1 Kings 18:16-19, Mk 11:22-25, Acts 4:29-31, Matt 18:18-20, 1 Jn 5:14-15

Clive Urquhart

Picture the scene - the odds were stacked against him; one against four hundred and fifty. The crowds gathered to witness the showdown. Was it to be God's man or the Baal prophets who were going to be proved right? Whose God was the real God? Which one could send fire from heaven to burn up an offering?

In the middle of intimidation and pressure, God's man confidently took centre stage. As the Baal prophets called on their god hour after hour to send fire from heaven, God's man taunted, jeered and even made jokes about their god. To their total dismay nothing happened.

Then God's man stepped up. He built a stone alter with a trench around it and arranged the sacrifice. He drenched the whole thing with gallons of water. After this, he stepped forward and prayed one simple prayer, 'Let it be known that you are God and that I am your servant and that I have done all these things at your command. Answer me, so they will know that you are God, and that you are turning their hearts back to you.'

Then fire fell. The sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the soil and all the water were totally burned up. The people fell down and cried out, 'The Lord - He is God, The Lord - He is God!'

The power of prayer is not in the amount of words we say or the length of time we pray. Jesus said we wouldn't be heard for our many words. He said, "Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
Mk 11:22-25

It's easy to think we should pray, have to pray and are supposed to pray if God is going to do something. So often we have made prayer something 'we do' rather than understanding that the power and purposes of God are released as we pray.
Acts 4:29-31

Prayer unlocks the purposes of God. It is a position in the Spirit that we stand in. As believers God has given us authority to pray in His name. We hear from Him, we then declare, command, decree or proclaim His will to see lives and situations change as we pray.
Matt 18:18-20

Prayer becomes exciting and alive as we realise that we're not trying to get God to do something we want Him to do. Prayer is agreeing with what He wants to do. We hear from Him so we know what He wants, and then we agree with Him and pray in line with His will.

What does God want to unlock through your life today?

Be confident as you pray that He hears you, and that whatever you ask according to His will - you have it.
1 Jn 5:14-15