The Potency of Prayer

The Potency of Prayer (Revised 03/21/2011)
Foundation Scripture: Mark 11:22-24; James 4:2-3
“22 And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly].
23Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and
does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for
him.
24For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be
confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].” (Mark 11:22-24 AMP)
“You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become
murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and
anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you
seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask.
3[Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose
and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual
pleasures.” (James 4:2-3 AMP)
As we embark on today’s journey into the infallible Word of God, it is my earnest and heartfelt
desire that God will reveal Himself in a powerful and succinct way.
It is now that I pray that God illuminate and elucidate His Word that we may be able to grasp —
in depth — its true meaning; that it may touch our hearts in a manner that draws us ever closer
to Him. I pray also that God decrease me in every way and increase Himself within me, that the
message is that of God and not of me. I further pray that the hearts of those that receive this
message will be anointed with a spirit of lucidity, that they might receive the message in a
manner that they are able to apply it to their daily lives, Thereby becoming more powerful and
effective in their walk with Christ. This is my prayer. Amen
Today’s text focuses on the subject of prayer; not just prayer in the broad sense of the word, but
more specifically, the effectiveness of true prayer. We are concerned here today with prayer
that is efficacious as well as perpetual in its efficacy.
It is my opinion that though prayer is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal, it is the most
misused, underused, and misunderstood as well. I will endeavor to bring some lucidity to the
function of prayer and its benefits.
What is prayer? Well, before we address this question, let discuss what prayer is not. Prayer is
not a method of getting God’s attention, for God is perfectly cognizant of every detail in your life.