What if we prayed just 50% more?
Prayer for Spiritual Strength
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV)
I opened my eyes and the first thought I had was, “I need to pray”. I prayed that morning and amazingly God answered my prayers throughout the day. Should I be surprised that He did answer those prayers? I know intellectually and even theologically that God has promised to answer our prayers.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 ESV)
However, I am still at times in awe that the Lord of Lords will hear me and actually answer my prayer! It began to resonate that day as it progressed into the night that God answers prayer, He can’t answer prayer that is non existent. Please do not think in anyway that I am saying God is some Aladdin in a lamp, however His word tells us to ask Him. His word tells us to cry out to the Lord in our times of need and He will answer. In my Seminary studies over the last four and one half years I came across a Martin Luther quote that has become one that I cling to when I am doubting my prayer time –
“No one can believe how powerful prayer is and what it can effect, except those who have learned it by experience. Whenever I have prayed earnestly, I have been heard and have obtained more than I prayed for. God sometimes delays, but He always comes.” ― Martin Luther
So recently the thought that had occurred to me was “What if I simply prayed 50% more”. What if all of God’s people simply prayed 50% more than they are now? What if as a husband and father I just walked through my home and prayed for my family and prayed for the church that much more every day. For the spirit of being vulnerable with you I will tell you that for me it will only cost me 7 min and 30 seconds of my day to do that.
You see I already pray for my family 15 minutes each day (give or take a few). What would my life, what would your life, look like if we all just committed to praying for one another 50% more each and every day? This is not a letter of condemnation to a non-praying people. This is a call to arms for the family that is indwelled with the Holy Spirit to use the greatest weapon ever known to mankind! Begin this week by praying just 50% more each and every day. Let’s see what happens church! Below is the ACTS model of prayer that will help guide you if you would like to follow it.
A – Adoration for who God is and what He does
C – Confession for who I am and the things I have done
T – Thanksgiving for the things the Lord has done, is doing, has promised to do
S – Supplication, Ask God to deliver on those things that are needed
My prayer today:
Lord give me the desire to talk to you more. Give me the need to lean on you more. Restore in me the hope of answered prayers and the steadfastness to actually follow through with just 50% more this week. Give me a heart to pray in such a deep personal way that our relationship is restored. That I pray for mighty things to happen in the lives of those around me and the lives of my family. Give me the faith to know that if you tell me to walk around a wall 7 times it will come down!
Amen
