(Click here to listen to Pastor Bojan’s message “What Prayer Does“.)
There are several things that happen to you when you pray—especially when you have a LIFESTYLE of prayer.
1. Prayer makes us more like the one we are praying to (2 Pet. 1:4).
There are times when we feel like our prayer life is being hindered. It’s important to know that it is often because of something in our own minds. It has nothing to do with God’s attitude towards us. He is not being distant and He is not too busy for you.
I’ve noticed that God is stressed or worried. He doesn’t have anxiety. If we spend a lot of time with God and if we become more like God from spending time with Him—that means that there is an overflowing peace that comes from His presence.
2. Prayer exercises our spiritual muscles (Heb. 5:14).
Just the very habit of praying does something to your spiritual senses.
When you are in prayer, your spiritual senses are sharp. You can hear from Heaven much better and much quicker. You can activate the gifts of the Holy Spirit as well. Just how our physical bodies can be stronger when we exercise regularly—our spiritual man becomes much stronger.
We can get to a place in which we pray WITH God and not just AT God. He can literally tell us what to pray for!
3. Prayer humbles our elevated spirits.
This brings humility, which is simply dependence on God. It’s an attitude that says, “Outside of God I am nothing but through Christ I can do all things.”
Prayer causes you to move outside of yourself. It makes you say that you need help from your creator. It makes you thankful for God.
When we are in humility, God exalts you and promotes you! Through prayer, we are putting ourselves in a place of humility, which is putting ourselves in a place to be exalted.
4. Prayer elevates our broken spirits.
Jesus knows that pain of life. He knows tragedy and enticement to sin, yet He is perfect and blameless and without sin.
5. Prayer energizes us (Colossians 1:29).
Prayer gives us POWER! The Holy Spirit gives us POWER!
6. Prayer always releases a reward (Matthew 6:6)! Especially when you have faith that it will release a reward!
The Lord is a giver by nature. He loves to bless His people.