We continue our series looking at Jesus’ example of and teachings about prayer. Today we’ll focus on the power of prayer. Our Lord emphasized the need for us to pray in faith, the importance of prayer as we endeavour to overcome temptation and sin, and the value of prayer as we seek to not lose heart amidst trials and troubles in life. Let’s learn from the Lord.
Prayer and Faith
In Matthew 17:14-21 a man brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus’ disciples, however, they were unable to cast the demon out. When the Lord came upon the situation, He rebuked the demon (v 19), but He also rebuked the weary father and His disciples (v 17, 20). The man had come with faith seeking a miracle for his son, but sadly his confidence in Jesus disappeared. He was reduced to wondering about the Lord, “…if you can do anything…” (Mark 9:22). The apostles seemingly took a nonchalant approach to the situation at first and were baffled they could not cast out the demon. What was the problem? Was this some kind of “super-demon”? No, the issue was not the demon; it was their faith. They came to the situation unprepared quite simply, they were unprepared. Hear the Lord:
Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17:20-21)
Friend, spiritual failures do not happen because the challenges and issues are too big; it is because we try to face them on our own, without God’s help. How often do we, like the apostles, try to battle the wicked one from a place of unbelief, deficient in our faith? The solution is to seek the Lord, to spend time in prayer and fasting, to place our confidence in Him and not ourselves. We will find that our faith will be proportionate to our focus on prayer. The mountains of life can be moved and overcome by great faith (Matthew 21:19-21), for prayer removes anxieties and focuses us on the One who has power to save (Philippians 4:6-8).
James focused heavily on the power of prayer in the final chapter of his epistle. Notice:
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord., And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:13-16)
Are you suffering? Pray. Are you sick? Pray. Are you tempted? Pray. Prayer opens the door to spiritual engagement; it is an appeal for God’s involvement; it invites and seeks God’s participation in the outcome of the situations we face in life, whatever they are. The objection might come – but we’re not Jesus, we’re not the apostles, we’re not the prophets. That’s OK. James continues:
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:17-18)
Elijah didn’t have some special “prophet” gene; he was human, as we are human. He believed God and sought God’s participation and involvement in the issues he faced. Jesus presented Himself as an example of prayer to the apostles, not just in frequency or longevity or content, but also in power.
Prayer and Overcoming Sin
On the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested we see the Lord’s focus on prayer.
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, 'Sit here while I go and pray over there.' And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.' He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.' Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, 'What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.' And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. (Matthew 26:36-44)
There was a variation between the Lord’s will and the Father’s will. Understandably, Jesus did not want to go to the cross; there was a temptation to seek a different way. He asked the Father, “Take this cup away from Me” (Mark 14:36). And yet, being in prayer and seeking the aid of His Father, Jesus concluded, “not what I will, but what You will” (ibid). Prayer is a powerful tool in the midst of temptation. Jesus prayed, not once, not twice, but at least three times after leaving the upper room and the coming of the mob led by Judas Iscariot. Prayer gave Him comfort and strength to persevere and overcome temptation.
He wanted the same for all of His apostles, but that night He specifically focused on Peter.
Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mark 14:37-38)
Prayer was needful and would be helpful for them all, but notice what Jesus had said earlier that night to Peter:
Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. (Luke 22:31-32)
Peter didn’t heed Jesus’ warning. Instead, he confidently declared, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” (Luke 22:33). Oh, that it were so. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. Over the course of that night, Peter would sleep, he would draw a sword, he would follow Jesus at a distance, and then he would deny three times that he even knew the Lord. Peter did not pray, leaving himself completely open to attack by the enemy.
Do Not Lose Heart
In Luke 18, Jesus gave the parable of the persistent widow which emphasizes the need to be constant in prayer. Notice:
...He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' Then the Lord said, 'Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall not God avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:1-8)
We need to pray always (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and not lose heart. Jesus illustrated this through this parable about a widow who sought justice from a self-centered judge. At first he would not listen to her, but finally, because of her persistence, he did as she requested. If an unrighteous judge, who has no respect for God or man, will hear and answer the request or an unrelenting widow, how much more will God, who loves us, hear and answer the cries of His people? God is focused upon our good, ergo, we should diligently pray to Him with confidence (1 John 5:14-15).
But Jesus posed an eye-opening question in verse 8, “…when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” There should be no question whether God will answer or not. Sometimes He will answer right away, other times we may need to wait; sometimes the answer may be yes, other times it may be now. But we can have surety that God answers His people. However, the concern is whether men will persevere? Will we continue steadfast in faith? Will we be constant in prayer? Albert Barnes commented:
...there is more danger that his people would grow weary, than that God would be found unfaithful and fail to avenge his elect. (Albert Barnes' NT Commentary)
May we not lose heart – God is faithful; He will hear and He will answer. Will we be praying in faith?
______________________________
This article appeared in Meditate On These Things, 2024-08
Links: YouVersion | GROW magazine
Return to the article archive
