Unleashing the Unlimited Power of Prayer for Peace

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

The full power of prayer is able to do what many believe is impossible. Will you choose to believe in the power of prayer and use it to its fullest extent, or will you limit its capabilities?

Introduction

Now that we know how to pray and that God will answer the humble prayer of faith, it’s time for us to unleash the unlimited power of prayer.  At full power, prayer not only can lift you up, but it can do the same for everyone around you.  Today, the question must be asked of all believers: Will you use prayer to its fullest extent, or will you limit your prayers?   

Wage the Good Warfare

As a child of God, we must keep in mind that we have a calling to fulfill (Matt. 28:19-20).  

In 1 Timothy 1:18-19, Paul charged Timothy to wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some had rejected, concerning the faith, and suffered shipwreck.   

Paul’s charge to Timothy sounds similar to what Paul wrote to the Ephesian church in Ephesians 6:12 when he spoke of the spiritual warfare that they faced.  Paul said to the Ephesians that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

As Timothy shared in the same spiritual warfare that the Ephesians believers shared in, we share in the same warfare today.  There is a spiritual battle of good and evil being waged today, the results of which we can see all around us.  In fact, our history is the result of wicked spirits working in man.

So, to Timothy, Paul encouraged him to wage the good warfare, which is to say, fight a good fight.  The believer ought to fight a good fight, rather than make a shipwreck of the faith.

What is rather discouraging today is that I believe a shipwreck of faith is quickly happening today, if it hasn’t already happened.  You see, one makes a shipwreck of the faith by not heeding the Spirit and living by the word of God.  What’s most discouraging today is the uncaring, bitter, and wrathful nature presented by some who dare say they are a child of God.

As Paul shared, three things ought to be manifested from believers on the spiritual battlefield.  Those three things:  love from a pure heart, faith, and a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:5,19).  On the spiritual battlefield, we ought to fight in a manner where we feel good and have inner peace about our efforts.

Prayer on the Battlefield

To wage the good warfare, I want you to notice that Paul encouraged Timothy to pray first.  Paul wrote, “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men…”

What can prayer do on the battlefield?

Now, those who doubt the power of prayer will wonder, What can prayer do?  Well, prayer is the most powerful weapon that we believers have on this spiritual battlefield.  The reason why prayer is our most powerful weapon is because it is our direct line of communication with God, who is sovereign and almighty.

For oneself, we know that through prayer, God will guard our hearts, giving us peace of mind.  When we pray for others, prayer is also able to open doors for them to know and receive God’s peace.  Think about this:  When we all have received God’s peace, then all of us will move in His peace.  Therefore, prayer has the power to do the impossible– bringing peace to a world that needs it today.

A call to pray for everyone

When we pray for others, we ought not pray the Pharisee’s prayer found in Luke 18:11-12.  The Pharisee’s prayer was a prayer that was self-serving and self-praising, while demeaning others.  When we pray, we shouldn’t exalt ourselves nor should we belittle others.  Such a prayer is a prayer that falls on deaf ears; therefore, it accomplishes nothing.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-2a, Paul encouraged Timothy to pray for everyone, even including kings and those in authority.  We should be prayerful not just for our family and friends, but also for strangers.  We should be prayerful not just for those who love us; Jesus taught that we should pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us (Matt. 5:44).

A call to pray for those in authority

We ought to pray for the land we live in and for the world as well.  We should pray for the government and for those who govern, here at home, and around the world.  Yes, whether it is a corrupt or uncorrupt government, we should pray for it.  The reason why we should pray for those who govern is because they are supposed to serve us, the people.

Paul made sure to include kings and those in authority, and for good reason.  At the time of Paul’s writing of this letter, a vile and wicked man named Nero was the emperor of Rome.  So, Paul was essentially saying one should pray for the good and the wicked, but especially for those of such a wicked nature.

We are called on today to pray for the president and other world leaders.  There should be no political division when it comes to prayer.  Whether you think one is corrupt or uncorrupt, all world leaders, especially the president, need prayer.  The reason why these leaders need prayer is, again, because they are supposed to be servants of the people, and they have certain power.

The Results of Prayer on the Battlefield

The reason why we should pray for everyone, Paul said, is so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in godliness and reverence.  Paul was keeping in that love, faith, and a good conscience should be manifested in our efforts.  When we know that we are living faithfully, in complete obedience, we can rest easy in our souls.

I can’t help but wonder and ask, are we leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence on the battlefield today?  Maybe we are on a personal level, but if we just take a look around us, there is too much suffering occurring today.  

Godliness and reverence are mocked today by the efforts of religion.  Love is insincere.  Faith, the effort of pure and undefiled religion, is also insincere.  Therefore, the acts of faith, such as prayer, are left at thoughts and the false promise of prayer.  Honestly, it’s no wonder that we are continually caught in the loop of taking one step forward and many steps backwards in this land and around the world.

