Do you realize the power of your prayers? What areas of your life are in need of prayer? How will your prayers affect the nation you live in?
Over and over again the Bible talks about the power of prayer as we read in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.[1] What does this verse tell us? We need to approach the Lord in humility as we come to Him in prayer. We must recognize our own sin and ask the Lord to forgive us. When God’s children do this, He moves powerfully to answer prayer that lines up with His word.
History tells us that prayer meetings were the key to revivals in the world in the last 300 years. The Biblical book of Esther tells us there a great move of God to save the Jewish people from destruction that began with prayer. During the reign of Queen Esther there was an evil plan to kill all the Jews in the Medo-Persian Empire. The Jewish people knew they could not save themselves and only God’s intervention could save them.
Mordecai, the uncle of Esther, is stunned when he hears about this evil plan. Esther 4:1When Mordecai learned about all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on burlap and ashes, and went out into the city, crying with a loud and bitter wail. 2 He went as far as the gate of the palace, for no one was allowed to enter the palace gate while wearing clothes of mourning. 3 And as news of the king’s decree reached all the provinces, there was great mourning among the Jews. They fasted, wept, and wailed, and many people lay in burlap and ashes. [2]
As our story unfolds, God answers the people’s prayers and their lives were preserved. Prayer is the power tool for Christians to communicate with the Lord. It is our way of realizing that we have needs and the only provider of our needs is our Father in Heaven. God’s word tells us He will never leave us. Deut. 31:8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” [3]
We can take our worries to Him because He promised to take care of us. 1 Peter 5:7Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. [4] As we pray, we can feel a change in our spiritual life. We can become closer to God when we talk to the Lord on a regular basis. Through prayer, we acknowledge that His love for us is infinite, and He will never leave us. Truly, there is power in prayer and it changes us.
As we communicate with God, we learn that He is truly our great provider and it is only through God that we can receive impossible breakthroughs in our lives. This is what happened in the story of Esther. Although there was an evil plan to destroy the Jews the power of prayer saved them.
What is the Lord prompting you to pray about right now? Take time to talk to God about what He is putting on your heart. To hear more about the story of Esther, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/hope-when-genocide-threatens
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.