Scripture and Prayer

3 Ways to Make Your Prayers More Powerful

Especially after you’ve left the church

The Things We Wrestle Against

When I left the church, I ran into the devil and his angels. They rejoiced because I didn’t have the army of the church behind me. I became an easy target because I didn’t have a sword — the word — in my hands.

The church had let me down, and I didn’t want to be reminded of that place. I put it and everything that had to do with it in the back of my mind. I found the freedom to live my life on my own terms and I enjoyed having no one constantly judge me and the life I lived. I was free, but my newfound freedom made little room for a consistent prayer life. I started conforming to the patterns of the world and living my life the way I saw fit.

I prayed here and there, but my heart wasn’t in it. My heart wasn’t in it because the word of God wasn’t in my heart. Without the word in my heart, I was led astray.

I arrived at a crossroads; I didn’t know where to go. The devil whispered into my ears to take the wide path because everyone else was taking it. I did and it led me farther away from myself.

I was a lost sheep with my shepherd nowhere in sight. I was in trouble. I was wandering about in the deepest parts of the jungle all alone in the darkness. I got scared. I remembered Hebrews 4:12 and I searched for a Bible. I found one, picked it up and I fought back. Now the devil was in trouble!

He turned around and run. I was saved, but I was lucky. I’ve never stopped praying ever since.

Here are 3 ways I pray to make my prayers more powerful so evil doesn’t stand a chance.

1. Pray With The Words of God

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart — Hebrew 4:12.

The people in the church these days can be disappointing but walking away from the church without the word of God is a risky move. It is your power and without it, you are powerless. You can’t underestimate the power of the devil, and without your sword, you don’t stand a chance.

Prayer works and the devil knows that, so he whispers into your ears when you wake up in the morning to pray later. He shows you the time and warns you that you're running late. But it's a trick you shouldn't fall for.

Praying with the words of God makes my prayers much more powerful. It has the power to rebuke the devil, cast away evil, and restore peace. It pierces into the deepest abyss of the soul, splitting evil from good, wrong from right, earthly from heavenly, and fear from faith.

Piercing into the word of God as God pierces into your soul is a powerful experience when it shows you your folly and trains you to be prudent in all your ways. It kicks aside any foolish and childish aspects of the self and replaces it with the true wisdom of God. The words of God can tell apart thoughts, words, and actions that are selfish from thoughts, words, and actions that are pure.

It shines light unto the darkness so you can see the shadow aspects of yourself. It exposes sins and signs of corruption so you can work on correcting them. It lays bare the truth and exposes anything that holds you back from enjoying the full glory of God.

2. Pray With the Holy Spirit

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth — ‭‭John‬ ‭4:23–24‬.

What is the Holy Spirit? It is in every darkness and every void, every drop of water and every ground, every sky, every sun and every day, every moon and every night, every other star, every bird and every animal that walks on dry land, every fish in the seas, every tree and every plant. It's all around you.

The Holy Spirit is a special helper. Jesus said that he was going away, but he would send a helper to be with us. That helper is the advocate. It’s the Holy Spirit of God that brings peace and comfort. (John 16: 7). God’s Spirit opens his word to our hearts, helping us to uncover and understand the hidden message so we can understand and grow in wisdom.

The Holy Spirit knows us on a much deeper level. It knows us more than we know ourselves. It understands our deepest wants and needs and knows our every intention. It knows all things and holds our life together. It convicts us when we are tempted to stray.

Because the holy spirit lives in us and knows our every need, even when we don't know the words to pray, it intercedes for us with wordless groans. When our souls are weary and tired, the spirit of God gives us divine wisdom and guidance. It strengthens and teaches us to walk in a manner that pleases God.

Even when you can't see the way forward, the holy spirit sees everything for you. When you pray with the holy spirit, it shows you the path that leads to an abundant life.

3. Pray in Lamentation

Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord — ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭2:19‬.

So many times the bible has told us to cry out to the Lord to share our pain, anguish, and heartache with him. The psalmists prayed this way, asking and demanding that God helped them.

Instead of backing away when you are overwhelmed, come face to face with God and pour your heart out to him. “And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain.”

As you cry out in prayer and come before God with your weakness, He draws close to you. He is nearer to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

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