Prayer: A Proclamation of our Faith
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God ... but let him ask in faith, nothing wavering...”
There is no greater privilege given to the believer, apart from our salvation, than the privilege of prayer. By prayer we have been granted access (Romans 5:2), and have been given an audience with the King of kings and Lord of lords. How well do we understand this great privilege? Over the next few weeks we will examine what it means to pray, and what we truly do when we “come boldly unto the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16).
This week, let’s consider together that prayer is an opportunity for us to Proclaim our Faith in God. James tells us in chapter 1 of his epistle that if we lack, we need to pray. However, he qualifies the statement when he said to “ask in faith, nothing wavering” (James 1:6). Faith is essential to all that we do as believers. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that“without faith it is impossible to please him [God].” Paul reminds us in Romans 1:17 that those who have been justified are to “live by faith”. When we pray, as we ought, we are proclaiming our faith in God. For when we pray, we acknowledge our inability (John 15:5) and rest upon His ability (Ephesians 3:20; Mark 10:27). A faithful Christian then is a dependent Christian, one wholly dependent upon the Lord for wisdom, strength, and effectiveness. The Christian life and ministry should not be lived in our own strength or in our own effort. We must proclaim our faith and demonstrate our dependence upon God by coming to Him in prayer.
Christian, it is not what you can do for God. It is what He can do in you and through you that matters. Come to Him in prayer and proclaim your faith in Him for truly He is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)
Pastor Jeffrey Bateman
Senior Pastor