Prayer: How does it avail much?????

Happy Holidays to all. Most are gearing up for Christmas. It is another day to sow and receive love. That's right, the law of sowing and reaping has no boundaries. There are some people who think this only applies to finances. It applies to all facets of our day to day lives. Remember that old saying...what goes around...comes around. Same principle.

Now on to our topic: Prayer...how does it avail much? You may have heard that quoted. You may have even read it. Maybe pondered on it previously. Today, we dig deeper attempting to better understand the whole idea regarding prayers that avail much. To do so let's examine the word "prayer" for a minute. It does not matter where you may be in your life at this present moment. Rich or poor. Across cultures. Lonely. Happy. Angry. Hurt. Rejected. Over weight. Skinny. In church. Out of church. Never attended church. Buddhist. Baptist. Christian. Mormon. Catholic. Or some other denomination. Perhaps no denomination at all. Prayer is the vehicle used to talk with God.

There are different forms of prayer. Whether we get some sort of bad news or see our lives flash before our eyes as a another car runs a red light and is heading straight towards you with no rescue in sight or perhaps you get overly frustrated. All these things may cause us to cry out in desperation "Oh, my God"......"Jesus help me" or here is another very popular one...."Lord if you ever get me out of (fill in the blank) I'll do (fill in the blank). Sometimes we don't have time to speak it out or may not know the exact words to say in order to verbalize our need or request. In some form we all have done it. Some more than others. Within us all is a inner cry and or longing that comes from deep within which prompts human beings everywhere to pray.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines avail as: To be of use, value, or advantage; serve. Prayer is useful. It has and adds value. To use it daily is to our advantage. Prayer can be looked at as a form of service. Here is were the sticking point for some comes in. Waiting for the answer....right? Some have asked. How long do I pray? What do I say? It does not seem to be working for me? Or, nothing seems to be happening? This is were the element of faith steps in. The same faith we demonstrate every time we breath. Look around you right now. Can your naked eye see the air your lungs are taking in as your reading this article? Maybe you have a window open so you can feel a cool breeze. Or perhaps there is a strong wind passing by where you are so you can hear it. But normally you can't hear or see air. Yet, we don't stop and tell our lungs....now hold on, don't expand in and out again until I can see or feel some air around me. Nope. I think it's safe to say we dont tell our lungs that before breathing. Why? Because it's natural to breathe in and out. The same truth applies to availing prayer. We may not "see" how it's working, but prayer is working. Folks may not "feel" the answer just yet. But it's coming. I am reminded of a passage of scripture in Dan 10:12 - Amplified Bible. It was a time in Daniel's life were it seemed his prayers were going no where fast. However, he kept the faith and within 21 days a Divine Angel came to him and tells him "I have come as a consequence of [and in response to] your words". Talk about availing much. The words you speak out in prayer linger in the atmosphere minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and yes sometimes years waiting for divine purpose to manifest. Heaven is watching.....even listening. Divine Angles are at work on your behalf. Working to ensure your prayers avail through obstacles, circumstances, events, mountains of opposition, walls, and barriers.

Faith is the key that must be exercised before, during and after prayer. It's like gas in your car. Electricity in a light switch. Little to nothing happens without it. All things are possible with just a little faith in God.

Prayer Exercise: Seize the moment. Make a decision to stand right now by faith in prayer until heaven releases your answer. Let your petition be made known to God. He cares and will answer.

Quote: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him". The Bible - Hebrews 11:6 (King James Version)