Someone recently asked me, “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?” “Prayer is the preface to the book of Christian living, the text of new life testimony, the girding of the armor for battle, the pilgrim’s preparation for his journey, and it must be supplemented by action or it amounts to nothing!” The fact that Satan laughs at our striving, but trembles when he sees the weakest believer on his knees, should tell us how important prayer is!
“We know that nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God.” To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. One of the functions of prayer is to set God at the center of our attention. Prayer is, then,the world in tune. It is the gymnasium of the soul.
How active is your prayer life?
“Whoever only speaks OF God, but never or seldom TO God, easily yields body and soul to idols. The Christian, thus places his whole future in jeopardy by a stunted prayer life”. Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. If we are too busy to pray, we are too busy!
When life seems impossible, what do we do? We pray! We know that prayer does not influence God’s purposes, but it does influence His action:
I asked for strength that I might achieve;
HE made me weak that I might obey.
I asked for health that I might do great things;
I was given grace that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wiser.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I received nothing I asked for, yet, more than all that I hoped for.
My prayer was answered!
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
