What is prayer, anyway?
Critics say it is a crutch. It is something the Christians do to make them feel better, because it is just that: Something they can actually do in a situation where they are helpless!
Unfortunately I suspect that many Christians have only a little better concept of prayer. I have so often heard it said (and am guilting of saying myself…): “There’s nothing left to do but pray!”….
As if prayer is the last resort….
I don’t believe, however, that most of us see prayer as a last resort; rather, we truly believe God will intervene…. Yet the moment we are off our knees, so to speak, we begin to worry about the situation, trying to figure out how ‘we’ can ‘fix’ the problem. By our actions, we are saying loudly and clearly that we don’t believe prayer will work!
Is this really what prayer is all about?
The Bible tells us:
1. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we assume His righteousness for our own: “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.” (Phil. 3:9 NLT).
2. Clothed in His righteousness, we have the right to stand in the throne room of Christ: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Heb. 4:16 NLT).
3. Not only do we have the ‘right’ to stand there, but we are told to “come boldly to the throne of our gracious God”!
Friends, when we pray, we are standing before the throne of the Almighty God! Now that sounds to me like something far more than “last-resort”! It sounds far more powerful than a crutch to make us feel better!
Combine these Truths with the Truth that God loves us so much. He has promised us, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7 NLT). And let’s not forget that God keeps His promises!
What’s more, James, the brother of Christ, tells us something vital to remember about prayer: “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16 NLT).
But wait, I’m not ‘righteous’….
You’re not? Don’t you wear Jesus’ righteousness? Aren’t you told to go ‘boldly’ before the throne of grace?
What that means is that your prayers have great power. Your prayers produce wonderful results!
But wait. Given these Biblical truths, shouldn’t prayer be our first go-to? And when we get up from our knees, shouldn’t we feel confident that our prayers are answered? Even when we don’t see the answers?
Whatever it is you are praying about, remember: God wants you to come boldly before His throne where your prayers are powerful and effective. He tells us to “ask”, so that we will receive. What this means is that you don’t have to worry any longer! You’ve given it to God, you can trust Him to keep His promises!
In His love,
Lyn
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two, Author — “Aboard God’s Train — A Journey With God Through the Valley of Cancer”, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, andScriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, withAnswers2Prayer Ministries. Follow Lyn on Twitter @lynchaffart.