Christian Living

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The Power Of Prayer
© 2005
by

Stephen A. Peterson


The study of prayer and its affects in the scheme of everyday human life has been the stuff of intense empirical study not just by the religious intellectual communities but also by the behavioral, medical and philosophical scientific communities as well. Initially, scientists attempted to demonstrate the uselessness of prayer. Yet what they found was the positive influence prayer has on the human body, mind and spirit. Measurable results from empirical studies revealed those who regularly pray seemed to have greater intellectual vigor, heightened moral stamina, strengthened interhuman relationships and enhanced mental and physical healing capacities.

Those who make a habit of sincere prayer found their lives are noticeably and profoundly altered. Through prayer a person sees who he or she is. They discover their selfishness, their useless pride, their fears, their fallibilities. Said persons developed a sense of their moral obligations and the desperate need for intellectual humility—that is, humankind controls so very little in her or his existence.

Prayer is as great a force as intergalactic gravity. As a psychologist, I have observed many men and women. After medical and behavioral therapeutic methods and approaches had failed, prayer lifted many of these people out of their physical illnesses and mental pathologies. Prayer was found as the only power in the world that is able to overcome the mythical “law of nature”. When a person’s prayers are answered, non accepting persons of the power of prayer refer to any results as “miracles,” “accidents,” “chance”. However, a constant, quieter miracle takes place in the hearts and minds of those who have discovered prayer. They find that prayer supplies them with a steady flow of sustaining power to get on with; living in their daily lives.

Unfortunately, too many people believe prayer to be nothing more than a boring, formalized routine of repetitive words, an activity of the ignorant or superstitions, or a childish routine who want their wants fulfilled. Prayer is undervalued when a person things of it in these terms. To do so would be similar to underestimating the power of eater by describing it as something that fills the face bowl in a bathroom. As some researchers have come to understand, prayer is a dynamic, mature activity indispensable to the fullest development of personality. Only in prayer does one obtain a complete and harmonious relationship of mind, body and spirit that gives people strength and the ability to stand too many of the everyday stressors.

Jesus’ words, “Ask and it will be given to you,” have been consistently verified by petitioners over the centuries in a variety of ways. Although prayer may not restore life to the dead or immediately relieve a migraine headache, but prayer is a source of comfort to the downtrodden, calm to the anxious.

How does prayer energize? To answer such a question generally requires one to leave the confinement of the scientific method. Although I do this, it does not in any way diminish the power of prayer. For prayer, all prayer, has one universal power—to invigorate the human spirit! Think back, if you will, and recall the most beautiful and uplifting words you have every heard. More than likely, it will be a prayer put to music (i.e. Amazing Grace, Our Father, The Lord Is My Shepherd…). For when a person prayers, he or she links themselves with the infinite and inexhaustible power that caused the universe to. And every person has this power!

This in mind every man, woman and child should never call on the Almighty solely for the gratification of egoistic, selfish and lustful whims. Humankind derives most power from prayer when it is used not as a “give me,” I want something now,” “where is it,” approach to one of thanksgiving and supplication that moves one closer to the servant like He exuded and demonstrated while He lived among us in the flesh. Prayer should be the act of coming to God for a loving discussion of gratitude for all that a person is and has. For everything a person is or has been granted her or him by God.

Andrew Carnegie, a 19th century industrialist-millionaire, came to the United States without anything. Yet Carnegie was known to find his way to a church to pray. On one day, Carnegie sat in the darkness of a Pittsburgh Catholic Church when he approached and asked: “Mister who or what are you waiting for?” Carnegie responded: “I am looking at and listening to the Lord, My God, and He looking at me and listening to me!” Like Gospel’s Martha and Mary scene, when Mary made the better choice, Andrew Carnegie, at the time made the better choice. Can we say the same when we pray to the Creator?

So what is prayer? Prayer is humankind’s effort to interact with God. A noble act hidden from the scientific intelligentsia community who fail in their attempt to describe or know who God is, generally. Their logic evades them due to their foolishness as He promised for those who say and believe their God is their intelligence and say there is no God.

Humankind knows that whenever one addresses God in fervent prayer one changes both in body and soul for the better. This is backed up by researchers who reported that the vast majority of persons who pray learn something. They learn who God is and come closer to Him.

One can pray anywhere—in the restaurant, in a car, at school, in the park, in the office, in the library or in the quiet of one’s bedroom or among the crowd of a professional football game. A person has no prescribed posture, time or place. There is nothing special about getting on one’s knees. Prayer can successfully be accomplished on one’s back, chest, knees, head or jogging down a noisy interstate highway.

Folks (Oklahoma lingo) of faith in order to develop or mold their Christian personality must make prayer their personal habit. Prayer is useless and meaningless if one says a litany of prayers. Prayer the first thing in the morning and then go the remainder of the day sinning at every chance one is not a prayful life. True prayer and one who believes themselves to be ruled by the Christian life should and can pray at every chance he or she has. One should remember that prayer does not have to be wordy or long winded.

Dr. D. James Kennedy, Coral Ridge Ministries, Fort Lauderdale, Florida has stated on his television and radio broadcast that the best prayers are the improvised ones. When we talk to our children, spouse, family member or friend, do we say the same thing over and over again and again? I will bet not! So why do we believe prayer must be standardized?

Today, in 2005, as never before, prayer is desperately needed in the lives of humankind. The lack of emphasis on a prayer life by practicing Christians and the attempt to completely eradicate prayer from the public forum by Christianophobics has brought the United States and much of the world more violent and aggressive. Prayer, the basic exercise of the human soul and spirit must be actively practiced in each person’s private lives. The depressed, traumatized, diseased mind and soul of humankind must be made strong to assert itself once again. For if the power of prayer is again released in the lives of humankind; and if the spirit of God is to move across the nation and the world through praying Christians, there is hope that prayer for a morally stronger world will be sustained and answered.

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