More Than Ever, Today We Need to Harness the Power of Prayer

I ask myself, "Have there been failures? Absolutely!" If I had a do-over on certain decisions, would I take it? No question! But we fully recognize that our failures have been springboards to constant prayer. 

I’ve never read her publications but I, like you might be, am familiar with bestselling Christian author Stormie Omartian's trilogy of books: The Power of a Praying Woman, The Power of a Praying Husband, and The Power of a Praying Parent.

No, I haven’t read them but I am a firsthand witness to the power of prayer. Vanessa and I have made it one of our most consistent practices over the years.

We are the proud parents of three men, and we are a son and a daughter of aging mothers. We pray for each of them every day without fail, praying God’s blessings and watch-care over them for their specific needs, and the lack we perceive in their lives.

Our sons are men of good character, and for that, we thank God. Our prayers for them are many, but number one on the docket is that they would continue to cultivate a relationship with Jesus and be in community with like-minded believers. We pray for them to find godly mates, but we recognize that their being “complete” will not come from the opposite sex but from a real and abiding relationship with God, their Creator. As a sidenote, reeling in godly daughters-in-law will be a HUGE bonus on theirs and our life journeys. We believe those moments will happen in God’s perfect time, but in the meantime, we encourage them to work on being the very best person they can be to God, to themselves, and to others.

For our mothers, we very much want them to enjoy the evenings of their lives. There’s absolutely nothing within our power we wouldn’t do to make them smile and enjoy their God-given time on Planet Earth. They are both in their 80s, and more than ever, we recognize that every day with them is a precious gift.

As we gracefully move toward 26 years of marriage, I reminisce on the myriad of storms Vanessa and I have weathered together. I ask myself, "Have there been failures? Absolutely!" If I had a do-over on certain decisions, would I take it? No question! But we fully recognize that our failures have been springboards to constant prayer. Our constant prayers have created a life of consistent reliance upon our God who have told us that "all things work together” for our good. Why? We love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Here is why we find peace and solace in all our ways for all our days. Praying together has been one of the longest-lasting and most positive aspects of our married life.
We pray together, morning and night. No, they are not always poetic, lengthy prayers but they are intentional with purpose, a purpose of expectation that God not only hears us, but with the knowledge and assurance that He has answered us time and time again.

We have learned to pray about life matters that are raw and real. When you're in need of God, you're in need of God. This is not a time to play around with life. Hardships make us serious about trusting God to make a way where is there appears to be no way. Hardships bring us home to the presence of our Creator who promised that He wouldn't leave or forsake us. We've learned this over the course of 26 years of marriage, not through osmosis or good thoughts, but by practicing the spiritual virtue of praying in faith.

We pray for those we love as well as those who we know need prayer. We pray for conviction in our own hearts just like Psalm 139:24 directs us, "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." We pray for one another’s unmet needs, knowing full well that we will not find perfect fulfillment in one another. That can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Our prayer life has become far beyond a habit, and it has never become “common,” even after thousands of prayers over these years. It’s a special time, a sacred time, locking hands and locking hearts, bowing our heads and acknowledging who our God is.

Dear reader, we live in a world that is in many respects careening headfirst toward hell. I don’t write that frivolously or lightly but look at humanity. Wrong has become right and right has become wrong. Preteens are allowed to dictate their sex; music lyrics are at all-time low when songs like W.A.P. are celebrated instead of banned; marriage as God meant it to be has been overtaken by abomination; the covenantal rainbow has been appropriated to represent a wordly inclusivity God never intended; and on and on and on. If there were ever a time for the effectual, fervent prayers of the righteous, that time is now.

Because of an abundance of need, there is often an overlooked aspect of prayer that many neglect. That is a prayer of thanksgiving. We must not take the Father for granted - He has been too good. He deserves our praise and adoration! He deserves far more than us reaching out to Him as our spiritual Ready Teller (all withdrawals and no deposits).

On many occasions, Vanessa and I have been reminded to simply offer praise. When we do, we are cognizant that God is for real. He meets our needs in His divine timing, under His divine parameters. And He has taught us that “No” is sometimes the very best thing for us.

Father knows best.

Have you prayed with someone today? Have you thanked the Heavenly Father for what you already have? If you are one who says, “I don’t know how to pray,” do you know how to talk? Talk to Him. God doesn’t require lofty language. He just wants to hear what's in our hearts and what's on our minds. His Holy Spirit will teach us how to pray and what to pray for – no matter where you start, just start. Time is running out for Planet Earth. The signs of the times tell us that we are living in the End Times – no man or woman knows the day or hour but Jesus will return for His bride.

Speak to Him today and behold the power of prayer