Prayer Changes Things in Our Lives and Blesses the People and Community around Us

Text: Ezekiel 47:1-12, Luke 11:5-13, Luk:18:1-8

Our first text speaks about a river — the river of God — that flows from the altar in the temple of God. This river, as it flows, gets ever broader and deeper, and it brings life and enrichment to wherever it flows to. It is buoyant with life and brings fruit wherever it flows. That is also a picture of the church and the work of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Out of the church flows the work of the Spirit on earth — first through the church and then out through the doors into the surrounding community, bringing life and fruit wherever it flows through prayer.
The transforming, life-giving work of the Holy Spirit only comes through powerful praying without ceasing. It comes through prayer-saturated churches.

Our second text, Luke 11:5-13 even though speaks about persevering in prayer, has a hidden little message in its powerful thoughts. At the end, Jesus says, “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” The passage initially wasn’t about the Holy Spirit; it was about asking for what we need — ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking. And what do we get as we pray more and more? The Holy Spirit through Luke says we get the Holy Spirit! We get the river of God that flows in and through us.

Our third text, Luke 18:1-8 tells us that importunate praying (prayer of knocking intensity until I receive my answer) generates faith for service ; the type of faith that Jesus is looking out for to bless.

The Apostles waited in the upper room for ten days in prayer and fasting: the result was infilling and baptism in the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:1-4). The Apostles prayed in Acts 4:23-31 when they were threatened: the result was in filling of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is what we get when we pray (Philippians 1:19) and the result: direction, guidance, wisdom, strength on what to do, how to do and when to do and how to access the resources needed to accomplish the assignment.

The Bible says that God hath revealed to the Holy Spirit the blessings he hath prepared for His children; and that through the Holy Spirit we will know the things our Father God hath freely given to us(1 Corinthians 2:9-12). So when we pray we don’t receive answers because we either ask amiss (James 4:3) or we are looking for the answer in the wrong format and/or place. May God give us understanding and revelation knowledge in Jesus Name. Through faith we have access and are able to receive God’s favor and grace from the throne of grace(Romans 5:2, Hebrews 4:16)