Power of Prayer

Do you feel powerful? Or maybe you feel powerless? Do you ever think or wonder about power in your life? From where or from whom does it come? Does it come from God? Ourselves?

When I get ready to do a task that involves hard work and muscles, I have a motion that I do to get me in the spirit to do the task. I put my arms up, bent at my elbows to my sides, make fists, as if I’m showing my muscles, and let out an odd, whisper of a sound, “Wwwaaaaaaa!” Somehow I think this will give me the power! Pretty silly, I know.

Paul talks about receiving his hope, strength, power, and his everything, only from God through Jesus Christ in 2 Corinthians 1. Paul is telling about his devastating experience in Asia due to the discord and rioting against him, Acts 19:23-41. Verses 9-10 of 2 Corinthians say, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver us again.” Paul is also recognizing God’s trust and deliverance. And in verse 11 we see him asking the people to join together with him in prayer and give thanks for the many blessings granted.

And Jesus tells us from whom power comes in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” And for me, knowing I have the Holy Spirit, Paul completes this understanding of power in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 when God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” And Paul responds, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I definitely know I have weakness and the other experiences as Paul did, such as insults, hardships, and calamities. I also know that I no longer need to wonder about power in my life, if I have it and from where it comes. I have Jesus. I know God, and I have the Holy Spirit. I have power and I know my power doesn’t come from a “Wwwaaaaaaaa.” It comes from a prayer!