Apr 11 2009
What Happens When We Fail to Pray?
Does prayer really change things? Indeed it does, if Scripture is any indication. Whether we believe it or not, what we see with our eyes is not the real thing. What we see here is merely a mirage, a temporary thing–a vapor–while the real battle, the real thing–is going on in the third heaven, where God and Satan are waging war for souls. And prayer is a vital part of winning that battle. In fact the Old Testament tells of times when angels were sent to intervene in the affairs of men when people prayed. Prayer actually changed the course of history then just as it does now.
So how does prayer change things? Well, perhaps it would be more effective to imagine what happens when we don’t pray. The Spirit is not released to move on someone’s heart the night before he dies of a heart attack because we did not pray. And he ends up in hell, when his day of salvation passed. A car accident we were prompted to pray to prevent occurs and someone dies who wasn’t ready merely because we had better things to do with our time. It should give us pause to imagine the results of apathy and living life to suit ourselves instead of interceding for others when God calls us to it.
Scripture says today is the day of salvation, and the angels are waiting to change the course of history if we will but pray. But will we? Will we center our hearts on heaven and focus on the task at hand, or live for the moment as if we haven’t a care in the world?
I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. “To whom much is giving, much is required,” and we will have to give an account of what we have done with our time and resources.
The problem is we have so many things to do and places to go, so much entertainment of which to avail ourselves that we’re often distracted, not listening an therefore, unable to hear the voice of the Spirit when He speaks.
Time is short, and if we’re to make any difference at all, leaving any legacy worth that will last, we must be about our Father’s business. This, my friends, is the reason we live, the purpose we were born, so let’s not waste what little time is left. Let’s pray like we’ve never prayed before, expecting God to move as only He can, for only then will we live out our true purpose. For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Is it?
Because of His great love,
Nancy
