Prayer is essential for the Christian and for a church. Not in a religious disciplined way. But from the aspect of relationship.
The enemy has snakily made prayer into a hard and boring discipline for many people who then don’t understand the delight and joy of relationship. As a result many live prayerless lives. This means no relationship with Jesus. People sit in churches all over America, week in week out, and yet don’t know how to talk to, and more importantly, listen to the Lord. In human relationships we know this doesn’t work, we know communication is essential.
It doesn’t matter how much bible a person can memorize, this is only head knowledge if there’s no personal intimate relationship with the Lord.
It also doesn’t matter how charismatic a person is in a pulpit, personality and gifting in speaking does not demonstrate relationship. It never has. It only demonstrates persuasion -which, if lacking personal intimate relationship with the Lord, becomes devilish manipulation.
It has been said “prayerlessness is the sin of ministry” maybe because prayerlessness reveals ministry that is man-centered and pride-led, because…
Prayer means “to exchange,” I exchange my wishes and my will for His. It is where I learn what He wants. A prayerless Christian or church does not know or have the will of God. Worse, to avoid prayer is to avoid humility before the Lord. But in prayer, through the exchange of our will for His, we grow into Christlike humility… “not my will, but Yours…” (Lk 22:42).
Through prayer we are graciously given the ongoing invitation of intimacy with the Lord, the King of heaven. We are invited to become His close personal friend. We are invited into His plans for His church and for the expansion of His Kingdom.
He desperately longs for us to personally know Him. He gives Himself generously in relationship. Prioritize Him!
