The Minister's Prayer Life - Paul Washer

I've listened to a number of Paul Washer's mp3 messages before and find him to be a fascinating and convicting teacher. Granted, there is an exuberance that can sometimes distract, but the passion with which Washer teaches on concepts such as the importance and vibrancy of prayer are deeply convicting. This message especially is one worth checking out.

This was one part that really struck me: "Today there is not battle fought in this pulpit. It was fought this morning at five o'clock. It was fought in prayer. It is won in prayer. The thing is done in prayer."

Pastor Washer will make note in this message of his lack of seminary/expository experience while building on the importance of prayer - not as a rote activity but a solid component of the life of every believer. "You know, I hear it very common today even among ministers. They say, 'Well, I don’t really have a specific time of prayer. I just kind of pray all the time.'  I do not believe that because I have learned that practicing the presence of God and practicing prayer, it is a learned discipline. It comes from tarrying with your God. What else would you want to do? What other greater privilege has been granted you than to tarry with God, to worship him, to cry out to him, to commune with him?"

I Kings 18: 36-37

The following is a devotional I wrote years ago for Alpha-Omega:

Prayer is foundational in the life of a believer. It is our means of communicating directly with our creator. Throughout the Bible we read many examples of the power and importance of prayer. A notable example
from the Old Testament is that of the life of Elijah. In I Kings we read about how Elijah was able to perform incredible miracles such as calling down fire from heaven and restoring a widow's child to life again, all accomplished by God's power through prayer. Elijah trusted in God and called on Him during time
of trial, such as when he faced off against the fifty prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Even in a very frightening situation in which he was alone and seriously outnumbered, Elijah's prayer was one of complete and total devotion to God, in which he asked of God for a display of His power before the false prophets, wicked King Ahab and the multitudes of Israel:

“O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so there people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again” (I Kings 18: 36-37)

God responded to Elijah's prayer, displayed His might to the assembly, and brought about change in the heart of Israel (vs. 39). And just as Elijah was consistent in his prayer throughout his ministry, we too should continue to be persistent in our own prayers (I Thes. 5:17), knowing that God hears our
prayers and knows all of our needs and wants.  And while not all prayers are answered, we know that sometimes God does not answer our prayers for a specific reason, the reason not always known to us. This can be difficult to understand sometimes, especially when the unanswered prayer is in regards to needs of a friend or family member. But we understand that as we faithfully bring our petitions to God, we ask that “God's will be done” over that of our own wants and desires, and by doing so we fully put our faith in God to provide for our needs.  So continue to pray fervently, both privately and with one another, and when you bring your petitions to God, rely on Him totally for all of your needs. Remember that God speaks to us through his Word, the Bible, and we respond to that message to God through our prayers. It's an awesome two-way communication that we get to share with the sovereign Creator of the universe.