We need a bigger vision in prayer. We need God’s vision! Let’s keep praying and daring to ask for more—for God’s glory, that the gospel may go into all the world, into all nations, that Jesus may come.
Prayer is the most powerful thing we can do to change things. We need to stop acting like it's the thing to do only when we've run out of options. Prayer actually moves our God to action! Jesus said, “What man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread [something needed, not just wanted], will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish [something needed], will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him” Matthew 7:9-11. He does not play favorites! He’ll answer your prayers as quickly as He’ll answer the prayers of the holiest person you know!
I hear you saying, “I’ve prayed for things before, and He did nothing" Well, to be honest, I’ve prayed for things I never (seemingly) got answered, too. But He doesn’t always hear the prayer exactly the way we said it. But He always answers our prayers. Always! Consider this answer to the question about some prayers not being answered, given by the staff at Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: “When we think of ‘unanswered’ prayer, it may be that we do not understand the way in which God responds to our requests. He may not grant an immediate answer, and sometimes our prayers are answered in a way that we fail to recognize. We pray for prosperity, and sometimes financial stress is given. But our souls are made stronger for the test. We pray for health, and affliction is given, and we are better able to sympathize with those in affliction. God makes no mistakes, though at times we may question His wisdom.”
So, if you want to call on God for help, go for it! You may not get the answer just as you want, but you’ll surely get an answer...the perfect answer!
Melody Mason, author of the quote above, is a mighty prayer warrior and author of two books on prayer: "Daring to Ask For More" and "Daring to Live By Every Word." In the first book she tells a story of Alexander the Great and the day he set aside each year called Compassionate Day. On that day, he'd randomly choose a few citizens to ask him for something, anything. But the usual request was for simple things like food or money.
On one Compassionate Day, a man asked (through an interpreter) for a palace...a large palace! The interpreter was extremely irritated with the man's boldness.
Unlike the interpreter, Alexander was delighted by the man's request...because someone finally seemed to realize what Alexander had to give!
God is like that. He loves doing things...even big things...to those who love Him. So don't be timid in asking Him for what you need. Pray to Him today!