Luke 1:10
And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer.
Today is the National Day of Prayer in the United States. For those of us who live here, we should first offer up a prayer of thanksgiving that we can have a National Day of Prayer. Let’s also pray for all those around the world who cannot openly pray to Yahweh. For all of you who read this devotional and live outside the United States, will you consider this your personal invitation to join with us for a day of prayer? There is no time or space in the Spirit because we are united in the Spirit.
Maybe you will pray with me that we will become a people known for prayer. I think we don’t pray as often as we might because we have lost confidence that our prayers are effective. “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much,” or so Brother James would have us believe (James 5: 16). Maybe we doubt our righteousness, or maybe we just don’t think we have enough spiritual “oomph” to make a difference. Sometimes it just doesn’t feel like our prayers are going to impact a situation. We talk about the power of prayer and we’ve even seen how prayers have turned a situation around, but the confidence leaks out of us when it comes to our prayers. Well, there is help for that. It is called unity. As we unite in prayer, we become stronger. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken,” (Ecclesiastes 4: 12 NIV). Together we can do amazing things! Jesus said, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 18: 19).
The spiritual realm has power. However, we are not well versed in operations within spiritual sphere. When you speak words, they actually have energy. Researchers have already shown that thoughts create an energy signature. They aren’t just wisps that float off into Neverland. Likewise, there is spiritual substance in our words and thus, in our prayers. Even if you feel like you don’t move a lot of spiritual weight, in our combined strength we really can move mountains. And, don’t forget that it is really our heavenly Father doing the heavy lifting, but we have our part as well. He takes our prayers and the spiritual energy they create and molds them into the answers we seek. The long and short of it is that when we combine our energy, we are a powerful team. So, even if you feel like your prayer is weak, in its combination with other prayers the power is enormous. It only took a few men in Wales, devout in their prayers, to bring about a revival.
So today, I invite you, no implore you, to join millions of other people in prayer. Pray all day. Every time you have a minute break, offer up one more prayer. Pray for the people at your place of employment, at your church, at your children’s school. Pray for the leaders of those institutions as well as for the leaders of your country. Pray for the people in the media who deliver news, movies, and music. Ask the Lord of the harvest to touch hearts, bless and heal. Pray for the clerk behind the cash register and the teller at the bank. There is no limit to the number of prayers or the number of people who need prayer. Pray for me.
May God, our Lord and Love, bless your every prayer and may he bless and touch every person and institution for which you pray today. May the blessing return to you a hundredfold for every prayer you offer. And, may His blessed grace unfold itself upon all people that all may see that Jesus is Lord and the savior of our souls. Let the love of our beloved God and Father be seen and demonstrated. I pray that God bless you and keep you in the folds of His embrace.
