So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:9-13)
Prayer is a spiritual science. Just as science reveals facts, accurate answers come from God when you pray. It operates according to spiritual principles, much like scientific laws. People suffer due to a lack of spiritual understanding (Hos 4:6), and believers struggle in life without grasping the mystery of prayer.
When you pray, the Holy Spirit moves powerfully in and through you. As Jesus said, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). The Holy Spirit’s work cannot be stopped (Acts 2:1-4). He will empower you from above to overcome the forces of Satan and the world (Acts 1:8). The Spirit will also guide you on the right path (Acts 6:6-10).
When you pray, God dispatches His angels to receive every word you think and speak: “Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand” (Rev 8:3-4). The angels offer up your prayer to the God of Creation!
The work of angels is evident throughout Scripture. Three angels delivered the message that God would give Abraham a son (Gen 18:2-15). God sent an angel to assist Elijah in despair (1 Kings 19:5-7). God sent an army with horses and chariots of fire to protect the city of Dothan, where Elijah was staying, from the vast army of Aram (2 Kings 6:13-17). When God heard Hezekiah’s prayer in crisis, He sent an angel to strike the 185,000-strong Assyrian army (2 Kings 19:35). To Daniel in the lion’s den, God sent angels for rescue (Dan 6:22).
To prepare for the coming of His Son, God sent the angel Gabriel to Zechariah to bring the good news of the birth of John the Baptist (Mk 1:11-20). After Jesus overcame the temptation of the devil, angels came and attended him (Mt 4:11). The ministry of the angels intensified with the gospel movement carried out by the early Christians (Acts 5:19, 8:26, 10:3, 12:7, 12:23, 27:23).
The prayer of the saints spoken in the name of Jesus is powerful. In the name of Jesus, the kingdom of Satan falls, and the power of evil spirits crumbles. Prayer can change anything. So stop worrying about your life, but start praying! Your heavenly Father made the earth, formed it, and established it. When you pray, He will answer you and tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (Jer 33:3). Seek first His kingdom and ask His absolute plans for your life through prayer!
Prayer. Father, open my eyes to see what happens when I pray. Help me to pray in the Spirit in all circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen.