Key Prayer Principles: Part III

Pastor Gary Oser

I want to conclude my articles on the subject of prayer by sharing a few more things that can be helpful to you when it comes to prayer.

First, pray with others.

Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, “‘For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.’” There is value and power in people meeting together to pray.

Wesley Duewel wrote in an excellent book on prayer, Mighty Prevailing Prayer, “Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love on another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other’s hearts in prayer.”

Our Wednesday evening service (6:30 - 7:30 pm) is a great opportunity to pray with others. Or, you might get together with a few other people regularly just to pray for one another, our church, our community and our country.

Second, fast.

Jesus apparently expected us as believers to fast. In Matthew 6:16-18 He said,

“‘Whenever,’” notice not if, “you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men that they are fasting…But, you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret…’”

We normally think of fasting as abstaining from food, but it could include things like television, social media, special enjoyments for the purpose of spending time with God in prayer and growing spiritually.

Is prayer important enough that you could miss a meal or give up your favorite television program to spend extra time in prayer?

Finally, try writing out your prayers.

If you get sleepy when you pray, this can help. When you write your prayer, it also forces you to slow down and take more time to think about what you want to say. You may not want to do this every day, but I think it is helpful to occasionally to take time to write out what you want to say to the Lord.

There is much more I could share with you about prayer. I hope what I have shared over the last few months will help you to be more effective in praying. More will be accomplished through prayer than anything else we can do!