"And we also thank God continually because, when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV)Do you pray?
If you pray, why do you pray?
Most of us pray when we are broken, hurting, and need God's intervention. God has a grander purpose for prayer. He desires to meet us in prayer so that we can know and be filled with more of Him.
If you pray, what do you pray?
If you are like me, you pray specific prayers asking God to fix something, provide something, or change something in your life. That is how most of us pray. Richard Foster calls these simple prayers. But the real power in prayer comes when we learn to pray God's Word back to Him.
John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." This "word" is "logos." Logos refers to that which comes from God to fulfill His purpose in and for the world, and in and for our lives. God is His Word. When we pray God's Word, we are speaking the very being of God into our situation. When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, God's Word, the Word, lives in us. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 says, "And we also thank God continually because when you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God, which is at work in you who believe."
Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us, "The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to the dividing of spirit and soul, bone and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Jeremiah 23:29 says, "'Is my Word not like fire,' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer that breaks rock in pieces?'" God's Word, spoken by us in and through our prayers, is powerful and effective, so effective it can move mountains, heal the sick, transform hearts, and change lives.
Isaiah 55:11-12 states, "...so is my Word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Jeremiah 1:12 says, "The Lord said to me, 'You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my Word is fulfilled.'" The word "watching" here means "wakeful." God is ever watching, night and day. He never sleeps, ensuring His Word is fulfilled.
Meditating on Scripture, filling ourselves with His Word, causes God's Truth, through the power of His Holy Spirit, to saturate every part of our being, from the top of our head to the tips of our toes. Thus when we pray, we naturally integrate and incorporate it into our prayers. Not only do we align our will with the Lord's, but His will becomes our will. His desires become our desires.
How does this change our prayer life? First, knowing and praying His Word helps us know when we are praying outside His will. But even more than that, it ensures that God will answer our prayers in grander ways than we could ever ask or imagine.
Wendy Blight - Encouragement For Today
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