Never underestimate the power of prayer—it is so awesome that it will heal the sick, save the lost, and set the captives free. Prayers spoken in faith parted the red sea, raised the dead, and fed the multitudes.

Regardless of the need that you are facing, prayer is the answer to your situation!

The Bible tells us in James 5:16 that, "...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." And so that you would know that nothing would be impossible, the next verse reminds us that:

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
(James 5:17-18)

Every born-again believer has the potential to tear down strongholds of the enemy and build up the Kingdom of God with their prayers. When the righteous men and women of a nation begin to walk together in unity and pray effectual fervent prayers, it always makes a difference.

Now, I am not talking about a haphazard prayer life that occasionally reminds God about your problems. I am talking about constant communication with God so that the Holy Spirit is able to reveal the plans of the enemy and show you how to neutralize his forces and send him running for cover.

I have realized that when it comes to prayer, it is not that God won't; it is that we don't.

We miss opportunities for prayer to make a difference. After we have tried all we know to do in the natural, we give prayer a try. Then we offer some memorized words from a fear-filled heart, which won't accomplish much.

Billy Sunday said, "Some Christians seem to look upon God as a kind of spare tire. A spare tire is forgotten for months at a time until suddenly we have a flat on the road. Then we want the spare tire to be in good condition, ready for use.

"Just so, many forget God during all the times when things go well, then in an emergency they want God to be on hand, immediately ready to hear and answer their cry of distress."

Pray With Boldness, Not Fear
When we are devoted to prayer and keep our time with God at the center of our life, we will walk in boldness instead of tiptoeing around the devil. First John chapter five says:

And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
(1 John 5:14-15 AMP)

Charles Finney, considered by many people to be the most effective evangelist America has ever seen, was devoted to prayer. He wrote about a strong spirit of prayer that would come upon him from the very beginning of his conversion.

In his autobiography, Finney described it this way: "In those early days of my Christian experience, the Lord taught me many very important truths in regard to the spirit of prayer."

During one instance before preaching Finney wrote, "The Lord opened the windows of heaven, the spirit of prayer was poured out, and I let my whole heart out in prayer."

It was after these times of yielding to deep intercession that revival would break out among the people and sinners would be converted at once. In an age when there were no amplifiers or mass communications, more than 500,000 people were converted under his ministry. He spearheaded a revival in America, which literally altered the course of our national history.

Are You An Active Participant?
Do you know that you can be used by God to alter the course of your life, the lives of others, and even your nation? God is calling people who will stand in the gap for their nations, instead of pointing out the gaps. Prayer is an indispensable part of your armor and makes you an active participant in spiritual warfare.

Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
(Eph. 6:18)

You don't have to know everything about prayer before you begin to pray. The most important thing is to just do it.

The first time I remember earnestly praying for something was when I was about eight years old. My brother Deril had gone into the hospital to have his tonsils removed. Mother was told that he would get lots of ice cream and be home with his five sisters in no time.

But something went wrong during what was supposed to be routine surgery and Deril began to hemorrhage. Now we were being told that unless they could stop the bleeding, he could die.

Although my family rarely attended church and knew little about the Bible, we knew we could turn to God for help. That was when I found out that prayer makes a difference. Mother gathered my sisters and I around her bed and told us that we needed to pray.

However, instead of quoting prayers that I memorized in Catechism, I poured out my whole heart to God and earnestly prayed for my brother's healing. In a few days, he was home and doing fine. I never forgot that.

Now I know that Psalm 145:18-19 says: "The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them."

I was almost 21 when I was born again and realized how little I knew about prayer and the Bible. I quickly realized that repeating the few prayers that I had memorized as a child didn't seem to get me anywhere.

That's when I just began to talk to God from my heart, in my own words. I had to trust the Holy Spirit to be my guide as I took those first steps. Once I started asking, seeking and knocking, my answers were on the way.

After teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus commanded the disciples, "So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you" (Luke 11:9).

Prayer is not difficult, and it doesn't have to be boring or monotonous. All you have to do is talk to God sincerely from your heart. He listens, and He will answer! But don't just talk about prayer—do it!

Jesse Duplantis Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.