Don’t Let Prayer Be Your Last Resort

"O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but You. Listen to my voice in the morning Lord. Each morning, I bring my requests to You and wait expectantly" (Psalm 5:1-2 NLT).

Welcome back dear student, desperation led me to cry to and seek God. It’s amazing that in difficult situations turning to God is often the last thing thought of.

Folks try every means possible other than the Lord. Why? Maybe they feel their faith is weak or non-existent. Maybe they’ve lost their hope, or other endeavours seem more exciting. God is not deaf - learnt off, babbling prayers that are repeated over and over are empty ritual. Religious activities has been man’s way of trying to reach up to the Most High, Holy God.

However, the Word of God reveals the Truth of how God reached down for sinful man!

That God so loves the world that He gave His Only Son, the Lord Jesus, to die in our place, to pay for our sins - that we could never atone for, as a free gift of Salvation through His sacrifice (John 3:16-21).

There had to be a sacrifice to resolve sin. But it’s a matter of believing and receiving, not striving by works.

Jesus gave His life willingly.

Up to that point the blood of goats, and bulls were offered constantly to satisfy the wrath on sin (Romans 6:23). But those sacrifices never removed the sins; only covered them. Jesus suffered and gave His sinless Blood as The One-Time Atonement for all mankind, forever (Hebrews chapters 9+10; Isaiah chapter 53).

No more sacrifices required!

The Blood of the Lamb of God paid for our sins in full. This is the Good News!

Faith in Jesus is not a vengeful or mythological tale; it is the Revelation of relationship, forgiveness, reconciliation, and of Yahweh’s true, pure Love. Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace, the Word of Truth, the Author of Life, Saviour, and Lord of all. One day every knee will bow before Him. Every person who has ever heard of Him will be judged according to whether they believed or rejected God’s Only Son (Romans 14:9-12). This is no fairy story.

Jesus is the Light Who came to expose and expel darkness. He didn’t come to kill, to steal or destroy – that’s the devil’s character (John 10:10; 1 John 3:8). Jesus came to forgive, to heal, and set free all who believe in Him and call upon His Name for Salvation. Don’t let prayer be the last call you make. Often people are facing serious trouble or even death and then decide ‘okay, I’ll try God so…’ but it’s a last resort not based upon Biblical Truth.

Our world is desperate for God, but people have been tricked into following and believing anything else but the Living God – enticing people’s attention elsewhere, when all the while the Father is waiting with open arms (Luke 15:11-24). Jesus is alive – He was raised from the dead by the power of God.

Sometimes circumstances feel like they’re dead – perhaps a marriage, or family relationship, or a person’s health that seem hopeless and dysfunctional. But God is able! He gives Life to the dead things and calls those things that are not as though they are (Romans 4:17; Isaiah 40:29-31). Jesus told us to pray to the Father in His Name (Matthew 6:1-14; John 16:23).

Friend, come, talk to God and get real with Him. Hear Him - Hope - and Believe! Spend time seeking Him in the Word and learn to declare His promises in faith.

Our podcast episode on Spotify called ‘How To Pray Effectively For Breakthrough’ is worth a listen! I pray it blesses you this week.