Secret Prayer As the Source of Strength

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm 91:1)

Luke shows us that the prayer of the Lord Jesus in the wilderness (see Luke 5:16) was followed by the power of God in His public ministry: “the power of the Lord was with him” (Luke 5:17). Not only here do we see this obvious connection between prayer in secret and power in ministry. In the next chapter too, it says: “power came out from him” (Luke 6:19). Again He had given Himself over to prayer shortly before (see Luke 6:12).

Later He prayed on the mountain where Moses and Elijah appeared in glory (see Luke 9:28), and then He was able to cast out a demon—something His disciples (three of whom had fallen asleep on the mountain) were unable to do, because “this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29).

Among the early Christians, God also responded to prayer with spiritual strength. After they had prayed together with one accord, they then bore witness with power to the resurrection of Jesus (see Acts 4:29-33). Someone once put forward a simple formula that may not be perfectly accurate, but which nevertheless contains much truth: “Much prayer, much power; little prayer, little power; no prayer, no power!” James writes with regard to prayer, “You do not have, because you do not ask” (Jas. 4:2).

Christ is the source of strength for every believer. If you want strength, you can get it from Him in prayer. David also experienced this, because he writes, “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” (Ps. 138:3).

We can be sure that God will also answer with strength nowadays, if we get down on our knees more. How quickly today we tend to excuse our own wrongdoing with weakness. Hardly any Christian will deny that he has no strength in himself and instead needs God’s strength to do good (see John 15:5). But this doesn’t mean that he really lives in dependence on God.

It sounds humble and pious to speak of our weak condition. But there is a great difference between the admission that we have no strength and the living consciousness in the soul that we are without strength. Those who are truly aware of their own weakness are driven to prayer, where the power of God can be found.

Then we can also rely with confidence on the promise of the Lord, who said, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). If we, conscious of our weakness, prayerfully exercise our dependence on Him, then we’ll also remain practically in Him, the Vine, and His fruitful power will show itself in us, the branches.

What does the awareness of your own weakness produce in you? Are you willing to change things within yourself so that the power of God can become more manifest in your life? Trust that God will answer prayer with power!

J.P.S.