More Powerful than Prayer

What’s more powerful than prayer? Abiding in Christ. It is only as we abide in Him that we know how to pray.

John 15:7 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you can ask for what you want and it shall be given to you.”

Of course, if we make it our goal to abide in Christ so that we can get whatever we want, we will never succeed at either goal. If we abide in Christ, our wants will be forever altered.

Romans 6 is clear that we died with Christ, and because of that, we live with Him, too.

“For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death (which is symbolized in the immersion of baptism), we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.”

Rom 12 adds that we should live these resurrected lives as living sacrifices. Not sacrifices that die on the altar, but sacrifices that live. Sacrifices that died with Christ and now abide in Him. We are sacrifices that live Holy lives, lives that are pleasing to God.

In this way our wants are altered to become His wants. John 15:7 is a promise, but it might be better to see it as a barometer. If I am given whatever I prayerfully want, I can be assured that I am abiding in Him, and His words are abiding in me.

But if I am not given what I prayerfully want, it demonstrates that I am not capable of understanding His heart in the matter. But our gracious Lord knows our weakness. He understands our hurt. He even understands our heart when it is out of sync with His. And He still loves. He still welcomes us. He still calls us to trust Him more. He still offers the promise. If you will abide in me….you shall have what your heart most deeply wants.

Challenge: Spend 5 minutes each morning, consciously placing yourself in His presence.

Next Topic: “What’s more gracious than salvation?”