Power Prayer
There are times when I pray for different situations differently. For example, if a person asked me to pray for them, I usually pray right then. I’ve found that I can pray anytime, anywhere. I have also discovered that my prayer voice goes up a notch when I’m scared or hurt. I have also discovered that my prayer voice gets stronger when it’s someone I’m close to.
King Asa of Judah was a follower of God. He cleaned up the country from his predecessor’s leadership. He took down the shrines of idol worship and he led people back to God. The land was at peace because God had given him rest. This other king nearby thought that Asa could be picked off. Check this out…
9 Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.
11 Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”
12 The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, 13 and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the Lord and his forces. The men of Judah carried off a large amount of plunder. (2 Chronicles 14:9-13 NIV)
King Asa’s prayer was simple but powerful. I have a feeling that his “prayer voice” was pretty loud and high pitched. My power prayers are often relentless and desperate. King Asa does seem a bit calm from the text, but I imagine after seeing the vast army that had come to destroy him, he took his prayers up a notch.
I want to grow as a power praying man. I want to continue to walk with the Lord in such a way that He and I talk a lot about everything. I do believe that God hears my prayers and that He acts on them. He doesn’t always answer them the way I want, but I believe He always answers. I want to be a bold prayer warrior. I want to pray about everything and worry about nothing. I want my life to reflect the confidence that I have in God NOT confidence in my own gifts and abilities. In order to do this, I have to put my pride in check every day. I want to claim the words from James. Check this out…
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. (James 5:16 NIV)
Pressing On!
Dwayne