In my daily reading through the Bible this week (see my commitment to reading the Bible this year here), I have learned more about prayer. In Genesis 18:16-33, Abraham pleads for the town of Sodom to be spared. Because of their overwhelming wickedness, the city deserved this punishment. But, out of concern for Lot, Abraham intercedes before God through fervent and persistent prayer. His boldness changed God's mind so that God agreed to spare the city if only ten righteous people could be found. Wow! What an encouragement that God listens to and answers prayer! He desires for us to be a praying people. I am guilty of sometimes subconsciously thinking that my prayers don't matter, especially if life's steps are already determined. This is wrong! It matters that we ask, plead, and wrestle with God! It sure did in this case. This is especially encouraging to me since Cole and I have been reading Operation World and praying big things for the nations (see post here).
Here are some other examples in the Bible that I have found, although I am sure there are plenty more. Moses pleads before God to have mercy on His people and as a result, held back the hand of God from consuming the nation in wrath (Exodus 32:7-14; Psalms 106:23). Psalm 106 is a great one and says, "So he said he would destroy them- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them." Another example is Peter in Acts 12:5-12. This passage says that because prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God, Peter's chains fell off and he was led out of the prison by an angel of God!
I don't know all the theology behind these passages at all, but what I do know is that God hears our prayers. Prayer works! I also experience personally that not only does prayer change God's mind, but most of all it changes mine! I always get a new perspective on things when I spend time in prayer. Get on your knees in His presence.
One of my favorite prayers is Ephesians 3:14-21
Remember this quote by William Lee. "It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are: nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be -- which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much."
Here are some other examples in the Bible that I have found, although I am sure there are plenty more. Moses pleads before God to have mercy on His people and as a result, held back the hand of God from consuming the nation in wrath (Exodus 32:7-14; Psalms 106:23). Psalm 106 is a great one and says, "So he said he would destroy them- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them." Another example is Peter in Acts 12:5-12. This passage says that because prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God, Peter's chains fell off and he was led out of the prison by an angel of God!
I don't know all the theology behind these passages at all, but what I do know is that God hears our prayers. Prayer works! I also experience personally that not only does prayer change God's mind, but most of all it changes mine! I always get a new perspective on things when I spend time in prayer. Get on your knees in His presence.
One of my favorite prayers is Ephesians 3:14-21
4 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family
in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches
he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Remember this quote by William Lee. "It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are: nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they are; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be -- which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much."
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