Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few. As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words. -Eccl. 5:1-3
Prayer is constantly being emphasized in this day and time. It is even said to be the master key by many, a statement which is not rooted in scriptures. But scriptures do tell us that “where the word of a king is, there is power.” (Ecclesiastes. 8:4). So why do we emphasize prayer above the knowledge of the word of God?
The Word began everything. In the beginning was the word, not the prayer. (Genesis. 1:1) The words of God are more effective than our words (prayer). When you stand before a human in high authority, do you do all the speaking and bore them with many words? In your relationship with people, do you start conversations with them just to give them an essay about yourself? I would call it self-centeredness. So how much more God who already knows all things?
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Forever we will still be learning about God because that is what eternal life is – knowledge of God (John 17:3). It is God’s words that uphold our very existence: It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (-John 6:63)
God’s words have the power to save us (Ref. James 1:22; Romans 1:16), they form the sword of the spirit with which we take down the enemy (Ref. Ephesians 6:17). We see Jesus tempted thrice and not once did He say “let Me pray and fast again”. He spoke the WORD and stood by it (Ref. Matthew 4:1-11).
Prayer is good. The bible teaches us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians. 5:17). The power of your prayer is dependent on how much of God’s word it contains. It is God’s word that goes out and does not return to Him without accomplishing His intentions.
My conclusion: When you pray, it should be to get God to speak.
Will you endure long hours of bible study to hear God speak or are you going to remind Him of all He already knows about you and your situation?
But what do you think? I’d love to hear it!
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