Power of prayer

TOPIC: THE POWER OF PRAYER . . .
By Pst Israel O. Israel

TEXT: "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16

Prayer is just lovingly, reverently talking to God. Have you ever heard of the A.C.T.S. of prayer? Each letter stands for one kind of prayer. It is not the only or "right" prayer model, but it can help remind us of some of the basic things to cover when we approach our Heavenly Father in prayer:

A = Adoration (praise)
C = Confession (of sins)
T = Thanksgiving (being grateful to God)
S = Supplication (requests)

Adoration and Praise

Our Creator God is wonderful, and He deserves our praise! That’s why it’s good to start by praising Him. It also gives us a right perspective -- God’s greatness and power compared to our smallness. Jesus began The Lord's Prayer by acknowledging God's fatherly love, goodness, and rule over the earth: "Our Father in heaven, may Your Name be kept holy. May Your Kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10).

Confession of Sins

"Everyone has sinned, [and] we all fall short of God’s glorious standard" (Romans 3:23). "Your sins have cut you off from God" (Isaiah 59:2), but we want to be close to Him! If we confess our sins to the Lord, "He is faithful and just to forgive us" (I John 1:9). Holding onto our sins builds a barrier between us and God. Confessing and repenting of them breaks down that wall.

Thanksgiving and Gratitude

How has God blessed you? How has He shown His love for you? Of course, we are thankful for His blessings. But we can even be grateful for problems and hardships, because He can use those to bring us closer to Himself. The Bible tells us to "be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus" (I Thessalonians 5:18).

Supplication and Requests

Jesus taught that we can ask for what we need, and to be persistent in asking: "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" (Luke 11:9). We can trust that "if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (I John 5:14).

The Gospels record Jesus turning to the Father in prayer time after time, day after day. We are to follow His example and "pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17).

"Helping Others Pray”
Scripture: James 5:16

In the Bible, God is clear about the power of the prayer of a righteous person. Isn’t it wonderful that the Creator of the Universe wants us to come to Him in prayer? Furthermore, God moves mightily when His children pray according to His Word!

Let’s go over some aspects of discipleship you can use to teach someone who has come to Christ about prayer.

Teaching your disciple to pray.

Prayer plays a vital role in someone’s relationship with God. Prayer should become a regular part of your life. You can encourage your disciple to begin with spending 15 minutes a day alone with God. Remind them that scripture can be used as a foundation of our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:8-15) is an excellent teaching model for prayer. At first you might pray through it slowly with them, emphasizing a true heart connect with God. Then, using this framework, you can expand and personalize the prayer time.

Encourage your disciple to start a prayer journal. They can write down their prayers and even keep track of prayers that God answers.

Also, encourage "be still" time as a part of your prayer - just being with Him and listening (Psalm 46:10).

Your PRAY NOW Challenge: "Lord, I pray that You will use me to teach others to pray as You pray. Allow them to see the wonder of prayer and the close relationship You want with us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen."