What happens if we don't pray? Have you ever considered the ramifications of a life without prayer, or a church without prayer?
Recently, I was reading the story of Jesus' disciples who were among a large crowd a the base of a mountain (Mark 9). When Jesus reunited with them, He found the disciples arguing with the crowd. The argument, of course, stemmed from the disciples' inability to cast a demon out of a young boy.
Jesus, after hearing why they were arguing, said to the disciples and the crowd, “O unbelieving generation” (Mark 9:19). Jesus then proceeded to cast out the demon from the young boy.
When the disciples were in a private place with Jesus, they asked him, "Why couldn't we drive it (the demon) out?" Jesus replied, "This kind comes out only by prayer" (Mark 9:28-29).
What amazes me about this story is the fact that the disciples had already experienced success in casting out demons in a previous chapter. In the sixth chapter of Mark, we see Jesus sending out the disciples in groups of two, and they were able to do that which they could not do in chapter nine—cast out demons.
What happened? They did the same thing they did last time—they followed the same program, the same method, used the same authority that they used last time—so what happened?
Clearly, the reply that Jesus gave reveals the problem. They didn't pray. However, the fact that they didn't pray reveals a deeper issue. The deeper issue is unbelief. A prayerless church is an unbelieving church.
If we really believed that God wants to do a great work then why aren't more Christians praying?
If we really believe that God is the one that provides all of our needs, such as volunteers or finances, then why aren't more Christians praying?
If we really believe that God wants to add people to His flock, that is to say, grow the church through corporate prayer, then why aren't more Christians praying?
Why isn't the church truly a house of prayer? I am afraid that the answer is found in the discerning words of Jesus "O unbelieving generation."
My prayer is that we won't be numbered with the unbelieving. “… when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).
Praying for Revival,
2 comments:
I absolutely LOVE this post. SO true that God SO desperately wants us to acknowledge Him, cry out to Him, and pray. Our God deserves so much more.
"Come, let us return to the LORD. HE has torn us to pieces, but HE will heal us; HE has injured us, but HE will bind up our wounds. After two days HE will revive us; on the third day HE will restore us, that we may live in HIS presence. Let us ACKNOWLEDGE the LORD; let us PRESS ON to acknowledge HIM. As surely as the sun rises, HE will APPEAR; HE will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." Hosea 6:1-3
Ashley, I agree. God wants to do so much through us, if we would only seek his face.
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