Prayer that transforms
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
SUMMARY: Prayer has the power to transform us and turn us into extraordinary people who serve God. It is the most effective way to communicate with God and John Wesley once said, "God does nothing except through prayer." Sanctification depends on individual prayer and periods of inconsistency may occur if we do not pray. Prayer changes our perspective, dimension and nature of things. Learning to pray lies in the extent to which we relate intimately with God. The closer we get to God, the more we will need to speak to Him and prayer will become a delicious necessity. The church should encourage each other to pray to transform disciples. The best way to draw closer to God is through prayer and there are no formulas except the one dictated by the Spirit. God wants to transform us through our prayer.
We regularly pray for God to change things and circumstances and we often ignore that prayer changes us in the first place. Prayer can transform us. It can turn us from ordinary people to extraordinary people; not for our glory but to serve God. All of us are convinced of the power of prayer, however, in general, we are slow and not very diligent in the surely most effective way of communicating with God. John Wesley once said, "God does nothing except through prayer." If sanctification depended on individual prayer, it would be interesting if God showed us from time to time, how much it takes us to be servants that we pray as we should. It is even possible that the Christian's sanctification process goes through periods of inconsistency because he does not pray. It's not that I don't pray enough, it's just that I don't pray.
Prayer has the power to change our perspective of things, the dimension of things, the nature of things. If you want to delve into the supernatural delight of communicating with God, enjoy the privilege of praying to him at all times. Praying does not seem easy - in fact it is not - but the secret of learning to pray lies in the extent to which we relate intimately with Him. The closer you get to God, the more you will need to speak to Him, the more you will enjoy His company and prayer. it will become a delicious necessity.
You will be transformed as the Spirit helps you in your weakness and tells you to pray accordingly (Ro 8:26). The prophet Elijah was never the same again after his prayer on Mount Carmel crying out to the Lord to destroy the holocaust and show the people that only He was God (1 Kings 18:37), Hannah grew in her faithful surrender to God when this fulfilled his beautiful prayer for the Lord to grant him a son (1 Samuel 1:27), David became a man after God's own heart because of the fervor, devotion, and worship he displayed in passionately crying out to the Lord in circumstances difficult that marked his own life and the life of the people of Israel. Ruth, Solomon, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, you and I have never been the same since we decided to satisfy our hunger to pray.
But it's not enough. God wants more in this field; He wants us to speak to him, to remember his mercies, to give thanks for his goodness, for the requests granted, for the full and abundant life that he has given us in Christ Jesus. The church seems to be starving to pray and we should encourage each other to do so. If you want to find a church that transforms disciples, ask for a church that prays. There the miracle will be so daily that it will seem that the Spirit of God permanently encamped to bring bonanza, consolation, blessings and revelation to his people.
There is a verse in the Bible, short, simple, so easy to memorize that we should hang it on the front: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4: 8). How can we approach a God who is all majesty and holiness with our weaknesses and imperfections? Through prayer! That is our privilege, we can all come to the feet of God and seek his face in prayer. The best way to draw closer to God is through prayer. He is usually so close that we can reach him with a simple prayer that comes from a grateful, afflicted, troubled, joyful, or hopeless heart. There are no formulas to pray except the one dictated by the Spirit. Standing, kneeling, prostrate, walking, with eyes closed, open, in the morning, at night, at dawn; He pleases himself with the single disposition of the heart ready to speak to him, loudly, quietly, silently, whispering. Just make sure you don't pray against their will. He can and wants to transform you through your prayer.
God bless you!
Prayer has the power to change our perspective of things, the dimension of things, the nature of things. If you want to delve into the supernatural delight of communicating with God, enjoy the privilege of praying to him at all times. Praying does not seem easy - in fact it is not - but the secret of learning to pray lies in the extent to which we relate intimately with Him. The closer you get to God, the more you will need to speak to Him, the more you will enjoy His company and prayer. it will become a delicious necessity.
You will be transformed as the Spirit helps you in your weakness and tells you to pray accordingly (Ro 8:26). The prophet Elijah was never the same again after his prayer on Mount Carmel crying out to the Lord to destroy the holocaust and show the people that only He was God (1 Kings 18:37), Hannah grew in her faithful surrender to God when this fulfilled his beautiful prayer for the Lord to grant him a son (1 Samuel 1:27), David became a man after God's own heart because of the fervor, devotion, and worship he displayed in passionately crying out to the Lord in circumstances difficult that marked his own life and the life of the people of Israel. Ruth, Solomon, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, you and I have never been the same since we decided to satisfy our hunger to pray.
But it's not enough. God wants more in this field; He wants us to speak to him, to remember his mercies, to give thanks for his goodness, for the requests granted, for the full and abundant life that he has given us in Christ Jesus. The church seems to be starving to pray and we should encourage each other to do so. If you want to find a church that transforms disciples, ask for a church that prays. There the miracle will be so daily that it will seem that the Spirit of God permanently encamped to bring bonanza, consolation, blessings and revelation to his people.
There is a verse in the Bible, short, simple, so easy to memorize that we should hang it on the front: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4: 8). How can we approach a God who is all majesty and holiness with our weaknesses and imperfections? Through prayer! That is our privilege, we can all come to the feet of God and seek his face in prayer. The best way to draw closer to God is through prayer. He is usually so close that we can reach him with a simple prayer that comes from a grateful, afflicted, troubled, joyful, or hopeless heart. There are no formulas to pray except the one dictated by the Spirit. Standing, kneeling, prostrate, walking, with eyes closed, open, in the morning, at night, at dawn; He pleases himself with the single disposition of the heart ready to speak to him, loudly, quietly, silently, whispering. Just make sure you don't pray against their will. He can and wants to transform you through your prayer.
God bless you!
