In recent days I have found myself wondering, How can saints and spiritual leaders be so disinterested in prayer? Where is the passion for prayer? What kind of leaders is the church preparing for the next generation if they’re not prayer leaders? What is the mission of the church if it’s not a “house of prayer”?
The Holy Spirit woke me with these words, “If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray..” (II Chronicles 7:14) and “My house shall be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13). The word “called” was quickened in my spirit. You must be called to the kind of prayer that affects the destinies of nations and generations. We claim calls to preach, teach, prophesy, pastor, lead praise and worship and every other specialty of ministry that will fit on a business card. Where are the ones called to prayer?
All prayer is a work of the Holy Spirit. Prayer is of no interest to the fallen human nature. Our flesh has no desire to pray. Anytime you have a notion to pray it is an unction. The duty and discipline of prayer is a drudgery when it is not inspired and imparted by the Holy Spirit. Only a relationship with the Holy Spirit can keep prayer fresh and inviting. Prayer and any spiritual discipline that is done out of ritual and religion is an abomination before God (Isaiah 1:11-15).
There are no programs or initiatives that will motivate the passion of prayer. We deceive ourselves if we think we can simply recruit intercessors and train prayer leaders. There is only one thing that will urge weak flesh into prayer -unction! “The Spirit helps our weaknesses, for we do not know how to pray as we should but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us…” (Romans 8:26). A prayer-unction born of the Holy Spirit removes burdens and destroy yokes.
The “old man” that the Apostle Paul describes is desperately detached from the highest form of spiritual ministry. Like Adam, we are running and hiding from God. That’s all prayerlessness is. When we fail to give ourselves wholly to prayer we have taken a journey into the “far country”. We are raising saints and spiritual sons as prodigals from prayer. When we reject or ignore prayer we are in rebellion, wasting our inheritance and committing high treason against the kingdom of God.
You can have a passion to pray. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of grace and supplication” (Zechariah 12:10). The Holy Spirit is a praying Spirit! The gift of intercession is a spiritual endowment. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you a “praying spirit”. Ask the Father to fill you with an intensity for intercession. Pray! Pray now!
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