Prayer actually changes things!

Let that sink in. Your prayers (some how) change what really happens here on earth! If that’s not a motivation to pray I don’t know what is! This simple phrase has rocked my world.

There are things that God will do if we pray that He won’t if we don’t.

Sometimes God withholds blessings from our lives, simply because we don’t ask for them. James tells us,

“Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”  James 4:2b

Sometimes it’s that simple. You might not have something you want because you haven’t been praying for it! Ask yourself this question…

“If I could pray for anything, and knew the answer was yes, what would I pray for? What is stopping me from praying for that right now?” Tweet This

Maybe it is for a family member to come to Christ. Maybe it is to get a reliable car for your family. Maybe you want your ministry to reach more people. Why not pray right now?

Ask God to what you can’t yourself. You may see a miracle happen. Prayer only works if we actually pray! Our father loves to answer the prayer of his children.

James is quick to tell us that this is not a “genie in the bottle” type deal. Sometimes the answer is no because we are asking for things with the wrong motives.

“And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.” James 4:3

It’s not wrong to ask for things you want, but it is important to check your motives.

Are you motivated by God’s glory and the benefit of others? Or are you motivated by selfish desires? Sometimes God says no to selfish requests the same way a parent says no to a child when he wants to eat his 8th piece of candy on Halloween.

God knows what we need far more than we do. More often than not, God is waiting to bless us in crazy ways if only we would pray. In his classic book “Too Busy Not To Pray” Bill Hybles said,

“Prayerless people cut themselves off from God’s peace and his prevailing power… It’s suprising to me how many are willing to settle for lives like that. Don’t be one of them! Nobody has to live that way. Prayer is the key to unlocking God’s consistent and prevailing power in your life.” – Bill Hybles Tweet This

Don’t just read this article. Take a moment to pray RIGHT NOW!  Also, post a prayer request in the comments section. I would love to pray for you!

Share on Facebook or Twitter. Get daily updates by subscribing by email. From  James 4 in the One Year Bible New Testament.