Defenseless to Defended Series: The Importance of Prayer

Have you ever prayed so fervently that you questioned whether God would respond to your prayer? Upon completing my studies in Ministry and Bible at Calvary University, I encountered numerous closed doors and remained steadfast in my daily prayers. Struggling spiritually, I reached a point where I felt like giving up on God, ministry, and the path He had set for me. My primary focus was achieving success and securing a job to sustain myself.

Then, in July, I experienced divine intervention in the middle of the night as God guided me to apply for a position in Children's ministry at a local church. Although I did not secure that role, I received something even greater—mentors at the church helping shape me into a future church leader. God abruptly answered my prayer, revealing His grand plans for my life and reigniting my faith practice.

Interestingly, I spent so much time in Bible College that I lost sight of my relationship with God. However, it started to fade away in High School. I went to Friends University to escape God's calling on my life. Then, when I went to Calvary University, I thought I had finally found God's calling in my life, but I didn't keep in communion with God. I thought I would be better off alone instead of relying on God. However, it was a spiritual struggle. But God finally broke through after I surrendered my control to God. We should yield control as David did. When you are struggling with prayer, remember David's example. In Psalms 17, David communicates the message that God will always answer prayers.

David states, in Psalms 17:6-8, "I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings." (Psalms 17:6-8)

Here is some background of Psalms 17:6-8. David was Saul's enemy. Saul was jealous of how successful David was. David was a man after God's own heart. Even when Saul was actively trying to kill David, David rested in the presence of God and prayed to God to help him during this daring affliction. We should be like David.

We should actively commune with God, not use our faith as "a get out of hell" free card. In Paul's letter to the church of Galatia, he discusses our Christian freedom and how to use it in Jesus Christ. Galatians 5:1 states, "For Freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit against to a yoke of slavery." Then as you get further down. Galatians 5:13 states, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Sometimes, I have fallen short and sinned, but when sin abounds, Grace abounds more. When we sin, God forgives us and casts our sins as far as the East is from the West. God always answers prayer, especially when we ask for forgiveness. John talks about walking in the light in 1 John 1;5-10.

John communicates, "This is the message we have heard from him, and he proclaims to you that God is light and in him, there is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:5-10)

This is very important. Jesus Christ, the perfect son of God who knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), died for us to save us from the penalty of sin which is death. Then three days, he rose up from the grave, conquering sin and death. This is worthy of all of our praise. He is the waymaker. We should commune with God because he made a way for us to be saved from the penalty of sin. If you do not have a personal relationship with God, Jesus Christ, you should have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ because he is a God of hope. He will provide you with life-sustaining hope that nothing else will produce. He wants a relationship with us through praying to King Jesus. He is the King of my Life. All I can do is communicate to him my life through prayer and ask him my requests. When God closes a door, He might be telling you to wait, like in my case with wanting to be a pastor. But God, in his divine sovereignty, has provided each of us with a wonderful plan, which starts with accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord of your Life, the King of our Life. He is worthy of all of our praises. We are wonderful masterpieces of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:10). He wants us to pray all the time (Colossians 2:4-6). Prayer is a two-way street, not a one-way avenue.

God wants a relationship with us, and he wants us to tell him our lives. We should open ourselves to praying every day. My challenge to you is to pray more and seek after the Kingdom of God. The Earth is temporary. The Kingdom of God is eternal. Our eternal home far outweighs our struggles here on earth. If we struggle, God is there to help us (Hebrews 13:5-6), just like he helped David in Psalms 17:6-8. The Lord is our helper (Hebrews 13:5-6). He is our shepherd, molding and shaping us into who he wants us to be (Psalms 23:1).

My encouragement is to pray more. You never know what God will do in our life. That is simply amazing. You should open yourself up to God. God will mold and shape us into who he wants us to be. Thank you for listening. I hope this was hopeful. If you liked it, please encourage your friends to read this.