KEY SCRIPTURE:  — Matthew 14:23 (KJV). “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.”

Prayer is every Christian’s priority. This means prayer is, first, vital and very important to the survival of a Christian’s life. The Lord taught that men ought always to pray, and not to faint Luke 18:1. The Lord was so consistent in His prayer life that, His disciples asked him to TEACH them to pray Luke 11:1. During this very incident He had gained so much, successes in feeding the multitude and healing the sick, yet He went to pray right after all these successes. Complacency was never to have a place in His affairs. There are certain men of God who go into parties and moments of relaxation right after so called ‘successes’. Our calling is about establishing the kingdom of God in the hearts of all men. There is no ultimate success until we have achieved this. There is no need for any of us to feel we have arrived, or achieved. “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.”— Joshua 13:1 (KJV)Joshua had achieved so much, yet the Lord said there was much to cover.

Let’s consider some of the things prayer would do in our lives.

1. Prayer gives God the full right to interfere in men’s affairs. 1st Kings 18:42-46)

2. Prayer gives us an atmosphere of God’s presence which influences all our actions to please God (Luke 9:29).

3. Prayer brings God’s power to effect changes in difficult moments (Acts 12:1-12).

4 Prayer opens up our spiritual nature to the things of the Spirit. 1 Corinth 14:4.

5. Prayer builds you up spiritually and strengthens your faith Jude 1:20.

6.Prayer gives access to the formation of Christ like nature in men (Gal 4:19).

7.Prayer stirs up revival fires and miraculous power (Acts 4:24-34).

8 Prayer will raise labourers for the harvest (Luke 10:2) 9. Prayer helps in effective ministry of the word Acts 6:4.

10.Prayer will increase in us supernatural capacity so that temptations would not overwhelm us. Matthew 26:41

11.Prayer is the means by which we trample upon serpents and scorpions, so we would not be affected by their assaults. Luke 10:19.

12.Prayer brings the instruction of the Spirit. Acts 13:2

There are so many benefits of prayer, that space would not permit me to do so now.

Every Christian must be so dedicated to prayer and resist anything that would keep him or her from praying. The following are some of the things that keep some Christians from praying

1.Lack of understanding of the great benefits of prayer

2. Ineffective prayers that has not brought answers get people discouraged to keep praying

3.Laziness to pray.

4Worrying over challenging issues

5.Lack of a plan for prayer

6. Complacency about perceived victories.

7. Carnal programs like Television programs, Football game periods, Frequent gathering with friends to discuss non scriptural matters

8. Gluttony or over eating

Dear child of God, you can’t amount to anything great for God without a consistent violent prayer life. Kick out everything or anybody that keeps you from praying.

CONFESSION

I pray because God answers my prayers, I pray because prayer changes me, I pray because prayer brings revival, I pray because prayer unites me to God.

FURTHER STUDIES

  Acts 6:4 (KJV). “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

Luke 18:1 (KJV). “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”