I n his book The Circle Maker, Pastor Mark Batterson, shares a number of prayer principles that succinctly help me to remember some things about prayer. Over the next 4 weeks I’ll share a few of these and make a few comments.
Prayer is the difference between YOU FIGHTING FOR GOD and GOD FIGHTING FOR YOU.
Yes, we want to fight for God as a part of His army BUT it is much more important that He fight on our behalf. This is where prayer comes in. We do not want to be on the battlefield without Him. He has called us to arms but he has not called us to go into battle alone. He is a fierce fighter – and most battles are lost before they begin because God is not on the battlefield.
Prayer turns appointments into DIVINE APPOINTMENTS.
I’ve been pondering this past week in Ephesians 5 where Paul says to “make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.” When I am intentional about praying I am much more tuned in to the Spirit of God and recognize that even random encounters with people are divine opportunities that God has set up for me to take advantage of.
Pray like it DEPENDS ON GOD and work like it DEPENDS ON YOU.
God has established that people are to be His means of spreading the gospel and advancing the kingdom. There is not a back up plan. If we don’t get the job done then the job does not get done. But it is God working in and through us that brings results. As we pray and as we abide in Him, the Spirit of God is unleashed and God can work in ways that He otherwise cannot. John 15:5,7 says “Apart from me you can do nothing” but “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.”