The Amazing Power of Prayer

 

Augustine one of the church fathers wrote an intensely personal autobiography, titled Confessions. Augustine wrote Confessions following his conversion to Christ where he looked back on his life before faith. It is a conversation, a prayer from Augustine to God, confessing his sin and wayward heart. In writing Confessions, Augustine opened the door to his heart so we can see how his journey to faith.

One of the most influential people in Augustine’s life was his mother, Monica. She was a pious Christian woman, married to a pagan. In the ancient world, male children would follow the religion of their father, so Monica could not automatically pass on her faith to Augustine. However, she did bring him to church and teach him about her faith. Growing up, Augustine heard his mother sing hymns and pray for him to come to faith.

Later in life, he would look back on her dedication to pray for him with gratitude and thanksgiving. Augustine reflects on his mother’s prayers for his soul in Confessions: “You sent your hand from above, and raised my soul out of that depth of darkness because of my mother, your faithful one wept to you for me more bitterly than mothers weep for the bodily deaths of their children.”

He was entrenched in false religions and his mother desperately wanted him to embrace the truth of Christianity. Augustine recounts his mother’s saying with full confidence that she knew before she died he would come to faith. His mother sought the help of the bishop, Ambrose, asking him to speak to Augustine and show him the truth of Christianity.

Ambrose told her Augustine simply wasn’t ready yet to learn the truth and told her to wait, saying “as sure as you live, it is impossible that the son of these tears should perish.”Many years later Augustine finally came to saving faith in Christ. He told his mother of his conversion who rejoiced over this good news. Not long after, she came down with a fever and died.

Monica died having seen the fruit of all her prayers for her son. But she didn’t see what God would do next with Augustine. She didn’t see him become the bishop of Hippo. She didn’t see all the tracts, treatises and books he wrote. She didn’t hear the sermons he preached. And, she did not know the lasting impact his work would have on the church. Augustine’s writings played an important role in the Reformation and continue to instruct and encourage believers today.

This testimony reminds us that God does far more than we can imagine with our prayers. Monica’s prayer was for her son’s salvation. God answered that prayer but did far more than that in the life and legacy of Augustine. God commands us to pray and uses those faithful prayers to carry out his will. However, our imaginations are limited. We put limitations on what we think God can do. Yet despite our weak faith and possibly unknown to us, God does much more than we ask for in our prayers.

Moses was a great intercessor. when he was up on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments the people had become impatient ...so they made a golden calf to worship (Deuteronomy 9; Exodus 32).  God told him “Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they” (Deut. 9:11-14).

But Moses responded, “Why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out...to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent ... Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel … Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened (Exod.32: 11-14).

Moses went down from the mountain. He wrote “when I looked, I saw that you had ...made for yourselves an idol ... I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands... Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights...because of all the sin you had committed... arousing his anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the Lord...But again the Lord listened to me (Deut. 9:15-20).

“You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! … But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” The Lord replied, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book” (Exod. 32:14, 30-32).

“You also made the Lord angry at Taberah, at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah. And when the Lord sent you out from Kadesh Barnea…you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God… You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you… I lay prostrate before the Lord those forty days because the Lord had said he would destroy you. I prayed ...“Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people” (Deut. 9:22-27).

The people of Israel had continually rebelled against the things of God ever since they had left Egypt.  Moses reminded them that also made the Lord angry at Tabera, at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah. At Taberah “the people complained...So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and when Moses prayed to the Lord, the fire was quenched (Num. 11:1-3)

At Meribah (Massah) they complained that there was no water. Moses and Aaron went to the tent of meeting and fell facedown. The Lord made water flow from a rock (Num. 20). In Numbers 11 we read that the Israelites started wailing and said, “We remember the fish we ate in Egypt” . Moses was troubled and He asked the Lord…Where can I get meat for all these people?’The Lord gave them meat; the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah.

The Israelites provoked the Lord again and again. Moses told them “you been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you” (Deut 9:24). God said about them “their hearts are always going astray and they have not known my ways’(Heb 3:10). Moses had interceded for them many times before. And when they made a golden idol to worship, once again Moses interceded for them.

Moses fasted and cried out to God for forty days and forty nights before he could obtain their pardon!  He did this because he knew God and Moses knew his ways"(Ps. 103:7). Moses knew how God hates sin. God was all set to destroy Israel; if Moses did nothing and he was afraid (Deut. 9:18). God said to Moses “Now leave me alone so that…I may destroy them" (Exod. 32:10).  

God would destroy them, and would make of Moses a great nation ! he knew that an almighty God could easily do this. All Moses had to do was fail to pray. What a great opportunity! It must have been real tempting for Moses to let him destroy these people. After all he had put up with from them and the journey was not over yet ! But, Moses did not seize the opportunity to be made into a great nation.

He did not say, “well, whatever God will do, God will do.” Rather he fell down before the Lord and for forty days he fasted and pleaded with God for their pardon. Moses knew God’s penalty for idolatry was death. He knew the enormity of the people’s sin, yet he still asked for forgiveness. This was an appeal to the mercy and grace of God. Moses interceded for them because he knew the heart of God.

He knew and prayed God’s own promises back to him. Moses pleaded for God to turn relent for God’s own name’s sake. His reputation was at stake. The world around was watching to see what would happen. Moses asked God not break his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. He stood between the people and the wrath of God. He said, ‘please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written” (Exod. 32:31-32).  

He pleaded as if salvation or destruction depended on his prayer. He prayed and fasted until God relented. Moses prayed and “again the Lord listened to him” (Deut 9:19). This shows the prevailing power of Moses’ prayer; it also displays a sacrificial heart that is full of love and compassion. God agreed to spare the nation as a whole, but He definitely reserved the right to judge individual sinners.  

The story continues in Exodus 33.  The Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people ...go up to the land I promised ... I will send an angel before you…But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the  way". When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn.Moses said to the Lord ...you have not let me know who you will send with me."

You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you”. The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. And the Lord said to Moses "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you (Exod.33:1-17).

Moses and Samuel were two people who could make God change his plans (Jer. 15:1).  Moses was an obedient and a very humble man (Num.12:3). He had a special relationship with God. He had the ability to see him who is invisible (Heb. 11:27). The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend ( Exod. 33:11, Num 12:6-9, Deut. 34:11). God made his ways known to Moses (Ps.103:7).

Moses’ great concern was not his own fame or position but the glory of God and the good of the people. Moses persisted in prayers because he had faith that God would answer his prayers “again”. Some of you are saved because someone, somewhere, would not let God alone ! God is calling us to intercede on behalf of our families, our friends, our churches, our nations!  It may take long but don’t give up.

The phrase, "men always ought to pray and not lose heart," is a direct quote from Luke 18:1  where Jesus tells a parable emphasizing the importance of persistent prayer, even when facing seemingly hopeless  situations. Essentially Jesus meant that one should never stop praying and should not give up hope, no matter how long it takes for answers to come. Don't leave God alone! Pray.