Amazing things start happening when we start praying. Prayer time is never wasted time. Charles Spurgeon taught, “Sometimes we think we are too busy to pray. That is a great mistake, for praying is a savings of time.”
A. J. Gordon added, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”
“The best prayers have often more groans than words” (John Bunyan).
I experienced this when I had many pressing needs all around me. Honestly, I reached a point where I could hardly pray about my needs because they were so many.
The only prayer I could manage was “Help!” and I remember passionately praying it to God over 30 times until I experienced a breakthrough.
Psalms declares, “O Lord, attend to my cry” (17:1). One of the smartest things I ever prayed was, “Help!”
When you take one step toward God, God will take more steps towards you than you could ever count. He moved to meet my needs.
Prayer alone proves that you trust God. Oswald Chambers said, “We look upon prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.”
Follow Dwight L. Moody’s advice: “Spread out your petition before God and then say, ‘Thy will, not mine, be done.’ The sweetest lesson I have learned in God’s school is to let the Lord choose for me.”
Do deep praying before you find yourself in a deep hole.
Prayers can’t be answered until they are prayed. Nothing significant happens until you fervently pray; pray until you pray!
F. B. Myer said, “The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.” Byron Edwards said, “True prayer always receives what it asks for—or something better.”
God’s answers are wiser than our answers. “Every time we pray our horizon is altered, our attitude to change is altered, sometimes but every time. The amazing thing is that we don’t pray more” (Oswald Chambers).
Unfortunately, nothing is discussed more and practiced less than prayer. Pray with your eyes toward God, not towards your problems.
Martin Luther said, “The less I pray, the harder it gets; the more I pray the better it goes.” Margaret Gibb said, “We must move from asking God to take care of the things that are breaking our hearts, to praying about the things that are breaking His heart.”
It is impossible to be prayerful and pessimistic at the same time. E. M. Bounds said, “Prayer is our most formidable weapon; the thing which makes all else we do efficient.”
Mark Litteton said, “Turn your doubts to questions; turn your questions to prayers; turn your prayers to God.”
Prayer is not a gadget we use when nothing else works.
Rather, I agree with O. Hallesby when he said, “Begin to realize more and more that prayer is the most important thing you do. You can use your time to no better advantage than to pray whenever you have an opportunity to do so, either while alone or with others; while at work, while at rest, or while walking down the street. Anywhere!”
by John Mason.
Excerpt permission granted by Insight Publishing
John Mason is an international bestselling author, minister, publisher, executive author coach, and noted speaker. He’s the founder and president of Insight International and Insight Publishing Group. Both organizations are dedicated to helping people reach their dreams and fulfill their God-given destinies.
He has authored thirty-two books including An Enemy Called Average, You’re Born An Original—Don’t Die A Copy, Let Go of Whatever Makes You Stop, and Know Your Limits Then Ignore Them which have sold over 2 million copies and are translated into 40 different languages throughout the world. His books are widely regarded as a source of godly wisdom, scriptural motivation, and practical principles. His writings have been published twice in Reader’s Digest along with numerous other national and international publications. Seven of his books have reached number one on Amazon bestseller lists.
He’s been the president of two Christian publishing companies. He’s also a former Vice President and Publisher for Thomas Nelson Publishers (Harper Collins), the 6th largest book publisher in the world and largest Christian publisher.
He’s an internationally recognized executive author coach, helping numerous prominent authors with their books for more than thirty years. Politicians, NBA, NFL, PGA, MLB, an Olympic gold medalist and other professional athletes, billionaires, businesspeople, pastors, ministers, New York Times bestselling authors, a Fortune 500 CEO, Navy SEALs, Top Gun pilots, and a Texas governor have all benefitted from his knowledge.
Known for his quick wit, powerful thoughts, and insightful ideas, he is a popular speaker across the US and around the world.