We ended The Fat Man post with God’s encouragement that His people humble themselves and pray to have their sins forgiven and their land healed. But pray? People pray every night before bed, and several times during the 2-hour Sunday service.
There is no lasting effect. We start over each Monday. So why the encouragement to pray more? God does not even tell us what to pray about! Only to pray
How could random prayer affect anything?
God never intended that His people pray randomly. Prayers from God’s people should be focused and directed.
In the 6th chapter of the Book of Ephesians the Apostle Paul gives us guidance on how to stand firm in times of trouble:
Ephesians 6:13-18 (NIV) 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled aroundyour waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
According to Ephesians, we should prepare ourselves for day of evil by wearing the complete armor of God, and praying always (incessantly). And the only way we can pray incessantly is to pray in the Holy Spirit.
In the Book of John, Jesus tells us that as Jesus is going away, He will send us a Comforter who will guide us into all truth. The Spirit of truth will guide us into all truth, not just truths about what we seek, but all truth. The Spirit of truth is strongly governed to speak only what he hears. When you pray, in the Spirit, you are yielding your will to God and giving Him the right to use your voice to accomplish His will on earth!
God needs you; and he uses your need to meet His need! Its complicated. You can unpack it in Romans 8:19-28 below
John 16:7-15 (KJV) 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Romans 8:19-28 (KJV)19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (feelings to deep for words). 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.