Our discussion this week at our staff devotions was about prayer, specifically prayer that gets answers. To sum up the discussion, effective prayer requires praise. If that doesn’t make sense to you, let me break it down, starting with faith. Without faith, prayer is nothing but white noise. The key to a strong faith is praise. Paul E. Billheimer puts it this way in Destined for the Throne
After all, successful prayer is overcoming satanic opposition to the purposes of God. The missing element in prayer that does not prevail is triumphant faith. And the missing element in faith that does not triumph is praise–perpetual, purposeful, aggressive praise. Praise is the spark plug of faith. It is the one thing needed to get faith airborne, enabling it to soar above the deadly miasma of doubt. Praise is the detergent that purifies faith and purges doubt from the heart. The secret of answered prayer is faith without doubt (Mark 11:23). And the secret of faith without doubt is praise–continuous, massive, triumphant praise, praise that is a way of life.
If that doesn’t get you fired up, you may need to check your pulse. Thanks to Pastor Jay for leading the discussion. I love my pastor and the work that God is doing through him.