthly to become eternal.
7. Prayer clarifies our perspectives. When we pray, we receive wisdom, our perspectives are clarified and we are able to make wise and godly decisions. Prayer gives us an understanding of the spiritual powers behind activities and realities visible to the human eyes.
8. Through prayer, we are delivered from temptations. “And when he was at the place, he said to them ‘pray that you enter not into temptation’….And he said to them, why do you sleep? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation” (Luke 22:40, 46). Many people have fallen and been defeated because they neglected prayer. Our enemy is at the business of weakening and destroying believers. Jesus encourages us to be in the place of prayer lest we fall into temptation.
There are many more reasons why it is expedient to pray. Prayer is God’s key. No matter what your situation is, God wants to teach you to pray. Are you willing to learn?
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John Abraham Godson, a native of Nigeria, has been serving as a missionary in Poland for the past thirteen years. He is international director of Pilgrim Mission International. Godson also serves as chair for the Lausanne Intercession Working Group in Eastern Europe/Eurasia and as international facilitator for the Network of Nigerian Missionaries Overseas. |
