Persistent Prayer with Action

Are you putting your prayers into powerful action? God’s probably not going to part the River Jordan if you’ve got a boat to get across.  

April’s Awakening, Day 9

Pray as if it’s all up to God, work as if it’s all up to you.

 —Author Unknown 

Most men pray for power, the strength to do things. Few people pray for love, the quality to be someone.

 —Richard Foster 

All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired, although not in the hour or in the measure, or the very thing which they ask; yet they will obtain something greater and more glorious than they had dared to ask.

 —Martin Luther

Prayer and action, therefore, can never be seen as contradictory or mutually exclusive. Prayer without action grows in powerless pietism, and action without prayer degenerates into questionable manipulation. If prayer leads us into a deeper unity with the compassionate Christ, it will always give rise to concrete acts of service.

 —Henri J. M. Nouwen

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1 NIV

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:21–22 NIV 

            These are some powerful prayer principles that you should never forget—pray persistently, pray with great faith and do not doubt, God’s answer may be surprising to you but it’s always for your best, and after you pray act in full force accordingly doing that which God has already told you to do. Persistent prayer is not annoying to God, it shows the depth of your heart’s desire, so pray in all persistence. Pray without doubt that God will answer and give you precisely what you need at precisely the right time. Never fail to act and be proactive in doing everything that you know to do. God is not going to just miraculously give you everything you need and want while you just sit and do nothing. The more effort you show and the more responsible you are, the more likely to get even more entrusted into your care. You are trusting God and being faithful doing all that would be expected to be done. Put your powerful prayer into action and you’ll see God’s hand mightily move.