With this thought in mind, I am laying down a challenge today and calling on believers everywhere to ‘step up their game’.  I am calling on believers everywhere to stop limiting the power of prayer, but to pray at full power.  Pray for those whom you have never prayed for in these coming days.  Pray for those whom you have refused to pray for because of this reason or that reason.  

I am challenging believers all over the world today to pray for everyone.  Here in America, I am challenging republicans to pray for democrats and for democrats to pray for republicans!  I am calling on races to pray for other races of people because the world needs prayer today, and we cannot let petty differences hinder the power of prayer.

Example of Prayer at Full Power

For those of you who may be thinking in this moment, I can’t pray for this person or that person, I want to present a major example set for us by Christ.  In Luke 23:32-37 is one of the Lord’s prayers.  Another good example of the Lord’s prayer is found in John 17, which one should also study.

Luke 23:32-37 shares the scene immediately following Jesus being nailed to the cross and then lifted up.  The scripture tells us that after Jesus was lifted up, many of the onlookers, including rulers and soldiers, mocked Jesus and His power.  They cast lots over His garments and mockingly offered Him sour wine, saying He should save Himself.

Yet, while they were doing these things, Jesus prayed for them.  Jesus cried out to the Father, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  To be clear, Jesus prayed for those who had stood and were standing against Him.  Jesus was being faithful to His teaching of praying for those who spitefully use and persecute you.

I want you to understand that this prayer was a fully powered prayer, and not just because Jesus prayed it.  This was a prayer at full power because it was a prayer prayed out of love and compassion for others.

Jesus’ prayer on the cross for the forgiveness of the people was a prayer for spiritual healing.  To “forgive” means to pardon or to excuse from being penalized or found guilty.  While He was dying on the cross, Jesus recognized that many of the onlookers were in need of help!

Now, if Jesus could pray for those who opposed and mocked Him while He was dying on the cross, why can’t we who are living do the same today?  Shouldn’t we who claim to believe and to be a child of God, follow Christ’s example?  Shouldn’t we be faithful to His teaching?

I understand that it is difficult to love, to have compassion, and to pray for those who are so set against you.  Yet, this is the thing about faith:  it is not supposed to be easy.  We have a higher calling to fulfill, and if it were so easy, then everyone would be doing it!  

It may take time for many of us to be able to reach the level of faith where we can pray for those who are set against us.  However, true faith is all about striving to put forth the effort.  You see, the effort of living in obedience is what pleases the Lord.

What to Pray About for Others

So, what should you pray about when you pray for others?  With Jesus’ example in mind, I want to share what Paul told Timothy to keep in mind when he prays for others.

Paul wrote, “[Praying for everyone] is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:3-4).”  

Paul was reminding Timothy to keep God’s will in mind when he prays for others.  God’s will is for all people to be saved and to know the knowledge of the truth.  The truth is God’s grace, His mercy, and His salvation.  In John 6:40, Jesus made it clear that the Father’s desire is for everyone who receives Him to have everlasting life and be raised with Him.

When we pray for others, we ought to keep God’s will in mind, and not just our own desires.  Nowhere in scripture did Jesus teach that we should pray wishing for evil to fall upon others.  As Jesus prayed, we should pray for others, especially those who move wickedly, to receive the spiritual help they need.  We should pray for them to come to understand God’s way – the way of grace and mercy towards all.

When we pray, we ought to pray for others to be healed and uplifted in their soul.  Such a prayer is a prayer that can introduce many to God’s grace and peace.  When one knows God’s grace and peace, the bitterness, apathy, and anger of man can depart from their soul.  When one knows God’s grace and peace, and it dwells in them, they can then move in it, to the benefit of everyone around them.

James taught that the prayer of faith will “save the sick,” and the Lord will raise the sick, and their sins will be forgiven (Jas. 5:15).  Many are sick among us today and are in need of prayer.  Yes, many are physically sick in their bodies, but many are also sick mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  You, the child of God, should always pray for such!

James said it best, “The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (Jas. 5:16).”  All things are possible through prayer because with God nothing is impossible.

Pray for everyone and about everything.  The prayer of help and healing is much needed in this land and around the world.  The prayer for peace is much needed in this land and all over the world.  We cannot limit ourselves by thinking of what is impossible, as such doubt is not good for prayer.

We don’t pray like we used to and that’s because many of our prayer warriors have been called home.  We need to pray today like our grandparents and our great-grandparents prayed.  We need to pray today like how our parents, our uncles, and our aunts prayed.  

We as a society are sinking in quicksand today because we aren’t crying out for help, using the full power of prayer as we ought to.  Man is in need of a doctor and you and I, we should be making intercession today on man’s behalf, calling on the great physician to heal all of mankind’s open wounds.