Power in Prayer

By Paul Chappell

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

John 15:5-7

The promises of prayer in the Bible are many, yet if we are honest, we would have to admit that most Christians do not see their prayers answered in a great and powerful way. We know that God never changes from age to age—His power is as great as it was in the days of Moses, David, Daniel, John, and Paul. The reason we do not see great answers is not found in God but in our own lives.

Charles Spurgeon said, "If you want that splendid power in prayer, you must remain in loving, living, lasting, conscious, practical, abiding union with the Lord Jesus Christ." Sometimes we treat prayer like a fire escape. It remains available but unused, until we have an emergency! Using prayer that way forfeits the close communion and fellowship that our time with God presenting our requests to Him is meant to provide for us.

God certainly does not need us to pray to inform Him of what we need. He already knows not only what we will ask, but whether what we ask is best for us. However, like a loving parent, He still encourages us to come to Him and create a meaningful relationship that includes, in part, prayer. The time that we spend in the Word and in prayer is about far more than just getting our needs met. It is the resulting fellowship that brings abundant joy.

Today's Rooted Principle:

Your power in prayer is directly proportional to your abiding in Christ.