We, as the children of God, are called to value greatly that which the world disdains.
We, as believers in Christ, refuse to live merely for earthly success but we have willfully set our hearts on living for eternal significance.
We, as those who were made for eternity and not for time, triumphantly walk by faith and not by what we see in our circumstances.
We know that what we see is oh! so beguilingly temporary and that which is unseen holds lasting substance and magnificent grandeur.
We are a people whose very breath is determined by prayer.
We embrace the unwavering and comforting knowledge that our future is determined by the prayers that we choose to pray today.
We rule and reign as kings and priests by our determination to pray.
We pray when we experience stark lack and we pray when we are splashing in undeserved and lavish abundance.
We pray with uncommon joy when we are caught in the crossfire of a vicious enemy.
We pray when He is leading us beside quiet waters and in those lovely paths of righteousness.
We pray.
We pray relentlessly and victoriously.
We pray while we weep and we pray while we sing.
We pray.
We pray in spite of a quiet heaven and in defiance of an enemy that roars.
We pray in the wilderness and in the wonderful.
We pray on holidays and on hollow days.
We join the mighty throng of all those who have gone before us in the resolute to move heaven through the power of prayer.
The most important lesson that we learn during our earthly tenure is how to pray.
Learning to pray and continuing in prayer is a basic part of our immortality because – wonder of wonders – did you know that prayers do not die?!
Prayers that are prayed in faith refuse the grave and will never succumb to the curse of time.
No, of course, the one who prayed the prayer may die and the heart that cried out to the Father may have stopped beating, but the prayers continue to live before the glorious throne of God!
Your prayers are ever before the Lord and He is ever aware of them.
Always.
“Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.” – Revelation 8:3-4
I want you to hear this … I want you to read it over and over and over again …
“Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them … outlive a generation … outlive an age … outlive a world.” – E. M. Bounds
Your voice is able to penetrate the ear of God!
Your voice is not limited by time nor does it go unheeded.
Your heartfelt prayers, spoken in faith, are treasured more than gold is revered in the massive throne room of all eternity.
If you want to live a significant life … you will pray.
If you want to win every battle that threatens your very existence … you will pray.
If you long to leave a legacy of power and purpose to your children and to your children’s children … you will pray. All of those places seem so powerful … so authoritative … and so influential … to those of us who seem to live simple or undistinguished lives.
However, let me quickly remind you, that God’s children live the highest, most influential lives in all of the known history!
Hell quivers in fear when a believer in Christ chooses to whisper the Name, “Jesus!”
The United Nations doesn’t have the authority to send the powers of darkness fleeing. Neither does the White House nor does the royalty of Buckingham Palace.
When the generals, presidents, and kings of nations write a resolution, no matter how noble or benevolent it might be, the enemy laughs in derision at their pomp and presumption.
The master of counterfeit carries on with his diabolical plans in the face of politics and human hierarchy.
Found in the life of a believer is found the highest form of power that has ever been bestowed upon humanity.
And, our assignment is to pray.
A House of Prayer holds more power than Wall Street, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Buckingham Palace, and the United Nations combined!
And you, my friend, are that house of prayer!
You are God’s house of prayer!
God has chosen to continually shape and create His world through the power of prayer.
The more vibrant and active a singular house of prayer becomes, the better the world will be.
Why is this?
It is because evil cannot prevail against the power of prayer.
Prayer wipes out evil and destroys negativity.
Prayer is able to miraculously preserve righteousness and to unashamedly empower goodness.
“Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for your own possession.” – Psalm 2:8
Ask of Me!
The decree of the Lord is as real and potent today as it was thousands of years ago when He spoke to His servant, David.
Ask of Me!
What are you asking for today?
I am asking for the next generation.
I am asking for millennials to live lives of unmatched consecration and of singular holy purpose.
I am asking for my children and grandchildren to abandon success, creature comforts and cultural preferences for the cause of Christ and His unshakable Kingdom.
I am asking.
Thanks for listening to my heart this week. As you know by now, my heart is truly not a perfect heart but it is a heart that is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the life I have been given and for the people who walk with me. And, it continues to be a heart that is relentlessly chasing after God and all that He is!
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on https://www.carolmcleodministries.com
Featured Image by Ben White on Unsplash
