Prayer That Transforms

We usually pray for God to change things and circumstances, and we often overlook the fact that prayer, first and foremost, changes us as well.

Prayer can transform us. It can turn us from ordinary people into extraordinary people—not for our own glory, but to serve God. All of us are convinced of the power of prayer; nevertheless, we are generally slow and far from diligent in what is surely the most effective way to communicate with God. John Wesley once said, “God does nothing except through prayer.” If sanctification depended on individual prayer, it would be interesting if God showed us from time to time how far we still have to go before becoming servants who pray as we ought. It is even possible that the Christian’s process of sanctification goes through periods of inconsistency because he does not pray. It is not that he does not pray enough; he simply does not pray.

Prayer has the power to change our perspective on things, the magnitude of things, the nature of things. If you want to enter into the supernatural delight of communicating with God, enjoy the privilege of praying to Him on every occasion. Praying does not seem easy—in fact, it is not—but the secret to learning to pray lies in the degree to which we relate intimately to Him. The closer you draw to God, the more you will need to speak to Him, the more you will enjoy His company, and prayer will become a delightful necessity.

You will be transformed as the Spirit helps you in your weakness and guides you to pray as you ought (Rom. 8:26). The prophet Elijah was never the same after his prayer on Mount Carmel, crying out to the Lord to consume the burnt offering and show the people that He alone was God (1 Kings 18:37). Hannah grew in her faithful devotion to God when He answered her beautiful prayer that the Lord would grant her a son (1 Samuel 1:27). David became a man after God’s own heart because of the fervor, devotion, and worship he displayed as he cried out passionately to the Lord amid difficult circumstances that marked both his own life and the life of the people of Israel. Ruth, Solomon, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Isaiah, Peter, Paul, you, and I were never the same after we decided to satisfy our hunger to pray.

But that is not enough. God wants more in this area; He wants us to speak to Him, to remember His mercies, to give thanks for His goodness, for answered petitions, and for the full and abundant life He has given us in Christ Jesus. The church seems to be starving for prayer, and we must encourage one another to pray. If you want to find a church that transforms disciples, look for a church that prays. There the miraculous will become so commonplace that it will seem as though the Spirit of God has made a permanent camp there to bring prosperity, comfort, blessings, and revelation to His people.

There is a verse in the Bible—short, simple, and so easy to memorize that we ought to wear it on our foreheads: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). How can we, with our weaknesses and imperfections, draw near to a God who is all majesty and holiness? Through prayer! That is our privilege: we can all come to the feet of God and seek His face in prayer. The best way to draw near to God is through prayer. He is often so close that we can reach Him with a simple prayer arising from a grateful, afflicted, troubled, joyful, or hopeless heart. There are no formulas for prayer other than the one the Spirit dictates to you. Standing, kneeling, prostrate, walking, with eyes closed or open, in the morning, at night, or before dawn—He is pleased simply by the willingness of a heart ready to speak to Him, whether aloud, softly, silently, or in a whisper. Just make sure that you do not pray contrary to His will. He can and wants to transform you through your prayer.

God bless you!