Sometimes I feel unworthy to pray, especially after a season of busyness and focus on self. I wonder if God will listen to my prayers. Will they be effective or will my prayers dissipate into thin air? I entertain doubts whether God will answer my prayers.
In this second blog about prayer, I will again borrow insights and quotes from Ronald Dunn’s great book, Don’t Just Stand There, Pray Something: The Incredible Power of Intercessory Prayer.
“God does not welcome us to the throne of grace because of what we have done, but because of what Christ has done. We come in Jesus’ name, and the Father receives us in Jesus’ name.”
It’s important we pray because some things God will do if we ask Him that He won’t do if we don’t ask Him. “You do not have because you do not ask”
(James 4:2).
For example, Jesus’ healing usually came after people asked Him. Blind Bartimaeus cried long and loud before Jesus stopped to listen and give him sight (Mark 10:46-52). Jesus ignored and insulted the Syrophoenician woman before healing her daughter of demon possession (Matthew 15:21-28). Jairus, a synagogue official, begged Jesus to cure his sick daughter. After a delay, Jesus raised Jairus’ dead daughter to life (Mark 5:21-24, 35-43).
And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son (John 14:13). The following verse repeats the promise: “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14).
In John 14:12, Jesus says we will do greater works. We do greater works, but it’s Jesus doing them through us.
Why does Jesus commit Himself to act when we ask? He tells us the “Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). It’s not that we get what we ask for, but that God is glorified in our getting it.
We pray in Jesus’ name only when we ask according to His will and when the answer brings glory to God. An example is Elijah who claimed God’s promise of sending rain. He prayed seven times according to God’s will, which brought glory to Him for everyone to see (1 Kings 18:1,41-45). Ahab heard previously “there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word”
(1 Kings 17:1).
For what request will you pray in Jesus’ name according to His will so the answer brings glory to God?
