The hidden power of prayer

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Sometimes we outwardly project a better image of our inner state than we actually feel. The Jews who were once persecuted didn't ask each other, "How are you?", but greeted each other with, "How is your prayer?" For in this, the spiritual state and well-being of the believer is revealed.

The outward appearance we present to others is often deceptive and conceals what is truly going on inside. This was also the case with the noblewoman from Shunem. She had just suffered a terrible loss. Yet she hid her pain from the outside world. When Elisha's servant asked her if she, her husband, and her son were well, she answered in the affirmative (cf. 2 Kings 4:26).

It's the same with us today. We meet, inquire about each other's well-being, and often the answer is similar to that of the Shunammite woman. "Yes, thank God!" is what you hear, even though, despite all the gratitude we should express, we are actually feeling or experiencing something quite different.

We find ourselves in a valley of tears, experiencing a defeat in a spiritual battle, or suffering tribulations in our faith. Only the object of our prayer can reveal and expose our true inner state.

The importance of prayer becomes apparent very early in human history – almost immediately after the Fall of Man. Holy Scripture provides crucial insight into the circumstances under which people turned back to God after the loss of Paradise.

In the first book of Moses we read: “And to Seth a son was born, and he named his name Enosh. And at that time people began to call on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:26). The realization of their condition and the awareness of their dependence on God, the Creator, led people back to Him. They recognized that support, transformation, and help could only come from the Lord—and therefore sought His presence. Driven by an inner impulse, creation turned once more to its Creator.

Today's Christians await the revelation of their Savior Jesus Christ, who will one day suddenly—in the blink of an eye—appear and take His bride to Himself. The Apostle Peter already spoke about the end times in his letters. In them, he encouraged believers to adopt a specific course of behavior during this time of waiting: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and sober-minded so that you may pray” (1 Peter 4:7).

It is therefore essential to arm ourselves in prayer. Life in the last epoch of the end times demands all the more of us to be in constant communion with our Lord and to live in great dependence on Him. For this reason, we should distinguish ourselves through a holy life and the fear of God.

If our natural life already requires care in many forms, which takes up a lot of time – how much more is there a need for a continuous review of our spiritual condition?

For Christians, seeking and dwelling in prayer is the path to a deeper, ever-growing relationship with the Lord.

The blunt axe

In our modern age, there are numerous influences that seek to distract us from what is essential: true worship. Particularly in the effective realm of prayer, we become inwardly dulled and sometimes wonder at our lack of strength. In the book of Ecclesiastes, the wise Solomon vividly describes the connection between cause and effect: “If an axe is dull and its blade is not sharpened, it requires even greater force; but wisdom brings success” (Ecclesiastes 10:10).

Working with a blunt axe not only requires considerably more effort but also yields less than with a freshly sharpened blade. The same is true of prayer: yes, it requires effort. But to keep a fire burning, wood must also be gathered and added. Or as Solomon said, "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out" (Proverbs 26:20a).

The Word of God shows us the way out of a spiritually dull state in three steps. The first necessary step is knowledge. Scripture says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7a). Like the prodigal son, we must look inward and acknowledge our weakness, guilt, and sin. This self-knowledge—as the righteous fruit of repentance and turning to God—forms the fertile ground for God's work in us.

Only from the forgiveness we receive from the Lord does true reverence for Him, the fear of God, arise: “But with you is forgiveness, that you may be feared” (Psalm 130:4). This is the second step. This newly attained fear of God is the beginning of “true” wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10a).

This is step three, in which we sharpen the blunt axe through wisdom. The axe brings spiritual success, rekindling the fire of the Holy Spirit within us (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:10).

Meaning of the mind

This is also important because Scripture urges us not to quench the Spirit within us and not to hinder its activity (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Older translations even speak of not "quenching" the Spirit. Just as water is commonly used to prevent a fire from spreading, this often happens in our spiritual lives.

Spiritual fires – the prayer and ministry kindled by the Holy Spirit – are stifled or even extinguished. Instead of fostering the fire of the Spirit (cf. Acts 2:3), it is controlled, thus hindering the spread and development of spiritual life as God intended.

Through various inappropriate behaviors and overly rigidly predetermined procedures in worship, we sometimes relegate the Holy Spirit to the role of spectator, instead of allowing Him to assume His rightful leading role. As Christians baptized in the Spirit, however, we should be especially careful, particularly with regard to prayer in the Spirit, to preserve the unity of the tested faith of our forefathers and the spirit of grace and prayer.

Why is this so important? Because nowadays there are so many different views and interpretations of prayer. And often, various "adjustments" are made to determine what is supposedly the right way to do it.

The true effect of the Holy Spirit in prayer, however, comes from above and brings about a profound and genuine inner transformation through the active grace of God. Through our close connection with Him, we are overshadowed by His glory, so that His true power is revealed within us.

Through this, we are empowered to serve God in spirit, to stand patiently in Christ's teaching, and to emerge as overcomers. We experience God's nearness, and tears of repentance or joy flow—not from mere emotional emotion, but through our connection with the Father in heaven. From this spring thanksgiving, sacrifices of praise, and glory.

