Do We Believe Prayer Works?

1 Thess 5:17 reminds us to “pray without ceasing.”

Initially this may sound daunting—pray without ever stopping? We eat without ceasing—every single one of us eats without ceasing because, otherwise, we’d be dead from starvation.

Again, what about our praying? Do we pray without ceasing? How might we know?

In any and every relationship communication is the lifeline—the connecting point. Without communication there’s really no relationship to speak of. God speaks to us through His word: Are we listening to Him?

We all want more faith. That’s great, but how are we helping ourselves to His word? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17).

Are we growing in Christ? Do we only call upon Him in prayer when we’re in need? Or do we make the time in prayer to praise Him?

1 Pet 2:9 reminds us that we “are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

James reminds us that if we lack wisdom we are to “ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (1:5-8).

The story is told of a congregation in a farming community that had been praying for rain. After one such prayer had been offered, a little boy sadly assessed it all by saying to his Dad that no one believed. “Why would you say such a thing?” The boy replied, “Because no one’s carrying an umbrella.”

Do we really believe prayer works? Are we asking God for rain and not carrying an umbrella?