Have Faith in Your Prayers!

As Christians we need to realize our prayers are powerful when filled with faith in God. The Bible says, “The earnest (heartfelt continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its working)” (James 5:16 AMP). And The Message paraphrases this, “The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.”

However, this amazing power isn’t automatic. It’s activated when we know who we are in Christ, confident in the name of Jesus and the authority given us in His name. When we pray with others, our prayers become even more powerful, adding another dimension to our authority (Matthew 18:19).

Paul described the prayers of the Corinthians as being vital to the success of his ministry: “You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part.”

How exciting it is to know that our prayers can play a crucial role in God’s “rescue operation” for people in need—whether for believers or for the lost.

A Helpful Outline

In Ephesians 1:17-18 Paul records a powerful prayer on behalf of the church in Ephesus, and I encourage you to use this pattern regularly as you pray—for yourself or for your friends and loved ones. You can apply it like this:

“Father I pray that You give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, enlightening the eyes of my understanding to know the hope of Your calling, the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints, and the exceeding greatness of Your power toward me as I put my faith in You.”

Remember: You can have faith in your prayers—especially when they’re based on God’s Word!