To strive – but at the right time

Neglecting prayer can lead to missed opportunities. These cannot then be compensated for by subsequent effort on one's own. A good example of this can be seen in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus needed the support of his disciples at a particular moment.

He asked them to watch with Him, but they fell asleep from weariness. The disciples, usually so willing, failed to recognize the hour for prayer and intercession. Jesus then admonished them, saying, “ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mt 26:41). Yet just moments before, the disciples had confidently testified to how willing their spirits were (cf. Mt 26:35).

But their words were the result of self-confidence and overconfidence. Suddenly, the situation of conflict arose. Now it was a matter of getting on their knees and standing up for Jesus, of stepping "into the breach." But they had not yet learned how much the flesh hinders them. The inner will of the Spirit is often present in us as well, but we fail to accomplish it because the flesh is weak and tends to give in.

The Lord Jesus shows us in a powerful way what a fervent, humble, and earnest prayer, cried out loud and with tears, can achieve – He submits to His Father's will, even though the flesh rebels. Prayer spoken in times of distress brings comfort and strength from the Lord at the right moment.

Peter's untimely zeal awoke after the spiritual battle was already over. He saw what was right in front of him. He saw the soldiers coming—and cut off the ear of one soldier. Peter's fate is like ours often. He confused the battlefield with the enemy. He was zealous when zeal was no longer needed.

False zeal at the wrong time can destroy God's will. Jesus makes this clear when He asks Peter, "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" (John 18:11). The battle is not against flesh and blood, but against powers, principalities, and evil spirits. To resist and hold our ground, it is necessary to enter a deep state of prayer so that the voice from heaven may be heard. May the Lord grant us spiritual eyes to recognize the hour for prayer.

In dialogue with God, the pressure decreases, the fear fades, and our heart can breathe freely.

Biblical instruction on prayer

There are moments in life when we are confronted with difficulties, trials, or seemingly unsolvable questions. Times when doubt and hesitation weigh us down, and we would prefer to escape the situation. The Apostle James offers divine advice that we can wonderfully apply even in such situations: “Is anyone among you being wronged? Let him pray!” (James 5:13).

This biblical passage encourages us to seek refuge in prayer during times of distress and suffering. Through prayer, resentment, hurt, bitterness, and all that burdens our hearts subside. By bringing our worries, anxieties, and complaints into dialogue with God, we experience relief. The pressure lessens, the fear fades, and our hearts can breathe freely because they perceive God's presence and guidance.

Sometimes difficulties come into our lives so that our faith can be tested, like a scale on which we are weighed. These trials are not merely for their own sake—they serve to purify and strengthen our faith. The Bible gives us clear instructions on how to act in such situations.

Prayer is not only a source of hope and comfort, but also of strength. This is powerfully demonstrated by the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. He submitted to the will of His Father, whereupon an angel was sent to strengthen Him. His situation was not immediately changed, nor was his path made easier, but He received the strength to complete the divine work.

When time constraints force us to cut back on something in our daily lives or even in worship, prayer is often the first choice. While this is already a poor decision, it also carries a further risk. If we are not vigilant, our inner urge and motivation to pray can gradually diminish.

Our prayer increasingly becomes a mere formality, and we lose depth, making it difficult for us to enter the "stream of prayer." This, in turn, leads to spiritual defeats, since without a vibrant prayer life we hardly have the strength to fight against bad habits, certain sins, or malevolent influences and to progress spiritually. We underestimate the importance of prayer.

We see it as a necessary formality and think that we inevitably practice it in our daily lives anyway, whether as grace before meals, in devotions, or in church services. We lose awareness of the significance of our prayer life and reduce it to a minimum. This negligence is often the cause of a creeping spiritual weariness that can paralyze us. Therefore, we don't want to merely immerse ourselves in the "stream of prayer" up to our ankles or loins, but rather surrender ourselves completely to swim in it (cf. Ezekiel 47:3-5).

For Christians, seeking and abiding in prayer is the path to a deeper, ever-growing relationship with the Lord. The true presence of God and the outpouring of His Spirit transform us into the image of His beloved Son. The influence of His presence and glory brings about true discipleship in love within us.

Pillars of Christian life

The Temple built by Solomon had two pillars at its entrance. They bore the names Jachin ("I will raise up") and Boaz ("In him is strength"). We can apply the meaning of these impressive pillars to our lives as Christians.

When the Word of God and prayer are at the heart of our faith life, Christ will be present in us, and streams of living water will flow from us. It is not without reason that it says: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). This promise strengthens our faith and gives us hope.

From Daniel's life, we can learn that his two pillars remained steadfast, even as external circumstances worsened. How can we achieve such steadfastness? A look at Daniel's attitude provides insight. Even as a young man in a foreign land, he chose not to compromise. He sustained himself only on vegetables and water, instead of accepting the royal provisions.

This decision of faith not only strengthened his body, but the Lord also gave him an extraordinary mind full of wisdom and understanding. Good habits arise from repeated, conscious decisions to do what is right. Bad habits creep in through bad decisions, such as inappropriate media use or time management. We lose our clear vision and our spiritual orientation.

