The Priority Of Prayer
Movement Live Notes
Friends, are you praying? What is your prayer life like? This is an important question to ask ourselves. Not only to ask but to answer honestly. What does my prayer life look like? In order to understand what prayer is, we must first learn what it is not. Prayer is not a formal, ritualistic process. There is a difference between fancy words and powerful prayer. Prayer is not a religious obligation. It is not the process to treat God like a cosmic Coke Machine. This is called a transactional relationship. Prayer is essential. We must understand this. Prayer is essential. It is how we communicate with God. It is how we are intimate in our relationship with Him. We are called to live Christ-like lives. How can we do this if we do not have an authentic prayer life?
How do I cultivate a Christ-Like heart when my heart is troubled? How do I love God with everything I am when I am frustrated and flustered with and by who I am? How do I do any of these things if I do not know God? How can I genuinely experience Him without knowing Him? If you want to live the life that Jesus lived, you must pray the way that Jesus prayed. We struggle constantly, and if we are continually struggling, we cannot pray effectively. We have to be intentional in our prayer time. We cannot become so bored in our prayer time that we fall asleep or become distracted. We cannot pray the way that Jesus prayed because:
We lack focus
2. We lack confidence in the power of prayer
3. We lack faith.
Too often, we see church leaders teaching the principle of a transactional relationship with God. This is a reason why many of us can't be innovative and imaginative or think outside of the religious box that we’ve been in for so long. This is no reason why Paul urged the Galatians to not be foolish; don't go back to the legalism of transactional religion. The gospel is transformative, so our relationship with God should also be. Intimacy is never accidental. It is intentional, and it is purposeful. We must cultivate an intimate relationship with God, just as Jesus did. Jesus modeled the way we ought to pray: Without ceasing. Jesus would separate Himself and find secluded places to pray. He prayed about everything. He prayed before performing miracles, feeding the masses, and before the Roman soldiers came for Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. He prayed as He was dying on the cross. Jesus prayed. Prayer is a way of life. It is the way of life of the believer. It's impossible to live with joy and peace, and patience. It's impossible to experience the fruit of his spirit and not be a praying person.
Our encouragement this week, family, is to be intentional to pray and in prayer. Separate yourself, find a quiet place, a secluded place where you won't be tempted to role-play before God, and just be there in the space with Him. as simply. And honestly, as you can imagine, the focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense the grace of God. Block out all the noises, eliminate the distractions, put the phone aside, or turn the phone off. No Instagram, no texts, no conspiracy theories about the vaccine or anything else. Just be still before God. Grace and Peace, brothers and sisters.
