I believe one of the most encouraging biblical principles we discover through reading the Scripture is that prayer always precedes great things.
Do you believe this? Do you pray like you believe this?
Prayer Always Precedes
Consider this brief list of moments when this biblical principle is illustrated throughout the Scriptures:
- Prayer preceded Abraham being called to a land where he did not know where he was going.
- Prayer preceded Moses experiencing the glory of God in his life.
- Prayer preceded Joshua seeing the sun stand still and the moon stop.
- Prayer preceded David defeating his enemies.
- Prayer preceded Jabez having his requests answered by the Lord.
- Prayer preceded Daniel receiving the power and insight to interpret dreams.
- Prayer preceded Elizabeth having her baby boy, John.
- Prayer preceded Zechariah prophetically declaring that his and Elizabeth’s boy, who we know as John the Baptist, would one day prepare the way of the Lord.
- Prayer preceded Mary understanding that God had miraculously placed His Son in her womb.
- Prayer preceded Jesus seeing the heavens open up, the Holy Spirit descend upon Him, and God declaring aloud that Jesus was His Son and He was pleased with Him.
- Prayer preceded Jesus being arrested, beaten, flogged, and crucified, dying in our place.
- Prayer preceded the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost.
- Prayer preceded the explosion of the gospel on the day of Pentecost and the gospel advance that would follow.
- Prayer preceded evangelism and the Lord adding to the church daily.
- Prayer preceded the preaching and teaching of God’s Word and fellowship of God’s people.
- Prayer preceded the demonstrative works of God that occurred through the early church.
- Prayer preceded the appointment and sending of leaders, and the planting of gospel churches.
- Prayer preceded the words Paul wrote to the churches he poured his life into as a missionary and preacher of the gospel.
- Prayer preceded John in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day on the island of Patmos and receiving the messages of God to the seven churches of the Revelation.
These are just a few instances of how prayer preceded so many great things that occurred in the Scriptures.
Great Things
Do you want to see God do great things in and through your life?
Do you want to see God do great things in your marriage and through your children?
Do you want to see God do great things in your church?
Do you want to see God do great things through your career?
Do you want to see God do great things through your finances?
Do you want to see God do great things in times of need in your life?
Do you want to see God do great things in our nation and around the world?
Do you want to see God revive His church and awaken America?
Do you want to see God use you to advance His gospel and His causes?
Then Pray
When you prioritize the importance of prayer in your life, you will begin to see God do great things in and through your life. It is not about your age or stage in life; nor is it about your location or vocation. It is about your commitment to prayer in your life.
Do you know why?
It is a biblical principle that has been verified not only in the Bible, but throughout history.
Prayer always precedes great things.
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Ronnie Floyd is senior pastor of Cross Church and president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. He is the author of Living Fit: Make Your Life Count by Pursuing a Healthy You. Follow him @ronniefloyd.