Prayer is where the action is

Author Paul Billheimer makes the provocative statement: “Prayer is where the action is.”

Other Christians might say evangelism or Bible study or good works are most important.

But in his book Destined For The Throne, Billheimer says: “Unless a church is satisfied to merely operate an ecclesiastical treadmill, prayer will become her main occupation.”

That’s strong stuff.  It’s not what we’re used to hearing in the Western Christian church.

Does this mean praying should be the only thing Christians do?

No, but it should be the first thing.  We have many examples in the Bible of prayer’s importance.

There is Jesus’ example. Often, the gospel writers mention that Jesus spent time in prayer before preaching to thousands and performing miracles.  He prayed to the Father before the resurrection of Lazarus.  He prayed before the pivotal event in history, his crucifixion.

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, was praying when he received a vision about sending his servants to fetch Peter.  It was while praying that Peter received a vision about reaching out to non-Jews with the gospel.  This paved the way to a ground-breaking event in Christian history – the conversion of Cornelius and outreach to non-Jews.

The apostle James says in James 4:2: “You do not have because you do not ask.”  That’s as direct a reason to pray as you will find anywhere.

Prayer came before great revivals in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.  Hundreds of thousands came to faith in Christ during those times.

I seem to find time for many things – and not nearly enough for prayer.

So Billheimer’s statement is a challenge for me – and for all believers.