In our Prayers - Words Matter

7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  Matthew 6:7-8 NIV

Principle: A Prayer Warrior values spoken words

I was on the phone with my son, David in Birmingham.  He had lost power from a tornado that passed through Birmingham earlier that morning.  Our TV was on as we were watching a huge tornado move toward the city of Tuscaloosa and our home.  David knows me well as someone who remains calm in even the most intense situations.  I repeated to him, “this is bad, real bad…please pray!”  The power went off and we lost the valuable input of where the tornado was traveling next.  I hung up the phone…at least I thought I did.

We moved our 3 youngest children into our safe place of the laundry room.  It was going to be cramped to get all 5 of us inside the room.  I went back to our kitchen window which faced west- the direction of the approaching tornado.  I pointed my finger to the west and prayed with great intensity in English and in the Spirit. “In Jesus name, you will not hurt my family.  I ask God that you make it shrink.  I ask God that you save lives right now.  I ask God that you help people move to safe places.  God save us.”  The phone line went dead.  It was the last communication with my son for the next 2 hours.  When I talked with him again. He said, “Dad I have never heard you pray with such intensity every before.  When the line wnet dead, I was afraid for you, but I also somehow knew your were safe.”  I told him that our house was spared…we lost two shingles.  But our city was devastated.

***Let me say that I know that many other people cried out to God that day.  Lives were lost.  In no way am I saying that my prayers were more powerful or important than the others that prayed.  My heart breaks even now when I think of the destruction that occurred that day in our city.  However, I am amazed that more lives were not lost when I would see houses flattened, yet families survived.  I heard so many stories of people positioning themselves in their home,  and remaining safe.  I saw how the tornado had shrunk a little or made a jog as it squeezed by our hospital leaving it unharmed.  I truly believe that my prayer with many others that day saved lives.

Words Matter

Words from our tongues have the power of life and death…so choose wisely.  A Prayer Warrior knows that we do not suddenly become “spiritual” when we pray.  Every moment of our lives we are children of God.  So, we guard our tongue. In the book of James he says that from our lips comes forth both blessing and cursing…this should not be.  We are NEVER given the liberty to curse, speak ill of another, speak white lies or dark lies, criticize others, judge others, or engage in gossip.  Our words become weightier in value when they are not diluted by crucial and trivial expressions.  When words are many…sin is not far away.

Authority is expressed in words.  We all know that an officer has authority because he wears a badge.  But that authority is exercised when he says, “step out of the car and put your hands behind your back.”  Jesus had delegated great authority to us as his children.  As we mature in praying with him, we also grow in our understanding of authority.  God desires for us to pray audacious prayers – asking God to do what only He can do and when only He can receive the glory.  This is such a fine line.  We can never obligate God to do something, just because we asked.  He is God and can do as He pleases.  At the same time, He expects us to approach him with bold faith, believing that He will do what we ask.  This type of praying comes as we grow in faith and in a closer relationship with our Father, God.

Jesus instructed us when we pray we are not to babble on and on.   The word babble, in Greek means to use meaningless repetition, to be long winded, or empty expressions.  God is not impressed when we use fancy words, or crafty words.  Others may like the way that this sounds, but God looks at how the words are expressing the needs within our heart. 

Sometimes, we may just cry because we are overwhelmed with the plight of a need.  God hears.  Sometimes we may laugh with joy at the way that God orchestrated the answer to our prayers, He hears.  Sometimes we whisper out of respect that He is holy and has forgiven us again, He hears.  Sometimes we talk with God sober mindedly as we would with a friend who is helping us make a hard decision, He hears.  Sometimes we sing out of the overflow of love and gratitude within our heart, He hears.  He is listening because our words align with the condition of our heart.

Father, our words truly do matter, all of them.  You have given us the freedom, to say whatever we want to say.  But not all words need to come from our mouths.  So we ask that you forgive us when we have maligned so many others.  Forgive us when we have cursed and even used your name in vain. Help us learn the language of worship and use it often.  Help us earn the reputation of someone who speaks fairly, honestly and with kindness.  Help us value the words of our mouth knowing that we will one day have to give an account for every idle word that we have spoken.  In Jesus name, Amen.