The Power & Importance Of Prayer

As we disciple people, we try and stress that Christian disciples should strive to look, speak, and act like the master Discipler, Jesus. 

The goal is not to be a good person or a religious person. 

The goal is to be Christ-Like

As the Church, we 'disciple' in a lot of things, but sometimes overlook some of the most basis and essential things to disciple people in.  One of those things is prayer.  And until we learn that nothing eternal happens without effective prayer, little will happen in our lives in terms of change to circumstances, or particularly, changes in us.

I bet if I asked you how you learned to pray, you'd pretty much say it was by being around other people...hearing them pray...and then essentially imitating their way of praying.  But here's a question for you: What if they were praying wrong?

I use the term 'wrong' very lightly here, because I think very little of our prayer is wrong, per se.  I do however know that a lot of it is ineffective; unbiblical; and often wrongly prioritized.  (ie: has 'self' at it's core)  And this is why I feel it is critically important to disciple new believers in the specific area of intercessory prayer, right from day one.

The Give or Take of Prayer

For the greatest majority of people, Prayer = Petition.  (And most of that asking is for self-gain; self-preservation, or self-related reasons & motives) 

Such prayer focuses more upon 'WHAT' is being asked for rather than focusing upon on 'WHO' we are in relationship with in the asking.  However, since the end-desire is about gaining something verses giving something away, this is understandable.

Intercessory prayer turns the WHO and the WHAT around into their proper order.  We are not mature spiritual persons relative to how effective we are at producing a manifested 'WHAT.' (The thing asked for)  Instead, we are only spiritually mature when we take on the nature of the 'WHO' we are relating to in prayer.

But this [Jesus] because He continueth ever,

hath an unchangeable priesthood. 

Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost

that come unto God by Him,

seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them

Hebrews 7:24-25

Since the moment Jesus took His seat at the right hand of God following the resurrection; He has been interceding for the Church and the world.  This is His present-tense ministry.  So I believe we really need to realize the following: We are never made more in His image than when we are interceding together with Him in co-intercessory prayer for the will of God.

What This Intercession Accomplishes in Others

Intercessory prayer changes the world.  It moves people; communities; regions; countries and nations into the liberty or under the condemnation of the light of God's truth. (Jn 3:16-21) 

Intercessory prayer releases faith.  It releases mercies.  And when driven by a pure love, it never fails to accomplish God's perfect will.

~ Some Examples ~

In the picture above, women who we have been discipling in a drug rehab center lay hands on Pr Jack Terry of Community of Christ Church World Missions. 

In laying hands on him in this way, they counted that they were laying hands on mission works in India, Jamaica, Haiti, churches and pastors in the United States, and works in Russia and China.  They declared the Word of God over those works and people.  They declared His most perfect will be done unto His glory & honor in each of those nations.

Though mostly New Believers, this picture tells the story of their faith.  They believe they are touching those missions.  They believe their prayers are being heard.  And when I heard their prayer, I knew in that same minute, that those missions were most certainly touched.

In the picture at left, mission school children are praying for churches and pastors in the United States.  They start every day with praise & worship and prayer.  They are taught this is 'normal.'

They are taught to pray this way 'even from kindergarten' believing their prayers make great differences in other nations as well as their own.

Are your children being taught this? 

Are you practicing this?