How often do you find yourself praying? It is probably more than you think. Prayer is used for family, friends, co-workers. We pray for healing, peace, safety. Prayer is used even when seeking money, new house, new car, new job. People even pray for sports teams, athletes, politicians, movie stars. Do we ever stop and truly think about our prayers? Is it just automatic in our life? What are we really praying for? Whose interests do we have in mind when we pray? Most importantly, do we pray for our glory, or the Glory of God?
Prayer is the lifeline of every believer. When we pray, we are telling God that I have faith in You and Your Kingdom. This statement may sound simple, but should be taken extremely seriously. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, am I praying for my own interests or God’s?
Jesus said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). Remember, we are to walk as Christ walked. “The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked” (1 John 2:6). Is praying to God for your favorite team to win, to own a nicer home, or affording a brand new car advancing the Glory of God’s Kingdom or your own? Is asking for worldly things truly having faith God will provide for you? “And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). God is faithful and supplies all needs to those with true faith.
True faith comes from trusting in God. Trusting your life to Him. Trusting your circumstances to Him. Effective prayer comes from a believer who prays with a great sense of trust. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him” (1 Peter 1:8). How much faith do we need? Jesus said, “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matt. 17:20).
Is our faith perfect? No. Even the apostles had doubts at times. Is our prayer perfect? No. Jesus tells us how to pray. “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in Heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:9-13). We pray for God’s will to be done. Not our own. We pray not to be under temptation from worldly desires brought by the evil one, so that we can live and walk like Jesus Christ. That we may live to glorify God and his Kingdom. “If you love me, you will keep my commands” (John 14:15).
Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the size of a mustard seed can move mountains! With faith in Jesus, nothing is impossible! With faith in Jesus, nothing we pray for is impossible! Only questions is, why are we praying? “You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Effective prayer, faith, trust in our Lord Jesus Christ is all for the Glory of God’s kingdom, not our own. With faith the size of a mustard seed, we can draw down the power of God through prayer and move mountains in order to advance the Glory of the Kingdom of God!
