PRAYER AND POWER
These are two key themes of the Bible, also very much pronounced among men. They are different subjects but also interrelated. It is impossible to talk about prayer without the inclusion of power as much as we cannot receive power without prayer. That is because God is the object of our prayer. The Lord's Prayer clarifies this. Jesus says:

"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." Matthew 6:9 (NKJV)

Prayer makes us mindful of God and creates the awareness of His presence in us. Thus, we get to experience God in our lives in the place of prayer. This is also because through prayer, we bring God into our lives or situations.

The experience of God in our lives is an empowerment for us. It fills us with hope and assurance of our petitions to Him. Thus, we feel stronger and more confident about life. As we continue consistently in prayer, we get more of this experience in us.

The saying goes that, a prayerful Christian is powerful while a prayer-less Christian is powerless and also, one week without prayer makes one weak. Statements like these are affirmative of the relationship between prayer and power. Jesus Christ gave the same impression in His instruction to His disciples:

"And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;

5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."" Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV)

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an empowerment for the fulfilment of the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to His disciples. The disciples were to wait for it and they did so in the place of prayer.

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers." Acts 1:4 (NKJV)

They were like this for ten days before the arrival of the Holy Spirit to empower them on the day of Pentecost.

"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)

It was therefore in the place of prayer that the Holy Spirit came and empowered the waiting Apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ. This implies that, the empowerment would have been impossible or hindered if they had not given themselves to prayer.

Prayer helps to prepare our human spirit for empowerment. Through prayer, our human spirit is opened, attuned and yielded to the Holy Spirit. Thus, empowerment is possible. That was the experience of the Apostles and disciples in the upper room.

As they continued in prayer, their spirits were yielded to God in anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit and when He eventually came, He was able to empower them all.

If you are easily scared and restless by things, it's only an indication that you lack power and need empowerment. Do like the Apostles and disciples: learn to spend time with God in prayer.

After the Pentecost experience, prayer became a way of life for the Apostles and disciples and a means of renewing themselves in the power of the Holy Spirit. This was evident in their prayer meeting while in the Great Commission, after Pentecost.

"And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:31 (NKJV)

If you know the essence of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and it is important to you, then let nothing take you away from the place of prayer.

As you go through this weekend, desire the power of God in your life to keep you in safety and make you prosper in the works of God and pray earnestly for grace to continue consistently in the place of prayer in Jesus Christ's name. Amen!

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