Prayer Power
Prayer is something that we all practice, sometimes occasionally, and sometimes it is only when a disaster is more than we can handle, and only then do we really think of praying. Quote; “We must have more religion. We need the strength and grace that are born of earnest prayer. This means of grace should be diligently used in order to gain spiritual muscle. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him. It makes us realize more and more our great needs, and hence our obligation to God and our dependence upon Him. It leads us to feel our own nothingness and the weakness of our judgment. God has made earnest prayer the condition of the bestowal of His richest blessings. . . .This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself and your family to God for that day. Make no calculation for months or years, for they are not yours. One brief day is given you, and in that one day, work for yourself and your family as though it were your last. Surrender all your plans to God, to be carried out or given up, as His providence shall indicate. In this manner you may day by day be giving your life with its plans and purposes into the hands of God, accepting His plans instead of your own, no matter how much they may interfere with your arrangements nor how many pleasant projects may have to be abandoned. Thus the life will be molded more and more after the divine Model; and “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” {HP 213}
Prayer should be; Father, what is it that you have me to do, what do you want to tell me, while I am still and silent in your presence, please speak to me?” I guess the question is down to this; “Are we on God’s Side, or are we ordering God to step over onto our side, and to obey our every command?” Sometimes you hear Prayers, and think you hear God saying annoyingly, “Just what do you want now, this time, yet again?” Quote; “Are you seeking great things for yourself, instead of seeking to be a great person? God wants you to be in a much closer relationship with Himself than simply receiving His gifts— He wants you to get to know Him. Even some large thing we want is only incidental; it comes and it goes. But God never gives us anything incidental. There is nothing easier than getting into the right relationship with God, unless it is not God you seek, but only what He can give you.
If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means. You have become a Christian based on your own terms. You protest, saying, “I asked God for the Holy Spirit, but He didn’t give me the rest and the peace I expected.” And instantly God puts His finger on the reason– you are not seeking the Lord at all; you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7). Ask God for what you want and do not be concerned about asking for the wrong thing, because as you draw ever closer to Him, you will cease asking for things altogether. “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Then why should you ask? So that you may get to know Him.
Are you seeking great things for yourself? Have you said, “Oh, Lord, completely fill me with your Holy Spirit”? If God does not, it is because you are not totally surrendered to Him; there is something you still refuse to do. Are you prepared to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God always ignores your present level of completeness in favor of your ultimate future completeness. He is not concerned about making you blessed and happy right now, but He’s continually working out His ultimate perfection for you— “…that they may be one, just as We are one…” (John 17:22). Oswald Chambers
Quote; “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is for us to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” Abraham Lincoln. We have this in 1 John 5:14-15 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” Proverbs 2:6-9 “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: [he is] a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; [yea], every good path.” Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Should you find that God is not talking to you, then most likely God is still patiently awaiting for you to complete the last task and mission that he has asked of you, before he is willing to give you the next installment. In climbing a ladder, you must step up a rung, before you can step onto the next higher one, it is a simple stepping up one step each time to get further along. If God has gone quiet, then come humbly before him, repent, ask for God to once more, please to clearly tell you what the last task that he wanted you to do, and when you hear, go quickly and complete it. Then come back to God and tell him you have completed the task, and ask him if there is anything else you can attend to. That is real Prayer, Ask, Listen, Obey, for God is in control and not us. Quote; “Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.” So let us step up, humbly come before him, confess and repent, and be a willing servant to quickly complete whatever is requested of you. That is “Prayer Power.”
Quote; “Prayer is the answer to every problem in life. It puts us in tune with Divine wisdom which knows how to adjust everything perfectly. So often we do not pray in certain situations, because from our standpoint the outlook is hopeless. But, nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is so entangled that it cannot be remedied. No human relationship is so strained for God to bring about reconciliation and understanding. No habit is so deep rooted that it cannot be overcome. No one is so weak that he cannot be strong. No one is so ill that he cannot be healed. No mind is so dull that it cannot be made brilliant. Whatever we need, if we trust God, He will supply it. If anything is causing worry or anxiety, let us stop rehearsing the difficulty and trust God for healing, love and power.” EGW, Review and Herald, Oct. 7, 1865.
So let us return unto God, Repent, Submit, and Obey, Prayer should be more like “Pillow Talk” sharing your innermost everything with somebody who really cares, so let us get to know God much more deeply and intimately, with reading about him in Scripture, and then talking to him, but make sure you give him ample time to chatter back to you. “Pray Always,” Luke 21:36. Quote; “Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him.” {CSA 26} “Pray Always,” Luke 21:36.
