Saturday, January 31, 2009

The Importance Of Prayer

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest" (Matt. 9:37-38).

Prayer is essential in the Christian's life. Without it, your witness will be far less effective, and you will be far more vulnerable to the enemy. When you witness, you need the blessing and support of the Lord. You need to be in fellowship with Him.

Prayer makes this all possible. When you witness you plant the seeds of the Gospel, but it is God who causes the growth.

In prayer you ask God to give that growth. In prayer you ask God to convict the unrepentant of their sin and by that awaken in them the need for salvation.

In prayer you, "...let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6). Think back to your own conversion. Were there people praying and requesting your salvation?

Jesus prayed frequently (
Matt. 14:23
; 26:36; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; John 17).

Paul prayed (Rom. 1:9; Eph. 1:16). Stephen prayed (Acts 7:55-60). You must pray. God wants you to pray to Him and have fellowship with Him (John 1:1-4).

Why? One reason is that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against powers and the spiritual forces of darkness (Eph. 6:12). That is where the real battle is, in the spiritual realm.

You need prayer. Prayer is one of God's ordained means for you to do spiritual warfare and sharing the Gospel is definitely spiritual warfare.

Another reason to pray is that you can actually influence God with your prayers. If you are doubtful, then look at
2 Kings 20:1-7
. King Hezekiah was told by the prophet Amoz that he should set his house in order because he was surely going to die (v. 1). Hezekiah prayed earnestly (v. 2,3). The Lord heard his prayers and said, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. And I will add fifteen years to your life" (v. 5). Hezekiah's prayer made a difference.

That is why you, as a Christian, can be an effective witness, because you have influence with God and because you can ask God to save. Prayer is a vital part of witnessing.

What should you pray for?

Pray for more people to witness. Jesus specifically asked you to pray to the Father and ask Him to send workers into the field (
Matt. 9:37-38
). What is the field? It is the world of sinners.

Who are the workers? They are people like you. Jesus wants people to find salvation and enjoy eternal fellowship with Him.

He wants you to preach the Gospel. He has given this command "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Matt. 28:19). Your witness for God may or may not be verbal. But either way, you need to pray and ask God to give you strength, love, and insight.

Pray for compassion for the lost. Compassion is a necessary element in witnessing. It motivates you to speak, to teach, and to pray for others to come into the kingdom of God. Compassion helps you to cry over the lost and to come to God in humble request for their salvation. Paul said, "Brethren, my heart's desire and by prayer to God for them is for their salvation" (Rom. 10:1).

Pray for the desire to witness. Pray this regularly and watch the Lord change you and give you a desire to reach out and tell people about Jesus. God will grant your prayers and joy will fill your heart as you fulfill the command of God by witnessing.

Pray for boldness. Pray for the courage to step out in faith and speak up when needed. Many Christians are timid because speaking a word for the sake of the Lord can be risky and frightening. Boldness gives you the courage to risk ridicule and to endure the scorn. Ask God for it. "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Tim. 1:7-8).

Pray to the Lord to bind Satan and his angels. There is a hierarchy of demons seeking to hinder your witness and steal the seeds of the Gospel that you plant. You cannot fight spirits with reason or flesh and blood, but you can ask the Lord to fight. With prayer you can assault the camp of the enemy and weaken his false kingdom.


Prayer is a mighty tool, a powerful tool. You need it if you are going to witness.


Pray for your needs. Do you have a close walk with God? Do you need a deeper fellowship with Him? Do you have sins you need to confess and forsake? If so, then pray. Enjoy your privilege of coming to the Creator of the universe who meets your every need. He loves you. He wants to hear from you and He wants you to make your needs known to Him.


"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6).

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you my friend... You know I believe and believe in Prayer...

Peggy said...

Awesome & powerful truths!

Great scriptures!

Praying and know the importance deep down in my being!

Heavenly Father,
Let me never be anxious for anything.I give You everything in prayer and supplication with MUCH thanksgiving.

I am making my request known to You. Lord, hear us from heaven!
Open the gates of heaven and pour
out Your heavenly Power & change me
one step at a time, one day at a time, may I walk ever closer in my
prayers & spiritual life to You, Your teachings, Your WORD!

Thank You that I can come boldly to Your Throne of Grace and awesome Majesty to ask of You everything.

So today I ask for:
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
...............................
Be it according to Your Will &
way. All unspoken favors You hear.

In Jesus Precious Name and with confidence and assurance in You

Cathy said...

Dear Father,
We praise and worship you this day with beautiful music.

Send labourers for the harvest of souls. We pray for a mighty harvest of souls. Give us wisdom and strength to witness for you. Our world needs Jesus now.

And thank you for meeting all our needs. You are the great I AM, and nothing is too hard for you.

In Jesus name, Amen

Peggy said...

Heavenly Father,

Thank You so much that the harvest is plentiful! The field is ripe!
Send in the workers! Nothing is too difficult for You. I am Yours and You are mine. I declare this city is Yours & we are preparing to take this city once again. Carnaval is coming soon. Sinners are many that need You and have not yet been told
the Gospel of Christ or that Jesus saves. Open the doors and let Your Kingdom come. Show us the way to reach many for You! Plant seeds.

Lord, we need intercessors, we need people in ministry, we need people with a purpose, we need people with compassion, we need people with a mission, we need to grow. Stretch us. Cause us to want to witness of the glory of God. Forgive us for being lukewarm. Stir us up.

I bold come to Your Throne of Grace.

My devotional had this prayer and it is exactly what I need for this day even at the close of this day.

I ask You Almighty Father, to search me, check my heart and attitude today. Remove any attitudes or thought patterns that would keep me from Your best. I will stay open to the new things You have in store for me. In Jesus' Name I pray...and Thank You with Praise.

Anonymous said...

Praying with thanksgiving: I wanted to offer up this prayer:

Dear Lord, thank You for these magnificent women, these prayer warriors, who have helped to pray me through a horrible time. Please bless them, Lord, in this ministry and allow me to take part and join with them in any way that I can because prayer is powerful. Lord, thank You so much for the blessings that You showered over me in the last week. You have re-centered me and refilled me and revitalized me in Your spirit and I am so grateful. I just can't praise Your holy Name enough! Thank You, Lord, for You are holy and just and merciful and ever faithful.

Peggy said...

Heavenly Father...Praise You most holy Lord! Thank You so much for Shelby! Thank You for her prayer to YOU! Thank You for the refreshing, revitalization, and renewal You do in each of us when we come to You & draw from the Living Water from your well that never runs dry! Keep Shelby filled with Your Holy Spirit! Energize her daily! Shelby needs You each day! Please send her constant encouragement & breathe New Life continually into her! Help her not to grow weary and to trust in You even when she can't see You or Your hand upon her. Bring her here often to share & pray with us & for us! I thank You for her prayer & support of thanksgiving! You are so awesome Lord! We continue to wait upon You for much more replenishing & recentering Shelby on YOU! Her ROCK! May Shelby hold on for ALL You still will do for her as she stays focused on the positive & what YOU plan for her!

Bless you as you have blessed us!

It's Time to Pray


TheDanielPrayer_Meme_5

PRAYER for Our Nation

This was shared in an email from the Presidential Prayer Team:

Declaration of Independence Signer

Samuel Chase
George Washington (1732-1799), 1st President of the United States

"Almighty God: We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy Holy protection; and Thou wilt incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government; and to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the Characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." --

This prayer of George Washington appears in St. Paul's Chapel in New York City.

To read MORE go here with Presidential Prayer Team