Luke 6:12. One of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God.
Many have been given the gospel, but only a few truly experience its life-changing power. As a result, many believers live no differently from those who do not know God, unable to impact their surroundings through the authority of Christ.
This occurs because they do not know the mystery of prayer, the greatest privilege God has given His children. Throughout history, God has consistently used those who understood this mystery. For these individuals, prayer was not a religious duty; it was the very essence of their lives.
We see this most clearly in the life of Jesus. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He would leave the house and go to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35). To Jesus, meeting with His Father was the absolute top priority. He knew that His true source of strength was not found in human approval or physical rest, but in communion with God.
Before calling His disciples, He spent the entire night in prayer, seeking the Father’s will for the men who would carry the gospel to the world (Luke 6:12). Even when the crowds tried to force Him to be their king, He withdrew to the mountains to pray alone (John 6:15). He did not seek popularity because His heart was anchored in the destiny the Father had prepared for Him.
This rhythm of prayer continued until His final hours on earth. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told His disciples to stay awake while He went to pray (Mark 14:32). Even in the midst of crushing agony, His singular goal was to please the Father by fulfilling His will, which meant the death of the cross. He cried out, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” (Mark 14:36).
If the Son of God required this level of intimacy to fulfill His mission, how much more do we need it? Do you need strength for today? Do you need discernment? Do you want to overcome the temptations of the world or fulfill the destiny God has set for you? The answer to all of these is found in prayer.
God used Moses because he was a man of prayer who spoke to the Lord face to face, as one speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11). This is an incredible invitation for us today. Jesus no longer calls us servants, but friends, because He has made known to us everything He learned from His Father (John 15:15).
When you talk to your Father in prayer, He promises to tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3). This is the secret privilege of a friend. When you know the secret heart of God, you will see the miracle of a spiritual Exodus take place wherever you go, setting people free from the power of Satan, sin, and hell.
God is not looking for your ability, your knowledge, or your financial resources. He owns the universe and possesses all wisdom. Instead, our God is looking for a few people who will humble themselves and pray, seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). When we focus on what matters to Him, He brings everything else to us to accomplish His eternal plans.
King David was a man after God’s own heart because he found his primary joy in the presence of God through prayer. His daily life was centered on laying his requests before the Lord and waiting expectantly (Psalm 5:3). Because the Lord was his shepherd, he lacked nothing and found his soul refreshed by quiet waters (Psalm 23:1-3). Even in the night, he invited God to examine his heart, wanting his life to remain in perfect alignment with his Father (Psalm 17:3).
Prayer is not something we do only when we are in trouble or want something from God. Prayer is the act of enjoying God Himself. Without the power found in prayer, we will remain powerless, forced to draw strength from the same temporary sources as the world.
But our Lord promised a different kind of strength: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When the early church believed this promise and devoted themselves to prayer, a life-saving work of God was displayed, and they became instruments to carry the good news that Jesus is the Christ to the ends of the earth. Let us enter into this blessing of prayer throughout our entire day!
Prayer. Father, make me a person of prayer. Strip away my reliance on my own abilities and teach me to find my life in Your presence. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may be used as Your instrument to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.