Author: Pastor Rufus Ajiboye

What are we going to do with the truth we have heard – the truth about importance and crucial nature of prayer? We must change! First, we need to ask God to help us to pray constantly. Second, we may ask other people you consider being strong in prayer to pray for you and help you put your prayer life in order. There is no shame in asking someone to pray for you.

I remember a period in my life when I had lost a desire to pray; it seemed boring and my prayer seemed lifeless. And for some reason I wasn’t able to change it.

One of the important habits that we need to develop is to pray daily. Prayer must become habitual. God desires to teach us how to forsake bad habits and to develop good ones.

Some people have a habit of wasting time. They may know that they need to pray, what they need to pray about, what prayer does etc, but they still don’t pray because they seem to lack the time, since they waste their time on wrong, unfruitful things – TV, computer, telephone conversations and so on. We must make an effort and find the time to pray.

«Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son» (John, 14:12-13).

When Jesus Himself says ‘most assuredly’, it means He wants us to pay attention. These two verses are connected. Jesus says that we can do the works that Jesus did and even more, if we pray. Jesus tried to tell His disciples that He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth and that He will represent them in heaven, because He will be sitting with Him on the heavenly throne. Jesus told His disciples that they should ask in His name and that He would do what they ask so that His Father would be glorified.

You may ask why people act the way they act? Why don’t people sometimes understand very elementary things? Why do people hear the truth, but do not change? There are invisible things that keep people in bondage. There are strongholds that cannot be destroyed by teaching, sermons, instructions and lectures. They are spiritual things. What happens when the church prays? These strongholds collapse and some real changes take place. We cannot afford not to pray and try to admonish other people; usually people listen to us, say that they understand, but do the same thing all over again.

Everything that devil has bound up in your life – your miracle, your promises, – can be released to you by the supernatural power of God. But for it to happen, prayer must become your number 1 priority.

Take any Bible story and you will see what powerful prayer of believers is able to accomplish. For example, what did Daniel do when he was thrown into lions’ den? Did he pray? No, it was too late to pray. He had been praying long before he got to this point in his life. It is too late to pray when you are in a den with some lions. You must pray before anything like that happens! Daniel prayed three times a day every day.

If prayer becomes a priority in your life, your life will show signs of obvious favour from God and men. But every person must taste it for himself; it is not enough to hear about it. It is through prayer that we can experience the goodness of God. It strengthens our relationship with God. It helps us to have confidence in God despite the circumstances. I am sure that my God is good, because I have personally experienced it. I have tasted His goodness through prayer.

We can not do the works of God without God. Very often in our own strength, we try to do what God requires us to do with Him. Often we rely on ourselves and on things we already know. Often we rely on our experience. But when the prayer is our priority we understand that when relying on ourselves and doing the job without prayer, we are wasting time and energy. Without a strong prayer movement in the church, the church vision cannot be accomplished. It´s just not possible!

Prayer must be practiced daily. We will not be able to become masters and professionals in what we do not practice every day. If we do not practice prayer, we will not know how to pray properly. Again I would like to emphasize one truth we spoke of last time. In the life for each of us, once the time comes when most of all we need prayer. But if we do not practice prayer daily, we will not be able to ask and receive the necessary assistance from God at that particular time. May this not happen with us.

Prayer changes us and the things that are around us, it changes our world. Everyone can find that a prayer is power, it is a privilege for a believer from God Himself.

Why does Satan hate it and is afraid of the prayers of the children of God? This is because in a prayer, we and God become a team – an invincible team. In the Book of Daniel, there is a description of an event when a certain group of people prompted the king to issue a law prohibiting contact in a prayer with the living God. Except for the living God, they were allowed to pray any other gods. They were allowed to ask for help to people, but not only living God. And it was Satan´s plan. Why does Satan put these obstacles? Because he realized that the prayer is power.

Prayer is the living breath of heaven. As believers, we can be givers and can be involved in many important activities; nevertheless, without prayer all this ‘work’ will lack the heavenly breath of life. Take a look at artificial flowers: they are beautiful, but have no aroma. We are able to do good works without prayer; but we have to realize that our works will lack the aroma of life, the footprints of heaven. If these flowers were alive, then they would smell.