Daniel studied God's law intensively and regularly. This was the foundation for his steadfastness in prayer. We usually notice ourselves when God's Word and prayer lose priority in our lives and other things creep in. Let us therefore firmly embrace these two pillars of the Christian life and lean upon them.

The prayer of the righteous is a life lived according to God's will.

Seriously and without ceasing

A truly devout Christian is not recognizable solely by knowing many Bible verses by heart or by displaying outward piety. The Apostle James highlights a much deeper point: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

A sincere prayer springs from a heart that meditates on God's ways and discerns spiritually. The prayer of the righteous is not merely the utterance of words, but a life lived in accordance with God's will. Elijah is cited as our example. He was not an extraordinary superman, but a man "of our own making" (cf. James 5:17). Yet he walked in God's ways, recognized the people's turning away, and prayed according to God's will. His prayer stemmed from spiritual insight. He understood that Israel's spiritual condition was grave and prayed that heaven might be closed. Not arbitrarily or of his own volition, but in accordance with God's purpose. The aim of this drought was not punishment, but the people's return to God.

Here we see the secret of effective prayer. A righteous person lives with God, recognizes their own spiritual condition and that of those around them through the Holy Spirit, and prays according to God's will. Such prayer has power! Not because the person praying is particularly gifted, but because they walk with God.

Another distinctive feature of prayer is evident in the story of the centurion Cornelius in the Acts of the Apostles: “And he prayed continually to God” (Acts 10:2). What were his motives? As a Gentile, he not only lived in Israel, but he also longed for spiritual connection.

It is conceivable that he had read in the ancient Jewish scriptures about God's plan for His people, and that the prophetic announcements kindled a living faith within him. The message of salvation for the Gentiles awakened a deep longing in him. This prompted him to seek God intensely. The desire to be a partaker of God's plan led him to a constant state of prayer.

The breath of the spirit

Breathing is a natural and vital process that occurs without conscious effort. Likewise, prayer is an essential part of Christian life, not merely as theory, but as a living practice. Knowledge of prayer alone is not enough; only active prayer brings about spiritual growth and spiritual gifts.

Praying Christians give rise to praying communities in which God's gifts unfold. These gifts are of inestimable value to the Bride of Christ, enabling her to remain undefiled and steadfast in a time full of temptations.

Just as holding your breath quickly leads to exhaustion, so too does a life without a fulfilling prayer life weaken faith. Without regular prayer, negligence and spiritual lethargy creep in. We begin to relax God's commandments and experience them as a burden because we lack the strength to remain in close and holy discipleship of Jesus. But those who cultivate prayer remain spiritually alert, strengthened, and guided.

In the Letter to the Colossians, we encounter a remarkable servant of Christ for whom prayer was literally the breath of the Spirit: “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, sends you greetings. He is always striving in prayer for you, that you may stand firm, mature and complete in all that is God’s will” (Colossians 4:12). Epaphras was not an occasional prayer-giver; he prayed constantly, meaning continuously and persistently. His perseverance on his knees demonstrates the intensity of his struggle. He was acutely aware of the needs of the believers and saw their shortcomings and deficiencies.

Today there are many who point out problems, but few who solve them. Epaphras countered this trend and stood "in the gap" for his fellow believers. He did not pray for wealth, but for spiritual well-being. His prayer was not superficial, but comprehensive and profound.

Steadfast: Epaphras prayed to God that the church would remain firm in the faith and not be swept away by temptations or false teachings. He also recognized the danger of spiritual pride. Therefore, he prayed that the Colossians would remain vigilant and not lose their firm footing in Christ.

Perfect: He also strove for believers to reach full spiritual maturity. That they might grow into perfect manhood in the unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. Their lives should be characterized by trained senses to distinguish good from evil, as well as by mature judgment in dealing with spiritual challenges.

Fulfilled: Finally, he prayed that the Colossians would be completely fulfilled and convinced of God's will. That they would be deeply rooted in His Word, becoming not only hearers but also doers of the Word. This is shown in a life of holiness, service in love, and walking in humility (cf. Col 3:12).

Those who cultivate prayer remain spiritually alert, strengthened, and guided.

Lord, teach us to pray

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). Jesus’ commandment and instructions make it clear that certain conditions must be met for prayer to be effective.

The closed door symbolizes, among other things, that we must consciously separate ourselves from external influences in order to enter into the God-ordained solitude. God, who is hidden and watches over what is hidden, will reward it publicly. We remember the Apostle Peter, how he prayed alone on the roof. Subsequently, the Lord worked in Cornelius's house and visibly revealed the fullness of His grace.

Preachers do not receive God's anointing solely through the study of His Word. The Word and the true food for God's people are received on knees in private. Hannah prayed silently in her heart. Only her lips moved, without her voice being heard. In contrast, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out aloud. These examples show that God hears and uses both silent and spoken prayer. The Lord seeks worshippers who worship Him in spirit and in truth.

May the Lord pour out the spirit of prayer upon us, that we may learn to enter the stream of His grace. Let us worship Him in accordance with the truth of God and led by the Holy Spirit!

Thomas Koch

Municipality of Bremerhaven