I’m convinced that our greatest need today is powerful, persistent, passionate, prevailing prayer. The need is far greater than most of us realise. Last Sunday we examined the incredible story in Exodus 17:8-16 which demonstrates the principle of prevailing (powerful) prayer. We discovered that Moses lowered his hands for the very same reason many of us stop praying. In the natural we see things improving, the battle turning our way (a positive change in circumstances, etc.), and so we think it is ok to lower our prayer commitment. What we fail to realise is that contained in our prayers (like the staff in Moses’ hands), is God’s awesome power. The divine power that secures victory and enforces the devil’s defeat.
Like Moses, we need to learn to prevail – in prayer. That is, to pray until God gives us total victory. Yes, we all need to see the need for prevailing prayer! Otherwise we will only see partial breakthroughs. The victory appears to be there, so we stop praying! For a while it seems like battle is won, then suddenly, the enemy gains the upper hand again. Such an existence is not the life Jesus went to the cross to secure for us. In fact, we are “more than conquerors!”
This “prayer principle” really spoke to my heart. Like Moses, I found it hard to keep the staff of the Lord up all day (that is, “praying without ceasing”). However, by praying in the Spirit, I realised that it was far easier to keep my prayers going! The way I do it is to start by holding up the promises of God (the staff of the Lord), then I begin to pray in the Spirit. This way I am able to pray without ceasing, and consequently, the enemy has no way of gaining the upper hand again. I have learnt to establish TOTAL VICTORY! This is incredibly powerful! But prayer is powerful!
