"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:31
As we enter our third week of 30 Days of Prayer for Christmas Eve, I want to help focus our attention on two things. One, when the people of God get before Him in prayer, God shows up and works. Two, the power that God shows up with when His people get before Him in prayer.
If we have a right understanding of God through His Word, then we must have a greater understanding of prayer as well. It is commonly said, "There is power in prayer." And, while I understand what is being said (James 5:16 literally says, "the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."), we cannot let ourselves think for a moment that we have power in anything we do. There isn't any power in our prayer. There is power in the One we are praying to. We are given access and allowed to come before the Lord Almighty with boldness and confidence to ask that He exert His power in a given matter on our behalf. And, He does, if what we are asking is in accordance with His will.
Presently, we are in a season of prayer. We are asking for some things that, at face value, probably seem simple and small. For example, the effective planning and setup for Christmas Eve, the logistics, and our safety. These are not overly complicated. However, even these things are utterly impossible for us without the strength and power of God. And, if these are impossible for us without Him, how much more do we need His power for things like the protection of our families and our work from the enemy, our unity in spirit and mind, and, most importantly, the salvation of lost souls.
In this season of prayer, I am asking that God shake the place in which we are gathered. That we all, filled with the Holy Spirit, speak the Word more boldly, care more compassionately, and love more compellingly. We have two weeks remaining, don't stop praying now. Start praying more, now!
Grace & Peace,
John
(You can reach Pastor John at jwhite@thevillagemi.com)