- What do you think Christians and the churches they attend miss out on when calling on God in prayer is not an essential part of their life and worship?
- People who really believe in God instinctively call on him in petition and praise.
If our churches are built on a foundation of prayer, then why is it that so few people attend the church's weekly prayer gathering or come to receive prayer after the Sunday services? If prayer is the method we were given to communicate with God, who hears and answers our prayers and who heals and provides for our every need, why do so few take advantage of it?
In Ephesians 1:19, Paul says, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms."
Is it possible that our lack of prayer is a result of a lack of understanding of the power that God has for us? Could it be caused from a lack of belief, not in God, but believing God's promises and that He is who He says He is?
Look at how the Holy Spirit is changing peoples' lives by the transforming love of Jesus Christ in remote villages in India where Hinduism or witchcraft is practiced and in Islamic regions of the Middle East. Spirituality is a normal part of the culture in these places. The people of these countries have some type of strong spiritual belief and look to their god or gods for healing and to provide for their needs. For example, if a Hindu is in need of healing and hears that Jesus has the power and authority to heal them, he may pray to him for healing after unsuccessfully praying to many other gods. To him, Jesus is just one of many gods. But as he prays, he believes that Jesus will heal him because a normal part of his life is a belief in the supernatural and that gods exist who heal and provide for him. As a result from his prayer of faith, and to show him that Jesus is the One True God, Jesus heals him. After seeing "the incredible greatness of God's power", he puts his faith in Jesus and gives God the glory, for He was the only god to answer his prayer.
In our culture, to believe in a supernatural God who performs miracles, provides for our every need and heals us from sickness and disease seems to be a taboo subject or exists only in a far-fetched fantasy. The belief in any god is not "normal" and you're looked at as being different and weird. However, there is what seems to be a growing fascination with spiritual mysticism, witchcraft & wizardry, undead spirits (ghosts) haunting and terrorizing people, good and evil spirits roaming the earth, luck and Karma. Faith is placed in the power of luck, Karma, spirits or magical powers rather than in God. The fascination of these ideas even extend into the life of a believer in Christ, causing them to take their focus off of God and place it on these false gods. They blame their circumstances, good or bad, on Karma or luck, rather than accepting the Biblical understanding that we reap what we sow and that sometimes God allows both bad and good things to happen. They might blame or get upset at God for losing their job, but they give the credit to luck when they find a better job, rather than being grateful to God and giving Him the praise. Could this fascination with the supernatural be a scheme of Satan to turn God's people away from Him? To look to magic, supernatural spirits and witchcraft for power, rather than God who grants those who believe Him the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit?
Followers of Christ and the churches they attend, as well as the world we live in, miss out on real belief in God, knowledge of God, spiritual wisdom, insight and an understanding of the incredible greatness of God's power when calling on God in prayer is not an essential part of their life and worship. Not to mention blessings and the incredible life that God created them for. They also fall as prey into the traps and schemes that Satan sets before them and turn to the worship and dependence on false gods. People who really believe in God instinctively call on Him in petition and praise because they trust and believe Him. Imagine what our churches, our cities, our nation and our world might look like if followers of Jesus were devoted to prayer and the things that matter to God.
I love looking at pictures of Asian or Middle Eastern believers gathered in a circle on the floor of a home, with their eyes closed and their hands raised in praise to God. They have deep devotion to God, something that is lost and forgotten within our culture. I pray for this kind of devotion to come and set fire to the hearts of people within our churches and across our nation.
Is it possible that our lack of prayer is a result of a lack of understanding of the power that God has for us? Could it be caused from a lack of belief, not in God, but believing God's promises and that He is who He says He is?
Look at how the Holy Spirit is changing peoples' lives by the transforming love of Jesus Christ in remote villages in India where Hinduism or witchcraft is practiced and in Islamic regions of the Middle East. Spirituality is a normal part of the culture in these places. The people of these countries have some type of strong spiritual belief and look to their god or gods for healing and to provide for their needs. For example, if a Hindu is in need of healing and hears that Jesus has the power and authority to heal them, he may pray to him for healing after unsuccessfully praying to many other gods. To him, Jesus is just one of many gods. But as he prays, he believes that Jesus will heal him because a normal part of his life is a belief in the supernatural and that gods exist who heal and provide for him. As a result from his prayer of faith, and to show him that Jesus is the One True God, Jesus heals him. After seeing "the incredible greatness of God's power", he puts his faith in Jesus and gives God the glory, for He was the only god to answer his prayer.
In our culture, to believe in a supernatural God who performs miracles, provides for our every need and heals us from sickness and disease seems to be a taboo subject or exists only in a far-fetched fantasy. The belief in any god is not "normal" and you're looked at as being different and weird. However, there is what seems to be a growing fascination with spiritual mysticism, witchcraft & wizardry, undead spirits (ghosts) haunting and terrorizing people, good and evil spirits roaming the earth, luck and Karma. Faith is placed in the power of luck, Karma, spirits or magical powers rather than in God. The fascination of these ideas even extend into the life of a believer in Christ, causing them to take their focus off of God and place it on these false gods. They blame their circumstances, good or bad, on Karma or luck, rather than accepting the Biblical understanding that we reap what we sow and that sometimes God allows both bad and good things to happen. They might blame or get upset at God for losing their job, but they give the credit to luck when they find a better job, rather than being grateful to God and giving Him the praise. Could this fascination with the supernatural be a scheme of Satan to turn God's people away from Him? To look to magic, supernatural spirits and witchcraft for power, rather than God who grants those who believe Him the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit?
Followers of Christ and the churches they attend, as well as the world we live in, miss out on real belief in God, knowledge of God, spiritual wisdom, insight and an understanding of the incredible greatness of God's power when calling on God in prayer is not an essential part of their life and worship. Not to mention blessings and the incredible life that God created them for. They also fall as prey into the traps and schemes that Satan sets before them and turn to the worship and dependence on false gods. People who really believe in God instinctively call on Him in petition and praise because they trust and believe Him. Imagine what our churches, our cities, our nation and our world might look like if followers of Jesus were devoted to prayer and the things that matter to God.
I love looking at pictures of Asian or Middle Eastern believers gathered in a circle on the floor of a home, with their eyes closed and their hands raised in praise to God. They have deep devotion to God, something that is lost and forgotten within our culture. I pray for this kind of devotion to come and set fire to the hearts of people within our churches and across our nation.
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