I think that a lot of people have no idea of the importance of prayer. I believe that prayer is the most powerful force for change in the world. Prayer is the force that shapes world events and changes history on the global scale. On the individual scale, prayer rescues lives that are destined for failure and death.
Yet, for many believers, prayer is simply an afterthought. If we’ve tried everything else, we might as well pray, it can’t hurt. Many people think that things happen in the world simply by chance or luck. What effect could prayer have on chance?
God’s Word teaches us that nothing happens by chance, God is in control of everything. And even more astounding than that, is the fact that God does nothing but in answer to prayer. In other words, God has limited Himself to only moving in the world in response to the prayer of believers.
Amos 3:7 (NIV) Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
God reveals his plans to his servants so that they can cooperate in prayer with God to bring those plans into reality. In the Old Testament, the prophets were limited to a few people who walked with God. In the New Testament, Jesus said:
John 15:15 (NIV) I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
If you’re a believer this morning, Jesus calls you a friend. He wants to share with you His plans for your life, for the lives of people around you, for your church and for your country. Why would He want to do that? So that you can bring those plans into reality through prayer. Remember what we are to pray in the Lord’s prayer.
Matthew 6:10 (NIV) Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We are to pray for God’s will, His plan or purpose to be done on earth. This is not just praying for the distant future when Jesus comes back again. This is praying for today, tomorrow and next month. And if you and I don’t pray, God’s plans are not going to happen, at least not in our lifetime. Prayer matter because it changes things, in fact, prayer can change everything.
Listen to my August 29, 2010 message “What Prayer Accomplishes.”