As I continue this series regarding the 3 strand cord and look at the second strand, I want to discuss the importance of prayer. Entire books have been written regarding prayer so needless to say anything I mention in this post is definitely not an exhaustive analysis on the importance and power of prayer. However, there are some aspects regarding prayer that kept jumping out to me as I went back through those pages of my journal and I want to share those.

I heard someone once say that prayer is the Cinderella of the church. You know the story, Cinderella was mistreated and hidden away from most of society.Yet when she got out and made it to the ball, she was the most beautiful one there, so enchanting that the Prince went on a search throughout the kingdom to find her after the Ball. Well that is prayer for the church. It is often mistreated, not the most exciting thing to do, even seeming cliche and yet when truly put to practice it is the most beautiful and effective weapon the church has in this world. This is because when people stay on their knees in prayer, Jesus, eagerly runs to His bride.

To say it is important to pray is an understatement. The Bible is full of quotes telling us to pray.

1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

Luke 18:1 And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

1 Timothy 2:8  Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.
These are just a few places that Christians are instructed to pray. Why is it so important? Well this Christian walk is a relationship with God and it functions very similar to relationships in the natural. You develop friendships by spending time with people. The more time you spend with someone the more you get to know them and the closer you become. Are you really close with someone that you never spend time with?

The Word Teaches us about Jesus, His teachings, and gives us knowledge on one level, but when coupled with prayer it become illuminated and takes it a step further. It is like a kid who loves Batman. He may have read every comic book available, seen the movies, and watched all the cartoons. He can tell you all about Batman, but if he has never met Batman, does not spend time with Batman regularly, then he does not know Batman. It is the same with Jesus. We can study and learn all about him, and that is good, but it must be coupled with prayer. Talking with God. Taking the time to cultivate that relationship.

This is more than blessing our meals, saying our bedtime prayers and asking him for our needs.
We need to pray more intensely Pray in all circumstances, good or Bad. We need more than just 5, 10, or 20 minute prayers, we need to shake the heavens. All types of prayers: praise and thanksgiving, Intercession, seeking God, crying out when in need, and others. But all types need to be in earnest and with the correct intention.

James 4:3  You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires. Frivolous self centered prayers are not always answered because they are not according to God’s will. Again we see the connection of the first strand with the second, through reading of the word we learn God’s desires and how to pray according to His word, which in turn brings answers to those prayers.

Psalms 145:18 The LORD is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in truth.

Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

The word is clear that prayer, when done fervently and in the right manner accomplishes many things. Now this doesn’t mean there are certain formulas or a set way to pray. It is simply talking to God truthfully, humbly, and without selfish motives. But also with pretentious babbling and vain repetition to make yourself sound good. It is to be with intention and purpose.

The great example to us is the Lord’s prayer: Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father in heaven,
Your name be honored as holy.
10
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11
Give us today our daily bread.
12
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13
And do not bring us into[f] temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one
[For Yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
This shows examples of thanksgiving, asking for just daily needs , repentance, and forgiveness. a great model to follow given by Jesus himself. One of the most important aspects in this prayer is the point of seeking God’s Kingdom to come here as in heaven. There is a tension between the Kingdom of God being here and the Kingdom that is coming. It is like the difference between being adopted and having a hope to be adopted. It is in this tension where we pray and groan.

Romans 8:26-27
26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us[a] with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

When we don’t know what to pray, in our weakness the spirit will lead us, pray through us, and sometimes jus know what we need when don’t, when we can’t even vocalize it. This happens because in prayer you are no longer alone. God is there listening.So pray that you can have an open heaven and live with anticipation of what God is going to do.This is what it means to seek the Lord. The awesome thing about seeking the Lord’s presence is that He will show up. When he does, take time to listen as well. Sit in silence in his presence and let Him speak to you.

Just like when Cinderella went looking to see the prince at the ball in my earlier analogy,the result was the Prince seeking Cinderella to be his bride. Well Jesus eagerly seeks for His Bride, the church. In the story invitations went out inviting everyone to the ball, Jesus invites all of us to seek his presence. Why would we not accept this invitation to be in His presence in prayer?

It is in His presence when we truly experience change in our lives. It is in His presence that the things learned in the Word become truly written upon our hearts.It is through prayer combined with the Word that the anointing flows into our lives. As we saturate our lives in both the word and prayer we find more and more of the presence of God and are forever changed. This is where victory lies, with the presence of the Almighty God. When the Spirit of the Lord shows up, the ropes and chains that have held you bound up become like wax and melt away.

This is the beauty and awesome reward of walking with Jesus. Experiencing love and joy. Not just salvation from our sins that allows us into heaven when we die, but salvation from our sins that allows us to grow in a closer and closer relationship with Jesus hear and now. This does not mean there is no longer troubles, the Bible tells us to expect trials and tribulation. So the Joy of the Lord isn’t the absence of sorrow, but the presence of Jesus. As we pray without ceasing we find ourselves never alone. Our perspective changes because when He is with us, nothing else matters.

So the two strands, the word and prayer, twist together to strengthen our relationship with God and leads us to seek His presence and find it. This seeking the presence of God interlocks with the Great Commission , one flows from the other and leads to the final thread I will discuss in the next post… ACTION.3