Free From Ineffective Prayers

It’s Free Friday! What are you going to let go of today so that you are free? What’s holding you back from being who God called you to be? Every Friday is an opportunity to get yourself free. This week’s Free Friday giveaway is “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson. It’s a powerful book that will change your prayer life. Keep reading to find out how to win it.

When our team was leaving Haiti, we pulled up to the airport in Port au Prince. As everyone jumped out of the truck and grabbed our suitcases, we drew a crowd of vendors. There was one last painting that I wanted. As I looked through the crowd of vendors who were walking between us shoving their wares in our faces, I saw the painting I wanted. I asked him how much it was. As we began to negotiate, a lady came and put her paintings between my face and him. She offered two painting for the price of his one. They just weren’t the style I was looking for.

As I made my way toward the airport door, still negotiating with him, she became more desperate. “Please, sir. I need the money. Buy my paintings.” I wasn’t interested and ignored her. As I got closer to the door, he and I got closer to a deal. When I pulled out my money, something in her snapped. She began to beg and plead for me to buy hers. She tried to block my transaction and made me look at her. She became very effective in getting my attention and making her request known. That’s how we need to be when we pray and ask God for things.

James 5:16 says, “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Other translations say it produces “wonderful results”, “makes tremendous power available” and “is something to be reckoned with.” That’s the kind of power in prayer that moves God. We don’t see Hod move or answer many prayers because we haven’t learned to be fervent or effective in our prayers. They lack passion and desperation. They’re a list of wants and wishes rather than life or death needs. If we want to have more powerful prayers, we need to free ourselves of ineffective prayers. If we want to get into the Throne Room, we’re going to have to have some passion and determination in our prayers.

God is moved when there is nothing we can do to effect the situation and we realize He’s our only hope. Our prayers change in that moment. Our prayers move from ineffective to powerful when we get so desperate for God to work in a situation that we cry out to Him alone as the One who can resolve it. In “The Circle Maker”, Honi was so desperate for rain that he went to a public place, drew a circle on the ground and cried out to God. He refused to leave the circle until God answered his prayer. If you want to be free of ineffective prayers, quit cutting prayer time short for your favorite song, TV show or sporting event. Draw a circle, get in it and refuse to move until God does.

God appreciates passion in prayer. God loves it when we refuse to give up in prayer and won’t let go of the hem of His garment until we receive. Be like Jacob and wrestle with God. Hold Him and refuse to let go in prayer until He touches you and your situation. Don’t just toss up prayers to the ceiling and hope one sticks. Cry out to Him. Weep before Him. Be desperate in His presence. Those are the effectual, fervent prayers that produce powerful results. You have the choice today to be free of ineffective prayers by changing how you pray. The ability to move God is in your hands and on your knees. Are you willing to do it?

To enter the drawing for “The Circle Maker”, go to my Facebook page here and “like” one of today’s posts. If you haven’t liked the page, I encourage you to do that as well. Everyone who “likes” one of the posts dated November 22, 2013 by tonight (November 22, 2013) at midnight will be entered to win. I will announce the winner tomorrow on the Facebook page.