Precondition for effective prayer is prayer in practice

Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ!I welcome you in our column „Daily Word for Spiritual Strength”!

If you remember, already for several weeks we have been talking about a prayer. We have been talking about three calling in the life of a believer:

• Just as a prayer was a priority in the lives of heroes, whom the Bible speaks about, prayer must become a priority in a believer´s life.
• Prayer must come prior to anything what we do. Before we begin to do something, we need to pray. In particular, it refers to the spiritual ministry, because the strength is not in us, but the strength is with God! And God gives us His strength through prayer! We can say beautiful words, to say wise prayers, but only God gives life and strength to what we say and do. We can be active, but if all our actions will not be covered with God´s power, it will have no life. Prayer – it is what gives our lives and all that we do, the heavenly aroma.
• 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.This week I gave my children a lesson. My wife put her purse somewhere and could not find it. We were looking for the purse with our children, but could not find it. Then I turned to my children and asked them: “Do you believe that God answers prayer?” They replied, “Yes, we believe.” I asked, “Are you sure?” They replied, “Yes.” So I said, “Go and pray and find your mother’s purse. But once you find it, tell me about it.” It was a challenge. I did not tell them “if you find,” but said that “you will find, as you pray.” They prayed, searched, but did not find it. Often we pray and believe that everything should happen instantly. But if not, we think that prayer does not work. My middle son Thomas then told me: “I walked into the kitchen and thought that mom came from the store with that purse, and usually she immediately goes to the kitchen.” These thoughts came from God! Do you remember, we were talking about the fact that prayer is a two-way conversation. When we pray to God, we must leave a space so that He could speak to us. Thomas told me that after the prayer, he went to the kitchen, and as soon as he was there, his eyes gazed directly to the place where mom´s purse was located. Until then, we all had looked there, but did not find it. But as soon as children had prayed – thoughts came from God, the children followed these thoughts and the purse was found. Imagine how great their joy was. Thomas called me and said, “Daddy, we found the purse!” I told him: “Good job! You see, prayer works, it works! You must always pray!” I used a moment to give my children a lesson about the importance of prayer. And I believe that they will remember it. I recommend you also do the same, because what we have learned ourselves, we must pass it further, and God will help us at. And even if the children understand everything in their own way, in a child-like way, it still works, it works. Let us remember that prayer – it is a two-way conversation. Prayer should be the priority in our lives.

We will continue tomorrow!May the Lord bless you!Pastor Rufus Ajiboye