Prayer
Prayer Ministry
Importance and definition of prayer
It is hard to imagine a Christian life without prayer. So, Paul was right to say “Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, N
IV).
Prayer is both a pleading with God that he will hear and act upon our requests and a trusting surrender to God in the confidence that he will act in his own time and way (Elwell, 947).
Our prayers’ orientation
As Christians, we get in touch with God through our prayers. Prayer is individual. So, we are urged to pray God personally for our needs. Prayer is equally corporate. Then, we are encouraged to pray God with our fellow believers for common goals. We also need to intercede for our fellow Christians and the world in general.
Family prayer
Family members are advised to pray together to strengthen their families that constitute the engine of the church and society. Unfortunately, only 12% of American families pray together (Pipes and Lee, 6).
Prayer for the world
Christians all over the world are called to exercise the prayer ministry for a healthy relationship with God, an improved church, and a better world. The fact is that believers have access to the throne room of heaven where God takes all decisions via prayer. Let us take advantage of that because there is no way we can have solid spiritual church, ministry and family without connecting to God through prayer. There is no way either we can live in a peaceful world with almost daily threat in mind of natural disasters, military conflicts, terrorist attacks or the spread of an infectious or deadly disease without asking God to protect our planet and everyone of us through prayer. God listens to the prayer of the saints and the impossible can become possible through prayer by faith.
References
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009, 497.
Pipes, Jerry and Lee, Victor. Family to Family: Leaving a Lasting Legacy. USA. 2008, 6.
