The Essence of Prayer

A study of God’s Word, followed by prayer is the formula for determining God’s Will. Real Prayer: (1) has a purpose; (2) is spoken with confidence in ourselves and our God; (3) is followed by action out of our attitude; (4) is straight from the heart; (5) is between you and God. It is accomplished with the Holy Spirit speaking in the believer through the Son to the Father.

Prayer is communication with God by which we express our dependence on Him. God knows what we need in our battle with the powers of darkness, and He is more ready to meet our needs than we are to ask. But until we express our dependence on Him, God may not act. In prayer we say, “You are Lord. You know what’s best. I’m not telling You what to do; I’m asking.”

Prayer that helps us connect with wisdom, with something greater than ourselves, is prayer at its most majestic. (Dr. Larry Dossey)

Not to pray is to be guilty of the incredible folly of ignoring the possibility of adding God (His strength, His wisdom, His love…) to our resources. In prayer we give the perfect mind of God an opportunity to feed our mental powers.

When we work, we work; but when we pray, God works. Though prayer will never do our work for us, it will strengthen us for the work to be done. Prayer may be defined as the appeal of the soul to God.

We fail when we try to obey God in our own power. We were never called to live this supernatural life by natural means! We can do much after we pray, but we can do nothing right until we pray.

I yield, Lord, to Your Spirit. I pray He will fill me today and minister to me and through me. May He enlighten and nourish me through Your Word, strengthen my inner person, and fill my heart to overflowing with Your love. May He produce in me the very temperament of Jesus – His ways of thinking and believing and trusting and reacting. Father, may this be especially true in my relationships in which I am most prone to act and react in unloving ways.