THE POWER OF PRAYER, PRAISE
AND WORSHIP

By Jay Pearson

 

Have you ever stopped to consider what some really common phrases are saying? I find myself saying things that, when I stop to think about it, I don’t really mean at all. They sometimes sound so wonderful, religious and full of truth or even dynamic. Words are sometimes quickly covered and the assumptions are predetermined by our ears.

I was in a new Christian book store the other day and, wow, there are a lot of books that mention the “power of praise” in the title, or at least in the subtitle or short descriptions. Next to them are even more about the “power of prayer.” How about this one? “The Power of Worship.” These titles far outnumbered the titles concerning the power of God.

I’m kind of weird, I guess, especially with commonly used phrases I hear and see. I ran home, jumped on my computer and in my concordance typed in “Power of Prayer.” Guess how many times it is used in the Bible? How about “Power of Praise” and “Power of Worship”? Twenty times each maybe? Three times each? It may surprise you to know that “Power of Prayer” was used zero times, “Power of Praise” zero times and “Power of Worship” zero times.

The power is not in Praise, Prayer or Worship. The power is in GOD. Without him our prayers are useless. They are not weak, they are useless, even though they may or may not conjure up a good feeling. Without God we can do nothing, without Jesus Christ we can do nothing.

God loves our prayers, praise and worship. God requests, commands and requires them if you are to be more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. Any effort we produce of ourselves is not even slightly visible next to the power of God who formed, made and created us.

Yes let’s praise him right now. Let us worship him and glorify his name. Let us pray a prayer of thanksgiving. When we praise, worship and pray through his power, energized by his love, the results are powerful. They are powerful because God fills them with power.

Exercising spiritual power is not producing, but using that which is already in existence. Again I say the power is of God. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Praise God and love the Lord, Holy is his name. Polish up your armor and go out and kick the assumptions out of some phrases. One soldier expressing an opinion today and I hope to see you down the trail. I love you and thank God, in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, for you all. Keep your eyes and ears open to him who gave them.

Ephesians 6:10:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

 

 

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From the June 2003 issue of The Vine & Branches