“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)
IN THE beginning, God and His people were in constant communication. However, whenever there was sin, this communication either faded out or was totally cut off. It was never God who cut off the communication lines but the people themselves—they draw back and become afraid because they know that they have stepped out of God’s covering, and found themselves naked.
God, because He loves us so much, still provided a way for us to go back to Him and continue to communicate with Him - and that is through prayer. When we plead, adore, worship, ask for forgiveness and give thanks to God, we are praying. However, praying is not one-way communication but we must take time to listen and perceive what God is saying.
We, as His masterpiece, should be in constant communication with our Creator. When we are in a cross-road and do not know which path to take, pray, consult our Omniscient God and He will give us wisdom. When we are weak, pray–our bodies will be quickened by His Omnipotent Spirit. When we are filled with joy and are blessed, pray–give thanks to our Provider. When we are strong, pray–praise our Living God for the life He has bestowed upon us. When family members are unwell, pray–ask for forgiveness in whatever areas we lacked, and ask for healing from our healer and miracle-worker. When the city is in chaos, pray–invoke the presence of the Prince of Peace. When the nation is prosperous, pray–glorify our Redeemer. Through prayer, we can prove that God is our all in all.
Prayer is not for God but for us so that we could live an abundant and victorious lives. There is a saying which goes, “we become what we worship.” As we constantly pray and commune with God, we receive His attributes of love, peace, joy, meekness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) and other fruits that would help us become overcomer in all the challenges we are facing. We will receive the grace to govern and the power to prevail amidst the circumstances.
As long as there is life, it is never too late to bring back our relationship with God. Seek Him and you will find Him—seek Him through His Word, the Holy Scriptures. Pray His Word and it will never return to us empty. Remember that there is power in prayer. Praying His Word, is our weapon in fighting sin, corruption, hatred, bitterness and all other illnesses our community, city and nation are experiencing. Humble ourselves before Him and turn from our wicked ways. As a consequence, “I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV))
Start praying now. Make it your lifestyle, and you will be lead to a more fulfilling life.