How is your prayer life?

“The most persistent sound which reverberates through man’s history is the beating of war drums” said one writer. Battles rage not only on the grounds of nations but within the human heart. The Apostle Paul tells the Ephesians they are in a spiritual war but he does not offer them the kinds of weapons we tend to wield. No sarcasm or cutting words, no guns, bombs, or drones, no deception, no backstabbing, no threats or intimidation, no cyberwarfare, and none of the martial arts programs downloaded into Neo in the Matrix. Instead, he offers them five pieces of defensive armor—truth, peace, righteousness, faith, and salvation, and one offensive/defensive weapon, the word of God. (Eph.6:14-18). He also adds prayer. “Pray always [at all times], with all kinds of prayer,” says Paul. In other words, as you use all the pieces of armor at your disposal, don’t forget to pray, and pray always.

Prayer is a rather strange activity. For many, it’s just a ritual, something you are supposed to do as a Christian (or perhaps something done by the weak, desperate, and powerless). Afterall, there is something absurd about closing one’s eyes, bowing the head, kneeling, or lying prostrate while supposedly talking to an invisible being from whom one expects tangible results like jobs, good health, comfort in mourning, protection from evil, the return of prodigals, deliverance from addictions, and all manner of provision. Everything in our material world tells us that for things to change, we must do something, so, naturally, prayer sometimes feels useless.

But interestingly, prayer also seems as natural as breathing. How many times in moments of fear and uncertainty have we spontaneously whispered under our breath “Oh God” or “God help me”? In those moments, it’s as though we are instinctively aware of our finitude, and we acknowledge what we know but are often too proud to admit—we need help. Out of that honest and vulnerable place, which is where true prayer begins, we talk to our Heavenly Father.

Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer so much that it was unmistakable that prayer was the source of his power (Mk. 6:46, Lk. 22:41). He needed to plug into and draw from God, the unlimited source of all power, strength, wisdom, hope, comfort, peace, and more. Through prayer (after people earnestly brought their needs before God and/or worshipped him), God gave his people strategies for battle (2 Chro. 20); revealed the enemy’s schemes (Matt. 2:11-12); called and empowered people for service (Acts 13:2-3); gave direction (Acts 16:9-10); worked miracles (Jn. 6:11, Jn. 11:41-44, Acts 3:6); revealed his word/principles (Ex. 34:28); gave strength to endure hardship (2 Cor. 12:8-9); and so on.

It’s been rightly said that a prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. As the battles rage within and around you, how is your prayer life?