Award Winning GENESIS SCHOOL OF MUSIC

➡️A bar was being built in a town that was dry. A group of Christians opposed the construction and began an all-night prayer meeting, asking God to intervene.

Lightning struck the building, burning it to the ground. The owner of the bar brought a lawsuit against the Christians, claiming they were responsible. The Christians hired an attorney, claiming they weren’t responsible. The judge said, “No matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear: the bar owner believes in prayer, and the Christians do not.” 

That’s a story from author Derrick Jeter – i’m sure it’s not true, but it has a lot of truth in it. I have served at churches and I’ve been on staff at churches where the prayer meeting was always the smallest crowd of the week.  Prayer is probably the greatest gift that God has given us that we never open…the sad fact is, people simply do not pray.  We attend, we sing, we serve…but we don’t pray.  

In my next post, I want to share some simple concepts on how to pray – but in this post I want to encourage us with five reasons why we should pray…coming from James 5:13-18. It says, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.  Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

1…Prayer helps us in our troubles. James 5:12 doesn’t say that God will take us out of our troubles, it only says if we are in trouble, pray.  In Daniel chapter 3, for example, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish men who would not bow down to an evil king. The king got so angry at their disobedience, he decided to throw them into a fiery furnace. This was definitely trouble. However, God met them where they were, and their biggest problem actually became their biggest testimony. In the same way, God may not deliver us out of our troubles, but he will at least meet us there. And that changes everything.  In James 1, it says to considerate joy when we face trials of many kinds, because trials and troubles always make us better.

2…Prayer keeps us healthy. James 5:15 says if anyone among us is sick, they should call the elders of the church, be anointed with oil and pray – and the sick person will be made well.  When we pray, it brings us into communion with God, and one of his names is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. Just because we see good people not being healed does not mean that we need to take that scripture and throw it out. The Bible still says if we’re sick, pray and we will be healed.  The word “sick” in verse 15 in the original language actually includes emotional sickness, mental sickness, and spiritual sickness.  And if we pray, we will be healed – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. 

3…Prayers are powerful and effective.  James 5:16 says that our prayers make a difference.  Translated in the original language, this verse says that our prayers will strengthen us with combative, confrontive power to achieve all that we have faith for.  It is being filled with the power of God, and taking care of spiritual business to get things done for the kingdom.  

4…Prayer connects us with the supernatural.  James 5:17-18 says that “Elijah was a human being even as we are; he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain on the land for 3 1/2 years.  Again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, and the Earth produced his crops.”  When we pray, it connects us with all that God is, including his supernatural power. He is provider, healer, defender, Waymaker, miracle worker;  he defeats armies, opens up red seas, and closes the mouths of lions.  If you are not seeing the supernatural in your life, you might need to look back to your prayer life. A man who prays is a man who will see the supernatural. 

5…This is not taken from James 5, but it’s one of the top reasons to pray. Jesus prayed.  Luke 5:16 says, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”  Even Jesus, who was God in the flesh, realized he could not do what he was called to do without prayer.  As a Christian I declare that I am a follower of Christ, so I do what he did.  I follow his example as I pray. 

In the Jewish culture, they have three set times every day for prayer.  This is what Jesus did, since he was a Jew.  We also see this in the life of Daniel when he prayed three times a day. And we see this with the disciples when they were going to the temple for the afternoon time of prayer.  They prayed in the morning, one hour before sunrise; in the afternoon, around 12 PM; and in the evening, after they see the first three stars in the sky.  I’m sure some of you guys are saying that’s probably a little too religious for me, too much of a routine.  You would rather “feel” your prayers – you want a relationship, not religion. However, this was not displayed in the life of Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus went to the temple, as was his custom. It was just the right thing to do.  If I want a good relationship with my wife, for example,  I spend time with her. We do this when we feel it, and when we do not feel like it. It’s just the right thing to do. It’s the same thing with our heavenly father.  If we want a good relationship with God, we spend time with him – when we feel like it and when we do not feel like it.

I want to encourage you, in the morning, pray; in the afternoon, pray. In the evening, pray. Before you go into that meeting, before that test, before that luncheon, before your workout session, before walking into the office. Pray!  Don’t wait until you feel it. Just pray!

In closing, Philippians 4:5-7, says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, that peace – after you pray – will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

That is so good – it’s in the Bible and the Bible is always right.