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LEARNING TO PRAY, AGAIN

prayer-conversations-“Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.”(John 14:11-14 MSG)

What do you think of when you hear the word prayer? Do you think of a solemn and sacred communication between you and God? Perhaps you think prayer is an arduous practice of dedication and ritual? Or maybe prayer is a comfortable conversation you engage in daily with God? Like many people I have approached prayer in the afore mentioned ways as well as read a variety of books, journals and testimonies of how prayer has changed people’s lives and circumstances. When you consider the actual practice, or ritual, of prayer you will discover prayer is not uniquely Judeo-Christian. Many faith persuasions encourage prayer, meditation and ritual, for faithful devotees, to connect with their understanding of God or the divine. However, within the Judeo-Christian worldview, prayer is not an action that prepares us for greater works, prayer is the greatest work!

But why is prayer the greatest work? In Jesus’ teachings prayer was never introduced as a means to achieve an end. In fact, prayer was taught and remains a miracle of emancipation, which continues the ongoing phenomenon of deliverance, in us, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is the great miracle of communication where we are able to commune with God and He responds. At times prayer is pleading, begging, thanking, loving and hoping, but most of all prayer is a miracle because prayer is personal and liberating.

Have you ever watched an old war movie or read a story that addressed the struggle of humanity? When you are immersed in the story, through real life events, prayer is often the only thing left to do in the most desperate of times. And yet, time and time again prayer works! It liberates, like a miracle perfectly timed from God, and sets you free to continue your journey. Yes, prayer can be a battle. Why? Because the necessity of prayer is indifferent to where you are and whichever way God engineers your circumstances your responsibility is to pray because in prayer you learn to center your life in the life of Jesus!
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The power of prayer is so effective that even your enemy, Satan, tries to dampen your zeal by planting the alien thought there is no use for prayer because of your failures. THAT IS A LIE! Wherever God has placed you, and in whatever circumstances, pray, Whatsoever ye ask in My name, that will I do. I’ve been guilty, at times, believing my best prayers were those of a physical nature where some kind of thrill is attached to my times of intense meditation. And I have also learned such expectations indicate a spiritually selfish attitude in me. Prayer doesn’t have to be a frenzied firestorm or even a meek contemplation. But prayer has to be sincere, from our heart to His, for a dialogue to really occur. In communion, with Jesus, comes intimacy; and the intimacy He longs for is genuineness in us. You see prayer is not just an endeavor, like many routine actions, it is the deed of authentic love, communion and genuineness that brings us back to a place of divine innocence where we live life as He (the Father) always designed us to live.

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA