The Power to Pray
TEXT: “And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me" (Psalm 50:15).
The nurse entered the room with the medication that would bring relief from the excruciating pain. The cancer had spread to her bones, her liver, and now it was attacking her entire body. The painkillers were not working. We held hands, saying, “I love you,” with our words and touch. I kissed her and stepped aside as the nurse gave her the medication that would provide sedation—relief from the unimaginable pain.
For two more days her hospital room was filled with people: our children, our granddaughter, our brothers and sisters, their spouses, nieces and nephews, friends and co-workers. While the medication gave her blessed relief from pain, at the same time it prevented her from enjoying the company of those who visited her.
Then the time came.
I was called back to her room from my walk around the halls. The room was deathly still when I entered. Family stepped aside allowing me to sit by my wife. I took her hand just as she took her last earthly breath. Time stopped. Her hand became cold. My wife of 35 years was being welcomed into eternity, and I sat by her bedside.
I opened my mouth, “Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done …“ I choked. I faltered. I stopped.
A hand rested on my shoulder as I heard, “… on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and …”
Together, we spoke, “… forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil …”
And everyone in the room joined in, “… For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever.”
I whispered, “Amen.”
That was the power to pray.
We have the incredible gift of being able to speak directly to God. Often, however, we take this gift completely for granted, neglecting to use it. Sometimes we are so awed by the fact that we can talk to God we only pray when something really important is on the line.
Have there been times in your life when you felt you weren’t able to talk to God, that your prayers were too trivial to bother Him with?
What about this deliverance thing? God promises to deliver you if you call upon Him in the day of trouble. Have there been times when you called out to God in the day of trouble and yet the trouble still came?
Has there been a time when you called upon God in the day of trouble and the trouble still came … but when all was said and done, it actually worked out well for you?
Does God always deliver us from trouble the way we think we should be delivered?
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
We have the power to pray continually. That is an awesome thing. We can call upon God all the time—in every circumstance—and He listens.
How is it possible to pray continually?
Can you think of a time when you called on God for His deliverance, protection, or guidance without thinking? Is that something we develop by an attitude of praying continually?
Do all of our prayers need to be spoken?
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your Name,
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:8-14).
Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Jesus teaches us to pray, also.
What does it mean to speak the Lord’s Prayer, to recite the Lord’s Prayer, and to pray the Lord’s Prayer?
Can you think of a time when you spoke, recited, or prayed the Lord’s Prayer? Does how we verbalize the Lord’s Prayer make a difference in how God hears it?
Jesus warns us not to pray for show or to impress others with our vocabulary. He tells us that God already knows what we need before we even ask for it.
Can you remember a time when God provided for you even before you knew you needed it?
Should we stop praying since God already knows what we need?
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26).
It is a comfort to know that when we do not know what we are to pray for, the Holy Spirit steps in and intercedes for us.
Have there been times in your life when you just didn’t know what to pray for—no matter how you reasoned it?
How is it a comfort to know the Holy Spirit intercedes for you?
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You command us to pray. You invite us to pray. You teach us to pray. Thank You for the power to pray. Help us always to pray--without ceasing. Give us the ability to see Your will is done—not ours. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
The nurse entered the room with the medication that would bring relief from the excruciating pain. The cancer had spread to her bones, her liver, and now it was attacking her entire body. The painkillers were not working. We held hands, saying, “I love you,” with our words and touch. I kissed her and stepped aside as the nurse gave her the medication that would provide sedation—relief from the unimaginable pain.
For two more days her hospital room was filled with people: our children, our granddaughter, our brothers and sisters, their spouses, nieces and nephews, friends and co-workers. While the medication gave her blessed relief from pain, at the same time it prevented her from enjoying the company of those who visited her.
Then the time came.
I was called back to her room from my walk around the halls. The room was deathly still when I entered. Family stepped aside allowing me to sit by my wife. I took her hand just as she took her last earthly breath. Time stopped. Her hand became cold. My wife of 35 years was being welcomed into eternity, and I sat by her bedside.
I opened my mouth, “Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done …“ I choked. I faltered. I stopped.
A hand rested on my shoulder as I heard, “… on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and …”
Together, we spoke, “… forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil …”
And everyone in the room joined in, “… For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever.”
I whispered, “Amen.”
That was the power to pray.
We have the incredible gift of being able to speak directly to God. Often, however, we take this gift completely for granted, neglecting to use it. Sometimes we are so awed by the fact that we can talk to God we only pray when something really important is on the line.
Have there been times in your life when you felt you weren’t able to talk to God, that your prayers were too trivial to bother Him with?
What about this deliverance thing? God promises to deliver you if you call upon Him in the day of trouble. Have there been times when you called out to God in the day of trouble and yet the trouble still came?
Has there been a time when you called upon God in the day of trouble and the trouble still came … but when all was said and done, it actually worked out well for you?
Does God always deliver us from trouble the way we think we should be delivered?
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
We have the power to pray continually. That is an awesome thing. We can call upon God all the time—in every circumstance—and He listens.
How is it possible to pray continually?
Can you think of a time when you called on God for His deliverance, protection, or guidance without thinking? Is that something we develop by an attitude of praying continually?
Do all of our prayers need to be spoken?
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
“This, then, is how you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your Name,
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:8-14).
Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Jesus teaches us to pray, also.
What does it mean to speak the Lord’s Prayer, to recite the Lord’s Prayer, and to pray the Lord’s Prayer?
Can you think of a time when you spoke, recited, or prayed the Lord’s Prayer? Does how we verbalize the Lord’s Prayer make a difference in how God hears it?
Jesus warns us not to pray for show or to impress others with our vocabulary. He tells us that God already knows what we need before we even ask for it.
Can you remember a time when God provided for you even before you knew you needed it?
Should we stop praying since God already knows what we need?
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26).
It is a comfort to know that when we do not know what we are to pray for, the Holy Spirit steps in and intercedes for us.
Have there been times in your life when you just didn’t know what to pray for—no matter how you reasoned it?
How is it a comfort to know the Holy Spirit intercedes for you?
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You command us to pray. You invite us to pray. You teach us to pray. Thank You for the power to pray. Help us always to pray--without ceasing. Give us the ability to see Your will is done—not ours. In Your Name we pray. Amen.
