I heard someone say that “God will not do anything on earth without man and man can do nothing on earth without God.” Do you agree with this statement?
I discovered in John 14:13 – 14, one of the very encouraging promises from Jesus Himself. It goes like this (in the English Standard Version), “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.”
This is very encouraging because of what it promises but, in my view, this passage is not necessarily the most persuasive statement on the practice of praying. What it says to me, however is that asking is one of the things that happens when we pray. But even more poignantly, if I have a need, I should take it to Jesus. This is very important because consulting Jesus comes with significant benefits.
First it glorifies God the Father through the Son, Jesus, because we give Heaven the opportunity and permission to minister to us. The more He can work in us, with us, for us through us, the more the power of God’s name is manifested in the earth.
Second, prayer has a calming effect on the mind and spirit. It reduces anxiety and fear because by the very notion of prayer, the soul begins to unlock belief, reliance, dependence towards God. It stops the fight and induces surrender. Isa 26:3 says that God keeps us in perfect peace if our minds are steadfast, because we trust Him. In a world of ever-increasing anxiety, the praying soul can find calm and peace. Guaranteed.
The third benefit is the unleashing of faith and patience simultaneously because faith breeds expectation and in order to wait for manifestation the soul must wait on God’s timing. Both faith and patience work in tandem when we pray. This is why belief is so pivotal to prayer else prayer becomes a mere act in futility. This combo of belief, faith and patience certainly brings the blessing near. Heaven cannot help itself but deliver on what had been asked and prayed for. It is why Jesus beckoned Peter to get off the boat and WALK ON WATER! Faith brings reality to the desire.
Fourthly, prayer elicits bravery and the boldness to speak in confidence and wisdom. Prayer opens the heart so Heaven can strengthen and embolden the soul (Isa 40:29-31), God gives strength to the weary and increased power to the weak.
Fifth, prayer purifies the heart because those who come to God believe that God is and that He regards those who diligently seek him. In being diligent the cry of the heart is like that of the psalmist: “Search me oh God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts, See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” Ps 139:23-24.
So as I reflect on these in exhaustive benefits, I realize that God is not going to do a whole lot on earth without the involvement of man. And since man is pretty weak without God, he needs to connect with God. Prayer is the one and only facilitator to make this happen. So I will keep on praying so that God’s beautiful, wondrous, marvelous and perfect will for you and me, established in heaven, can also be established for us in the earth. Pray and after you have done so pray again, without ceasing. It’s 100% worth it! - Pastor Kerth
