If you had to list the hardest thing you do as a Christian, what would it be? Loving the unlovely? Serving others? Praying? For many Christians a consistent devotional life is their greatest test. If there is anything I’ve learned about the Enemy, it is that he is a fighter. Because he dwells in the spirit realm, he knows all too well the power we have available to us in prayer. Therefore, strategist that he is, preventing us from praying is of paramount importance to him.
Napoleon once said “an army marches on its stomach.” In the same way, our effectiveness in our spiritual march is directly proportional to our spiritual nourishment of prayer and Bible study.
Much of the mail I receive from PW’s deal with their feelings of inadequacy — ill equipped for the ministry. Whatever our picture of who we should be looks like, we know we have not, and are not attaining it. However, praying does not depend on talent, money, or the classes we’ve taken. Any of us can accomplish great things on the behalf of our people by our prayers. To pray effectively, what does it take?
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Discipline: Prov. 8:17: “I love those who love me; and those who diligently
seek me will find me.
• Humility: 1 Peter 5:6,7: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand
of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, cast all your cares upon Him,
because He cares for you.
• Perseverance: Matt. 7:7: “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek, and you
shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.”
• Faith: James 1:6: “Ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts
is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”