God’s Prayer Infrastructure
By Ron Brown
In-fra-struc-ture
“The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.”
Will Rogers, the late cowboy comedian, summed up most folks’ concept of prayer when he said, “The trouble with our praying is we just do it as a means of last resort.” To many, praying is nothing more than a Human Being asking some Higher Power to give him things he cannot get on his own. When he has tried everything and no human effort can get the job done, then it is time to pray.
Thumb through your Bible and you will soon see that prayer is much more than a last-ditch effort to get your wishes granted. There you will see how Daniel set aside three specific times for prayer every day. In the Psalms you will find a wide assortment of prayers that cover every facet of life from desperation to exhilaration. In the Gospels you will notice how Jesus often found a place of private prayer, and that his disciples visited the temple during the daily hour of prayer.
Prayer is much more than simply asking God to do what you cannot. It is more than a one-sided conversation. Without prayer, the maturing process comes to a screeching halt. Without prayer, our worship becomes ritualistic. Without prayer, our witness becomes powerless.
The books of Exodus and Leviticus taught the priests to carefully keep the lights in the Tabernacle burning. The fire was to come from the Brazen Altar and was to never be allowed to go out. The fire of sacrifice is what fueled the fire of worship and holiness.
Prayer is not a Christian’s parachute, something we carry in case of an emergency. It is as essential to our relationship with God as food and water is to our physical survival.
As we draw near to the coming of the Lord, the necessity of prayer becomes even more obvious. “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (I Peter 4:7). The times demand that we approach the subject of prayer with a seriousness we’ve never felt before. Here are a few reasons why praying is so important and so valuable to a child of God.
1. Prayer is communion with God.
Genesis chapter three describes the voice of the Lord walking through the Garden of Eden in the cool of the day, looking for Adam and Eve. While God does not physically stroll around town with us, He wants to commune with us in the same manner He visited with Adam and Eve. How can we say we know God if we never talk to Him? How can we say we have a relationship with Him if we only have a few sporadic heart-to-heart visits? How can we say we love Him if we never bother to cultivate our relationship? How can we say we want to be like Him when we never linger in His presence? We’ve got to spend time with Him!
2. Prayer creates an attitude that envelopes the one praying.
Praying is not designed to change God. He is already kind, benevolent, and merciful. But a man cannot become a person of prayer and not be changed. It is impossible to remain spiritual in a carnal world without a deliberate program of worship and devotion. Every-day-life will soon sap your spiritual strength unless it is regularly refreshed. That refreshing comes through prayer.
Our faith is built up by praying. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 2).
3. Prayer is a physical act that forces spiritual activity.
Daniel’s fasting and praying, described in the tenth chapter of his prophecy, caused a clash between heaven’s angels and demonic spirits. Acts chapter four describes the results of prayer. The prayers of the church in Acts 12 sent angels to deliver Peter from prison. Since the church is the body of Christ, it only makes sense that its prayers move heaven.
Prayers never die. In Revelation chapter five they are described as the golden vials of odors, and in chapter eight, they rise to God from the angel’s hand. If we never become proficient at singing, at preaching, or at any skill we attempt to conquer, let us make sure that we master the work of prayer.
“Satan dreads nothing but prayer. The Church that lost its Christ was full of good works. Activities are multiplied that meditation may be ousted, and organizations are increased that prayer may have no chance. Souls may be lost in good works, as surely as in evil ways. The one concern of the devil is to keep the saints from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” -Samuel Chadwick
This article “God’s Infrastructure” was written By: Ron Brown
From: www.thecallofthespirit.net web site. June 2008
“This article may not be not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes, “Eat meat. Throw away the bones.”
