A joyful Christian life is not possible without personal and community prayers. Though often neglected, prayer is as essential as air and water. While we pray, we engage in conversation with God. We all remember to pray when we want something from God, but give little thought to what God wants of us at a particular moment. We don’t stop long enough to listen to Him. We need to alter our prayer life and ask God His will and seek His enabling to accomplish it.
God seeks people who ask for His will to be done. It is wrong to believe and live as if nothing is expected of us. Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven (Mt.6:9-10). Jesus centered His prayer in the disciples’ longing for God’s kingdom to come fully on earth.
If we were praying fervently for the same, what would it mean for the family shackled in poverty, the terrified trafficked child, the broken adolescent sex worker?
We act on behalf of our hurting brothers and sisters for the glory of God. We must persevere in prayer, believing that our prayers will be answered, even if not right away. Earnestly, Daniel prayed to God for days for the forgiveness of his sins and the people’s sins. Yet he received no answer for three weeks. Daniel’s prayers had been heard from the beginning, but dark powers made it difficult for the angel who answered him to break through (Daniel 10: 12-14).
Today, despite the victory of the cross of Jesus Christ, evil powers are still at work. Even the most sincere Christians go through times of inner dryness during which God tests them. But, then He floods them with His great love and joy. Make sure you are listening to the spirit of God when He speaks to you.