"The power of prayer" Over the years this phrase has been used to comfort and challenge people to pray. Recently, when I heard it emphasized again as a word of encouragement to the Church, I felt my spirit respond within me. A few days later, I woke up with this phrase almost being shouted in my spirit: “I do not believe in the power of prayer!” This caused a flood of thoughts to be released as I pondered this statement. I'm a teacher and so accuracy is important to understanding truth in a way we can act on. And words matter. The Power is not in the prayer, the power is only in the One who can answer that prayer: God - Father, Jesus the Son and Holy Spirit.
Historically, the Church has given people formula prayers to pray. If you need this, then repeat this. If you are in this situation, then pray this. But prayer was never meant to be a formula, it is meant to be a relationship building conversation.
If the power is in the prayer, then it doesn't matter who you pray to, it only matters that you get the right words spoken. If the power is in my prayers, then the pressure is on me to come up with just the perfect phrase so that my prayer will be answered. But I'm not that good at praying if that is what is needed.
But thanks be to Jesus, that I don't need to come up with the right words, I only need to come to Him, because He hears me, knows me and only He has the Power to answer my prayers. I am so thankful that I know the One who upholds the universe by His power and holds me in the palm of His hand.
