Originally posted 6/12/20
Prayer changes things. This is a statement I often hear. We say we believe it, but do we really? In the past my actions would say I don’t fully believe that statement. I often find myself talking to my husband or friends and family about my problems instead of talking to God. However, over the past year and a half I have spent significantly more time in prayer than I have in my entire life. In this time I have seen God move in big ways in my life and the lives of my friends and family. Since I started praying more often, I am better at hearing the voice of God. I have truly started talking to him like I do my friends and guess what, he answers back. I just have to be still and listen.
One example of the impact of prayer happened this past November. The few months leading up to November, we had several large, unexpected expenses come up. Thankfully, we were able to cover each expense with our savings, but it left us extremely tight. Then November happened! Our van suddenly needed an expensive repair, and beyond that still needed like $2,000 worth of maintenance work done. We simply didn’t have the cash to cover both repairs. We knew that we needed to get a new car, but just didn’t see how it would be possible. Instead of just talking about solutions and coming up with a plan ourselves, we decided to pray and ask God what to do. Don’t get me wrong, we still talked to our friends and each other first. We definitely should have talked to God about it first and then our friends. We are still learning to live a life of prayer. Just like anything else, it takes time and repetition to do things correctly the first time! As we prayed, God told me exactly where to go. He told Brett exactly what he needed to hear to relax and let God work.
The next morning I went to the dealership, thinking that I was just gathering information so that we could buy a car in the spring. I had been asking God for a red car, with three rows, low miles, heated seats, and was reliable. We had done our research and discovered that Buicks actually ranked number 5 on the reliability rankings for the year. I talked with the salesman, and he pulled up a red Buick, with three rows, heated seats, and low miles. After I test drove it, and fell in love, I went home to pray. I asked God what we should do. As much as I loved the car, I knew that there could always be another car just like this in the spring. I was willing to wait if that is what God told me to do. I asked him what we should do and he said, “Well, you asked for a red car, with three rows, heated seats, and low miles. There it is. Do you want it?” I was then confident that though it seemed impossible to add another bill to our life, he was going to provide for us. We bought the car that night. So the month that we had the least amount of money in our account since I don’t even know when is the same month we were blessed with a new car. That is how the kingdom economy often works!
When we look in the Bible, we see that prayer preceded some really big things. In Acts 1 we see 120 people were in a room praying. Then something huge happened. The Holy Spirit came and empowered them to heal, preach with boldness, and speak in other languages and tongues. Because they were focused on prayer and receiving whatever God gave them, they were rewarded with the gifts from the Holy Spirit. Everyone who wasn’t in that room didn’t receive the Holy Spirit that day. They received the blessing from those who received the Spirit’s pouring out, but they did not experience that specific outpouring. They could have received the Holy Spirit at a different time, but they had to wait. I believe that Acts is a picture of what church is always supposed to be like. If those things happened to the first Christians, just imagine what God wants to do through you if you commit yourself to prayer! I’m sure it will be just as exciting!
Another life changing event was preceded with prayer. Your salvation. Before Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, he spent a significant time in prayer. Even Jesus needed to pray and connect to his father before something big happened. In his prayer he prayed for himself, his disciples, and you! Read it for yourself in John 17. I wonder if the human side of Jesus needed that time of prayer in order to allow all that was about to happen to him. If Jesus needed prayer to do big things, just imagine how much more important it is for you and I to be in prayer.
As I was looking through the Bible for this post, I discovered something I have never noticed before. Prayer preceded the freedom of the Israelites from Egypt. Exodus 3:7 (ESV) says, “Then the LORD said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,’” How would the Lord hear their cry except there was a group of Israelites who were praying and asking God to save them? Even in the Old Testament prayer was an ingredient to having big things happen for the Israelites. Who knows, but if they didn’t pray, perhaps they would have been in captivity longer. We will never know for sure. We do know that God was going to rescue them no matter what, because he made that promise.
If you belong to Jesus, your prayers are important. The Bible says that your prayers are powerful and will result with greatness. James 5:16b says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (NLT) Go ahead, and start praying. Perhaps your struggles need to be discussed with God, and not just with your friends and family. After all, God will have the perfect solution. Your friends and family might not give you such great results! Prayer truly changes things.
If you aren’t sure how to start praying, consider praying through the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. Remember that prayer is simply you talking to God. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just speak to him like you would a close friend. Tell him how you feel, what you are afraid of, what your hopes and dreams are, and anything else that comes to mind. He loves hearing from you. Then sit and listen to what he has to say back. This WILL change your life!*
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