The proof that we believe is praying steadfastly.
Let us not stop praying for the many things before us.
We don't need to know how everything is going to happen. All we must do is pray.
The secret of success in Christ's kingdom is the ability to pray.
The one who prays is the strong one, the holy one.
The most important thing to learn is how to pray.
Prayer is the keynote of the sanctified life and ministry.
He does the most for Got who is the highest skilled in prayer.
The gospel in its success and power depends on our ability to pray.
When we calmly reflect upon the fact that the progress of the gospel is dependent upon prayer, it is bizarre to think that we give so little time to it.
The progress of the gospel depends on prayer and we neglect it.
We jeopardize the very cause in which we profess by holding back from prayer.
We do more of everything else than praying.
We give more money than prayer.
We emphasize everything other than prayer.
The world needs more true praying.
Not all praying is praying.
The importunate widow, the Syrophenecian woman, and the friend at midnight are pictures of true prayer.
The culmination of all things is near. Be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer.
1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is at hand therefore be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
1 Peter 4:7
Why such emphasis on prayer?
The Apostle Peter knew well the vital role of prayer.
He discovered its significance and power as he witnessed the life of Jesus.
Jesus prayed often.
Jesus spoke about prayer often.
Mark 11:22-24
Jesus answered, "Have faith in God.
Truly, I say to you, whoever.. does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.. I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
John 14:13, 14
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Jesus prepared Peter and the other disciples for a life of prayer.
The believers then joined together constantly in prayer (Acts 1:14).
They experienced the power of prayer as they were filled with the Holy Spirit and preached with great effectiveness and thousands of souls were saved (Acts 2:41).
The believers continued to devote themselves to prayer and in response the Lord continued to save people daily (Acts 2:47).
When they faced persecution they did not turn from prayer but pressed in to the Lord all the more.
After Peter and John were released from prison and were threatened, they gathered with other believers to pray.
Their prayer is recorder in Acts 4:24-31.
God responded by shaking their meeting place and filling them with the Holy Spirit.
As the church continued to grow Peter and the apostles knew that prayer was essential and always had to remain central.
Therefore they delegated other matters such as food distribution to other responsible men so that they could continue to devote themselves to prayer.
As a result, the Word of God kept on spreading and the number of disciples continued to increase greatly (Acts 6:7).
Through prayer the gospel came to the Gentiles.
Cornelius, a God-fearing man was praying when an angel appeared to him and told him that his prayer had been heard.
The next day, Peter was praying and the Lord gave him a vision that the gospel was for the Gentiles also.
When Peter obeyed and went to preach to Cornelius and his household, the Lord poured out His Spirit upon the Gentiles.
Another illustration of prayer is Peter's miraculous escape from prison.
In Acts 12:5 it says when Peter was put in prison, earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. As a result an angel rescued him from prison.
After the incident the Word of the Lord continued to grow and multiply (Acts 12:24).
When Peter writes to be of sound judgment and of sober spirit "for the purpose of prayer", he writes because he knows firsthand the centrality of prayer.
Through prayer we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Through prayer doors are opened for the expansion of the gospel.
Through prayer souls are converted.
Through prayer the Lord displays His power and His grace.
How tragic, then, that in our day prayer is neglected.
Churches and individuals are trying everything except prayer.
We live in a day characterized by the increasing of methods and the decreasing of God's power.
How long will this continue?
The culmination of all things is near. Be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer.
1 Peter 4:7
God has invested great significance in prayer.
Prayer is His way of bringing many sons and daughters to maturity and accomplishing His will on earth.
As we understand His purpose and His ways, it will not only change our perspective on prayer, but our perspective of the church, who we are, what our focus should be, and how we should spend our time and our energy.
The church in a number of nations is increasingly becoming a "house of prayer".
In South Korea there is a 24 prayer mountain. In Indonesia there are over 500 prayer towers, places where Christians pray day and night. Prayer is the secret to what God is doing in these nations. This is happening around the world.