It’s a Privilege to Pray

God sits on His throne in His temple. Jesus sits beside Him, vigorously pleading for those He loves. For us. The Holy Spirit is there too. On our behalf He utters groans that words cannot express. And then there’s us. Sitting here, yet welcomed into the presence of this Almighty God (Psalm 11:4, Psalm 18:6, Jeremiah 50:34, Hebrews 7:24-25, Romans 8:26-27).


–He invites us to come with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).


–He tells us our prayers are powerful and effective (James 5:16).


–He says pray about anything and everything. When we do He gives us His peace (Philippians 4:5-6).


–He tells us that faith the size of a mustard seed can say to a mountain, –“Move!” and it will move (Matthew 17:20).


–God says He loves us more than we can know and that He is able and willing to do more than we ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:18-20)


It’s a privilege to pray.

Cry Out to the Lord for Deliverance

When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer (Judges 3:9).

Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliver (Judges 3:18).

God delivered them again. And again. And again.

God still delivers. Cry out to the Lord.

Our Merciful Savior

The people did evil, abandoned the Lord and provoked Him to anger. The hand of the Lord was against them for harm and they were in terrible distress.

The Lord heard their groaning, was moved to pity, and He saved them (see Judges 2:11-18).

Our Lord is a merciful Savior.

Speak Up

Here’s one story: “There arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work he had done for Israel (Judges 2:10).

Here’s another story: We will tell “the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might and the wonders that he has done. . . that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children so that they should set their hope in God (Psalm 78:4-6).

Those who speak to God should also speak of Him.

Sincere, Faithful Prayer

Fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness (Deuteronomy 34:9).

Prayer is service.

Pray with sincerity and faithfulness.

On Faith in Prayer

Stories of answered prayer encourage us to pray. But they don’t increase our faith.

Faith is the evidence of things not seen—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses (from Hebrews 11:1 AMP).

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

Faith in prayer is based on who God is and what He is like.

Always Pray; Don’t Give Up

Her story was intended to encourage prayer, but it discouraged me. It seemed God answered all her prayers. Doubt crept in.

Some of my most fervent, persistent prayers have not been answered.

The next day I was substitute teaching. The students were completing a project but we could not find the work they had done. We looked everywhere. I breathed a silent prayer, and immediately found what we were looking for. God heard me!

He hears you.

Will he not answer all our prayers in a way that brings Him glory?

We should always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1).

What God Did When They Prayed for Protection

When they cried to the Lord, he put darkness between them and the Egyptians (Joshua 24:7), who were in hot pursuit.

Pray for protection from the enemy—God is our help and shield (from Psalm 115:11).

The Lord Always Knows

When their brothers misjudged and accused them, they said, “The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows (Joshua 22:22).”

Their story ends well (read it in Joshua 22).

The Mighty One, God, the Lord always knows. And He always listens!

When Planning for Your Future

Consider how or if your plan will help you, “to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul (Joshua 22:5-6).

And don’t forget to pray. God knows the plans he has for you, to give you a future with hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

God’s Good Promises

The Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give their fathers. . . .
The Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. . . .
Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass (Joshua 21:42-45, bold mine).

Claim God’s good promises when you pray.