Why pray? Because it’s a necessity, not a luxury

Why is prayer so important that we are instructed to pray without ceasing? (1 Thess. 5;17). After all, doesn’t the Word say that Christ has provided us with many spiritual blessings and given us many promises?

So why should we pray for these blessings and promises?

Because these do not come to us automatically. If God’s provisions came automatically, prayer would then be just a nice little exercise to keep us out of trouble.

We are to pray without ceasing, because prayer is the channel through which God moves.

Picture God’s blessings, provisions and promises like little clouds hovering over your head, ready and waiting to fall on you.

Then imagine your prayers as your spiritual hand and arm reaching up to pull them down. Prayer is what releases the blessings.

God created many spiritual and natural laws, but the law of prayer has priority over every other existing law.

Scientists say the laws of nature are fixed and cannot be changed. Yes they can, through prayer!

You can move a mountain and defy gravity through prayer.

Prayer and intercession can reverse every natural law as we know it.

We know that liquid flows, yet by the power of God through Moses’ intercession, water rolled back and stood up.

Through Joshua’s intercession the river Jordan rolled back, and the sun stood still in the sky for one day through fervent prayer.

Daniel slept peacefully in the den of hungry lions; the three Hebrew children walked through the fiery furnace unharmed, and Jesus and Peter walked on water.

These are just some examples of how prayer supersedes every other law in the universe.

It is so easy to forget to pray, but prayer is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

Through no other means has God committed Himself to loose His wisdom and His power among men but by prayer.

Your prayers are what loose God’s hands to move, because this is the way He set it up.

Samuel once said to the nation of Israel, “... far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you. ...” (1 Sam. 12:23a).

Samuel understood the power of prayer, and also that God had committed Himself to move through prayer — so it would be a sin against God not to pray for others.

Through Samuel’s prayers, many men of God were raised up.

If God has limited Himself to move through us, and has set us as His channels to bring blessings to others, to our church to our nation, perhaps we need to take a serious look at our lack of prayer.

If we understand that we are indeed God’s channels to bless and help others through our prayers, but have no desire to do so, let’s ask God to give us the burden to pray.

Rev. Anne Barber, is pastor of My Father’s House, 7215 U.S. 301 N., Ellenton. For more information, visit www.myfathershouseinc.com.

This story was originally published October 30, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Why pray? Because it’s a necessity, not a luxury."