Prayer’s Answer
It is the answered prayer which brings praying out of the realm of dry, dead things, and makes praying a thing of life and power. It is the answer to prayer which brings things to pass, changes the natural trend of things, and orders all things according to the will of God.
It is the answer to prayer which takes praying out of the regions of fanaticism and saves it from being Utopian, or from being merely fanciful. It is the answer to prayer which makes praying a power for God and for us and makes praying real and divine.
—E. M. Bounds
The Possibilities of Prayer
In Bound’s opening statement, he says, “It is the answered prayer which brings praying out of the realm of dry, dead things, and makes praying a thing of life and power.” He’s saying that when prayer is answered, it revitalizes the act of praying itself; it makes prayer feel more meaningful, alive, and impactful. In ‘dead things’, think about those aspects of prayer that feel routine, uninspired, or just ‘going-thru-the-motions.’ Answers to our prayers bring new life and vitality—we’ve encountered God, unmistakably—making prayer, as Bounds continues, “a thing of life and power.” Here’s the best word of advice I can offer on prayer, something I’m learning myself through experience: Prayer grows in practice. The more you spend time in prayer, the more you’ll sense His answers, and the more your prayer life will become effectual. So, let’s use today’s devotional thought as inspiration to pray, pray often, and pray more powerfully! —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics