Find Power in Prayer

by Deep Spirituality (Amy Query, Manging Editor)

Need Emotional Strength? Here's How Prayer Can Help.

Jesus’s disciples found the emotional strength to carry out their incredible task by being in prayer continually.

Why does prayer make all the difference? It is because prayer is where we can access and rely on God’s supernatural power to endure struggle and then take obedient action. This has led to astounding results throughout the Scriptures, history, and even scientific studies.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray (Luke 11:1). We see the impact of his teaching when we read about the lives of those who followed him. They relied on God for their spiritual and emotional strength and changed the world.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

Acts 1:8, 14 NIV

Jesus commissioned His disciples with the incredible task of going into all the world and making disciples.

How did they find the emotional strength to carry out this mission? It was through their willingness to be in prayer continually.

Strength comes from honest prayers.

Honest prayers make all the difference.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup of agony away from me. But no matter what, your will must be mine.” [43] Jesus called for an angel of glory to strengthen him, and the angel appeared.

 [44] He prayed even more passionately, like one being sacrificed, until he was in such intense agony of spirit that his sweat became drops of blood, dripping onto the ground.

Luke 22:42-44 TPT

Jesus prayed honest prayers. These kinds of prayer reveal what we really feel and help us deal with how we feel so we can obey God’s will.

I am often led into both avoidable problems and regrettable sins by my undealt with emotions. There are two ways we can deal with our feelings that lead to our prayers being dishonest.

First, we avoid, hide, or deny our emotions. This hardening of our hearts leads to trouble as we lose our ability to hear God comforting us (Proverbs 28:13-14 NIV).

Second, we indulge our emotions and listen to them over God. This leads to us not praying (Job 36:13 ERV) because we don’t want to endure the pain or do what God asks us to. We are more set on getting what we want than fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives and this also leads to real trouble.

I have often told you, and now tell you with tears in my eyes, that many live as the enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] In the end they will be destroyed. Their own emotions are their god, and they take pride in the shameful things they do. Their minds are set on worldly things.

Philippians 3:18-19 GW

Three emotions we need to be honest with God about are the following:

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   1. Honest about our fear and insecurity – “If I have concealed my sin as people do, by hiding my guilt in my heart [34] because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside—” (Job 31:33-34 NIV)
   
   

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   1. Honest about our anger and anxiety – “So turn from anger. Don’t rage, and don’t worry – these ways frame the doorway to evil.” (Psalm 37:8 Voice)
   
   

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   1. Honest about our grief and pain – “Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.” (Job 36:21 NIV)
   
   

1. Our emotions can be the pathway to greater reliance on God and emotional strength if we meet those times with honesty in prayer.