“For everyone who partakes only of
milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of
full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.”—Hebrews 5:13-14
As disciples of Jesus, we are called
to prayer; sadly, however, it seems to be one of the weakest areas in some
Christian’s lives. I think that one of
the contributing reasons can be found in an individual’s spiritual maturity. If they
are weak in faith and weak and in their understanding of their redemptive
identity in Christ, then it follows that they will produce weak and ineffective
prayers that produce little if any positive
results. In the book of Romans
4:13-20, Paul writes how Abraham is an example of positive strong faith. Because Abraham believed and hoped in what God
had spoken to him concerning having an heir, Paul writes, “And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already
dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s
womb. He did not waver at the promise of
God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God.”
Effective prayers that bring
positive results are governed by spiritual laws. A spiritual mature disciple can leave the time of prayer with
confidence because: “…he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is the
rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). And because, the prayer asks in faith, “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for
he that wavers is like a wave of the sea, driven, with the wind and tossed; let
not man expect that he shall receive anything of the Lord”(James 1:6). Faith “obtains promises, unbelief goes
empty-handed.” The prayer that avails
most with God and produces positive
results is the prayer of one who believes that God will hear her or him and
who, therefore, asks with confidence.
Prayer—Father I desire
positive results when I pray and I ask, will You please shine Your illumination
upon any area of my heart where I am spiritually immature? I ask for Your help Lord, to be a strong
vibrant Christian whose prayers avail much and produce positive results in the Your
Kingdom, in Jesus Name. Amen.
