Prayer: The Source of Spiritual Power

“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” – Acts 6:4 (KJV)

 

E.M Bounds believed one thing very clearly: real spiritual power comes from prayer.  Not from talent. Not from programs. Not from hard work alone. Power comes from time spent with God.

The early church understood this.  When the apostles were pulled in many directions, they made a strong decision.  They said prayer must come first.  They knew that if prayer weakened, everything else would suffer.  The Word would lose its power.  Leadership would lose its authority.  Ministry would become an empty activity.

Jesus showed us the same pattern.  Even though He was the Son of God, He often stepped away from the crowds to pray.  He knew that power flowed from His time with the Father.  If Jesus needed prayer, then we certainly do.

Prayer is not something we do before the real work begins. Prayer is the real work.  It is where God strengthens us, guides us, and fills us with His presence.  When we pray, we don’t just get answers, we get God.  And His presence brings power into our lives.

Many believers try to live in God’s power without spending time in God’s presence.  But that never lasts.  When prayer fades, we start trusting our own strength.  When prayer grows, our dependence on God grows with it.

True power is formed in quiet places.  It grows in moments no one else sees.  What happens in the prayer closet shows up later in our lives, our families, and our churches.

If we want more power, the answer is simple: pray more, not perform more.  God has always poured His strength into praying people.

Prayer

Lord, help me put prayer back where it belongs. Teach me to depend on You instead of my own ability.  I want Your presence more than success and Your power more than activity.  Draw me closer to You as I learn to pray.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Think About It

  • Is prayer my first response or my last?
  • Where have I relied on my own strength instead of God’s?
  • What would change if prayer became my daily priority?