The Decision to Pray with Power

by John Hagee

It has been said and bears repeating “Some prayer, some power; more prayer, more power; much prayer, much power.” The question is, how much of God’s power do you really want? You determine that through your prayer life because the only way to get in touch with the power of Heaven is through Jesus Christ. He is the source of all power. God is not a respecter of persons. If He answered Abraham’s prayer, He will answer your prayer.

Abraham prayed that God would give him a son when he was far past the age of giving birth to a son, and God gave him that son. Moses prayed for the Red Sea to part, for the water to gush out of a rock, and God gave him that water. Joshua prayed for the sun to stand still, and the sun and the moon stood still for almost 24 hours. That’s an awesome demonstration of God’s power. You want to stop time and history? Start praying.

If you want power, learn to pray.

Jesus did not teach His disciples to teach. He taught them to pray. In fact, the disciples came to Him and said, “Teach us to pray.” “Teach” means there’s a right way to do something and a wrong way to do something. Why? Because when Jesus prayed, something happened. And when they prayed, nothing happened. Therefore, they wanted to know about the golden key that unlocked the gates of Heaven. Many of you do not get answers in your prayer, because you “pray amiss.” That’s the Bible’s wording. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 6:7, “when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do,” meaning praying a prayer over and over from rote memory does not bring you an audience with God. You get an audience with God Almighty when you pray in the authority of Jesus’ name. That’s in John 14:14: “If you ask anything,” Jesus said, “in My name, I will do it.” Anybody else’s name doesn’t get you anywhere.

I want you to listen closely to this teaching, found in Mark 11:22 and following: “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly,

I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes those things which he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.’ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

This verse says that you can have as much or as little of God as you’re willing to have through the awesome privilege of prayer.

What is prayer? Prayer is a conversation with God. You don’t have to talk to God in a particular way. You don’t have to speak in a foreign language or make it iambic pentameter. Some of the best prayers I’ve ever prayed were simply, “Help!”

A Christian must get on his knees before he gets on his feet. Prayer is getting you ready to do God’s will. The Lord’s prayer is “Not my will, but Yours, be done.” Say that again, “Not my will, but Yours, be done.”

Prayer is the only way to release the supernatural power of God in your life, in your marriage, and in your business. It shows you great and mighty things. But as powerful as God is, He cannot answer prayer until you pray.

Prayer is the key that unlocks the gates of Heaven and closes the gates of Hell. Prayer has the power to cure sickness and disease. Prayer can shatter the shackles of misery and habits that enslave you, that torment your son, that destroy your daughter, your husband, your wife. Prayer does not need proof. Prayer requires practice.

Prayer is the weapon that God has given to His children to wage war in the heavenlies. When we say, “We bind and loose,” what are we talking about? Paul said we’re talking about powers and principalities in the heavenlies. There are supernatural beings who are under the command of the Devil. If you get in a heavyweight fight, you’re going to meet these beings. And the way that you overcome them is in the authority of Jesus’ name. You bind them from your family. You bind them from your children. You bind them from your business. You bind them from your future.

If you want power, pray!

Why pray? Because prayerlessness is sin. 1 Samuel 12:23 says, “Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you.” A prayerless Christian is a weak Christian. A prayerless church is a weak church. A prayerless family is a divided and defeated family. We are a nation that’s forgotten to pray.

We know the power of prayer. We know the plan of prayer. We know the pattern of prayer. We know the priority of prayer. We know the purpose of prayer. But we do not propose to pray. Prayerlessness is sin. The tragedy of our day is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer. Prayer will either make you turn away from sin, or sin will make you turn away from praying.

Why pray? Because anointed prayer raises above the need level.

Ask God for big things. Nothing is impossible. Ask Him to defeat the giants in your life. When you have a big need, ask big. Ask Him to send fire from Heaven. Ask Him to walk you through the fiery furnace. Ask Him. He’s the God who cannot fail. And He’s just waiting to show you His awesome power. You need to turn that power loose, in the authority of Jesus’ name.

Let me give you seven reasons why God doesn’t answer prayer.

One, make sure that you pray to God out loud. You don’t meditate or visualize a prayer; you say a prayer. As powerful as God is, He’s not going to answer you until you ask Him in the authority of Jesus’ name.

Secondly, ask in faith believing. Mark 11:23: “For assuredly, I say to you, ‘Whoever… does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.’”

Third, when you pray, ask big. Ask according to His infinite power. When you ask God for something, ask for more than you need.

The fourth reason God does not answer prayer is that we don’t pray in the name of Jesus. John 14:14 says, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

God’s fifth reason for answered prayer is to ask according to His will. 1 John 5:14 states, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” God’s will is consistent with His Word. You can know the will of God by reading the Word of God—they are exactly the same.

God’s sixth reason is to pray specifically. Don’t pray to God in vague terms. Nail it down so that when God answers, you know it was Him.

Seventh, God will not hear your prayer with unconfessed sin in your life. Psalm 66: 18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”

What area of your life is under attack? Finances? Relationships? Business? Marriage? Children? In the authority of Jesus’ name, I want you to start praying about that area being attacked and let God solve the problem for you.

In your finances, your health, your emotions, your family, your personal life, and for the United States of America, pray. His promise endures forever. And no matter what you need today, in the authority of Jesus’ name, and by the power of His shed Blood, it shall be done for you, in faith believing.

Make the decision today to pray!