Paul in Colossians 4:2 admonished the believers in Colosse to continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. He went further in Col 4:3 to covet their prayers towards the attainment of a particular effect – to proclaim and make clear the gospel as he ought to. This highlights a very important issue – the effect of prayers. As believers we ought to know that we have come into a relationship with God, which relationship forms the bedrock of our prayers to Him. Prayer is meaningless without a relationship with God. Equally meaningless is using the name of Jesus as a mere tool (like the sons of Sceva: Acts 19:13-17) without a relationship with God brokered on the platform of Christ death and resurrection. While it is important to know the foregoing, the believer should also know that prayer has effects – “…The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective: James 5:16, ISV). This fact – the effect of prayer – should drive the believer on to a greater commitment and engagement in prayer.
A careful reading of the accounts of the Old Testament would reveal that men such as Abraham, Jacob, Samson, etc, prayed with great effects. James opted to use Elijah, out of several examples in the Old Testament of men to demonstrate the great effect that prayers could have on people, circumstances and nations. Sometimes, we erroneously read such accounts and regard such people like Elijah as men who were so to speak “supermen” and of a different constitution from other men. However, scriptures negate such misconceptions and described Elijah as a man of LIKE PASSIONS (James 5:17) who se prayer had great effect. He was not superior in constitution to believers – if anything we stand on better ground, and we have a better constitution, nature – God’s divine nature within us.
The effects of prayer can be categorized on two road categories: (1) Prayers affects or changes things, events, circumstances or people towards the goal of fulfilling God’s will; and (2) Prayer has an effect on us DIRECTLY and INDIVIDUALLY.
(1) Prayers affects or changes things, events, circumstances or people towards the goal of fulfilling God’s will
In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus told Peter, that in view of the fact that Satan had desired to sift him as wheat, HE had prayed for Peter. The Bible does not disclose when exactly Jesus prayed for Peter, but we see that Jesus’ prayer for him had an effect. Despite denying Jesus thrice, and seemingly lost the plot, we see the effect of Jesus prayer in that Peter was eventually restored and played a significant role in the history of the church, which he had promised to build (Mt 16:17-20,Gal 2:9). Jesus prayed for Him with the intent that it would affect the course of events in Peter’s life and his prayer did have the desired effect on the course of events in Peter’s life. If Peter’s temptation had completely overwhelmed him, it may have affected the emergence and progress of the church. However, because of Jesus prayer, Peter was restored and had a positive boomerang effect on the church agenda.
Paul also in 1 Tim 2:1-2 also requested for prayers from believers. To what effect? Paul requested prayers to be made to the end that a quiet and peaceable life would be possible, with the ultimate aim of providing a conducive atmosphere for the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of souls (1 Tim 2:2-6). A similar effect was desired for requesting the prayers of believers in 1 Thes 5:25 and 2 Thes 3:1). Epaphras also prayed towards a desired effect – that believers in Colosse will stand perfect and complete in all the will of God (Col 4:12).
We therefore see a pattern of prayers being engaged in with an underlying desire of seeing the will of God fulfilled. Some would argue that since God is all-powerful, He does not need our prayers to bring His will to pass, and therefore there was no point praying. While this contains some modicum of truth, it does not belie the necessity of prayers. God can indeed do anything He wishes without our prayers. He could heal the sick without our prayers, or do whatever He wishes without our prayers. However, in His sovereignty, wisdom and grace, He CHOSE to bring about His will in collaboration with our prayers – just as He chooses to effect the salvation of souls in conjunction with us (2 Cor 6:1-2). This is a privilege we should be grateful for and should consider a great privilege to engage in.
(2) Prayer has an effect on us DIRECTLY and INDIVIDUALLY: Jude aptly describes an effect of prayer on believers praying in the Holy Ghost as BUILDING UP THEMSELVES on their most Holy faith (Jude 20). The picture of building referred to here can best be glimpsed from 1 Pet 2:3-5, where Peter described believers as being built up into a spiritual house. The idea conveyed is one in which brick is laid upon brick until the house rises up into a great edifice. Such is the picture of the effect of what happens when a believer engages in prayers. Prayer builds us up! The same idea is conveyed in 1 Cor 14:4, conveys a similar idea of an individual believer edifying/building himself up when he prays in the Spirit. That chapter does not forbid or denounce praying in the Spirit as against prophesying (1 Cor 14:18). On the contrary, it focuses on the greater magnitude of the benefit derivable from prophesying (which benefits the whole church) during meetings, without controverting the great individual benefit accruing to a believer who prays in the Spirit. Prayer edifies the believer (1 Cor 14:4).
What are some of the effects accruing to us in prayers?
Casting our cares: We have the privilege of consciously transferring our cares to God (1 Pet 5:7). Too many of us live our lives with emotional and psychological burdens on on our shoulders/hearts But we are invited to consciously cast it upon Him in prayers (James 5:13). This is the way to banish anxieties (Php 4:6). Peace is a direct effect of casting our cares upon Him in prayers (Php 4:7).
Jesus demonstrated this vividly. At a most difficult period in the life of Jesus when the weight of what He was going to do loomed largely before Him – when He was about to go to Calvary to die for the sins of the world, his heart was burdened. What did HE do? Jesus turned to god in prayers and cast His cares on the Father (Luke 22:39-43). He received strength. We do not know the dynamics of how He received strength, but we know that He did receive it. In the place of prayer we can do the same and have the same experience.
We experience Strength:From the episode of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane mentioned above, we see that not only was he able to cast His cares on the Father, He was also able to receive strength to forge on. In the place of prayer we can experience the sufficiency of God’s grace and strength amidst weaknesses or contrary situations. Paul’s experience as described in 2 Cor 12:7-9 is instructive to us.
We see there that Paul was beset by what He described as “a thorn in the flesh”. The biblical account is sketchy and as such does not enable us to decipher what he figuratively described as “a thorn in the flesh”. Some, using Gal 4:15, conjectured that it was an EYE PROBLEM emanating from the several beatings he had suffered from murderous mobs in the course of preaching the gospel. While others opine that the “thorn in the flesh” were PEOPLE who persecuted Paul in the course of his evangelistic mission. They based this on references to original occupants of the promised land that God said would be thorns in the sides of the Israelites if they did not expel them from the land forcibly (Numbers 33:55, Judges 2:3, Joshua 23:13). However, none of these positions can be maintained with an absolute degree of definitiveness. What is clear is that Paul had it and it caused him a considerable degree of discomfort. When Paul prayed thrice that it should be taken from him, God responded by assuring him of His grace and power as sufficient for Him amidst the problem. Did Paul not know about God’s grace and power, or was God’s response a surprise to him? In all likelihood Paul knew that already, but may have lost sight of it amidst the challenges. Accordingly, Prayer may have been vehicle to impress that reality upon is heart and fir him to endure.
In conclusion, we should never forget that prayer has an effect on people, events, and us, in accordance with His will. This is why we need to be devoted to it and engage in it. Are we spending time on non-essentials, rather than devoting more time to prayers. More than ever before, there is the need for us to consecrate and renew our commitments in prayers. We need to fill the prayer closets once again. If we need to set our alarms or partner up with people, we just have to do so in view of its effects. We must maximize every opportunity to devote ourselves to prayer, building up ourselves on our most holy faith!
Pastor Yinka Olowojolu