How Powerful a Man Who Prays

Will you pray for us?

Many of us, especially men can find those words terrifying, I know I do.  You might ask why?  What is so difficult about praying?  You pray every day throughout the day not only on your bended  knees at night, but also whenever we want or need anything during our day.

However whenever we are asked to pray over someone else, or prior to an event or just aloud we choke on our prayers and our throats go dry.

It should come naturally with the words rolling off our tongue and yet we begin to get anxious and our palms start to sweat like we are getting ready to speak to thousands rather than just One.  We are humbled in prayer to ask of anything and our words become laden with the arid air of the desert as where the battle was won so many years ago.

We are entangled in a battle of the mind against the heart every time we pray as we have the thoughts of inadequacy and the fear of a child asking for anything.  While we are told to pray unceasingly and that our prayers will be answered we still feel incapable and unworthy.

The seeds of doubt and fear are planted within us at birth and we are forever burdened with the overcoming and the desire to battle in a war already won.  We allow naysayers to get into our minds and convince us that we are not worthy of Grace,  yet Grace was granted to us thousands of years ago and ousted out of the desert that now resides in the back of our throats.

The living water is strong like a river and washes away and cleanses us if we allow it and in turn rains down on us and opens our hearts.  Our promises have been written and we are strong enough to bow our heads and bend our knee not only for ourselves but that of others.

As men it is our responsibility, our honor and privilege to pray over our loved ones and even those that we will never know.  We simply must simply drink from the fountain and wash away the devil’s dust of deceit and deception and lift those up around us in prayer.

Many of us were probably raised with standard prayers and blessings that we recite both in churches, over meals and throughout our lives.  These prayers are different from the action of praying for or over someone.  We are challenged to vocalize without sounding needy, we have the thoughts but to actually say them where someone else can hear can be terrifying.

Photo Credit: Fishbowl Collective via Compfight cc

When we open our hearts and pray for others we open the passage to receive blessings in ways we never imagined.  You can remain manly and stoic and still humble your heart enough to pray for the safety and health of your family.  You bring blessings to others when you place your hands on those in need and pray for their behalf.

Nothing is more powerful and healing than the prayers given over someone who has nothing to give and has lost all faith.  The next time you see a homeless man or woman on the street rather than avoid them or throw some coins in their direction so they will go away.  Why not stop for a minute and ask them if they minded if you prayed with them?

I have personally watched the power of prayer bring grown men to tears, sobbing like a new-born baby.  I have also seen the hopeless with no light in their eyes turn their faces to the light like flint and gleam from ear to ear with a smile of hope and salvation all because someone prayed for them.

So the next time you are asked to pray for someone, or the next time you see the need and opportunity where prayer could be used, drink from the fountain and pray over them like rain.

In closing if there is a need in your heart that you would like myself and other readers to pray for you this week feel free to share in the comments as we can all use the power of prayer.